LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1981, Page 197

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ADMINISTRATION 197

FF. Audit Committee. It was decided to establish a standing
Audit Committee, the majority of whom are voting members of
the board and are not employed by the Synod or its Districts,
boards, or commissions.

GG. Assistance in Housing. It has become increasingly
difficult for headquarters staff persons and also new faculty
members to transfer because of the real estate market. Down
payments and mortgage rates have become prohibitive. The
board therefore appointed a special committee to develop a
policy of assistance which might also be followed by the
Districts as well as the Synod and its colleges and its seminaries
and eventually perhaps also the congregations of the Synod.

HH. Goals for the ’80’s. The board approved in principle a
set of goals for the decade of the ’80’s in the areas of Program
Administration, Finance, and Support Services.

Ul. National Lutheran Parent-Teacher League. The NLPTL
was advised to apply for the status of ‘Listed Service Organi-
zation” rather than “Auxiliary.”

JJ. Recognition Awards. It was decided that artistic awards
should be given both as employee service awards and also as
recognition awards for board and commission members upon
retirement from office.

KK. Word Processing. A Wang system with various stations
has been ordered for headquarters and for the Board of Parish
Education, the purchase to be financed by earnings of the
Expansion Fund and by various groups making use of the
system.

LL. Properties for the Deaf. Although some Districts are
now resisting transfers of such properties to the Districts, the
transfers are nevertheless under way according to convention
instructions.

MM. CPH Transfer. The board was delighted to acknow-
ledge transfers of funds again from Concordia Publishing
House to the Synod.

NN. Edmonton. The Board of Directors was called upon to
take emergency action to provide adequate financial assistance
for the college in Edmonton through the Alberta-British
Columbia District. No doubt this matter will receive further
and more extensive report from other sources.

OO. J. A. O. Preus— Walter A. Maier. When the controversy
surfaced with respect to objective justification involving the
President of the Synod and a professor at our Fort Wayne
seminary, the Board of Directors adopted a resolution strongly
urging discussions to arrive at understanding.

PP. Financial Assistance for Emeriti. Recognizing the
grievous burden under which many retired pastors and
teachers are laboring, the board, utilizing a ruling of the federal
government, designated that 100% of the Concordia Retirement
Plan benefit and of the Pension Fund payments should be
designated for housing expenses. It also approved significant
changes in the Pension Plan for Pastors and Teachers and also
in the Concordia Retirement Plan, as will be reported from
other sources.

QQ. St. Catharines. When the Board of Control of the Fort
Wayne seminary felt obligated to divest itself of further
supervison of the seminary in St. Catharines, Ont., the board
resolved that according to the pertinent convention resolution,
the Board for Higher Education should perform the ordinary
functions of a Board of Control for St. Catharines until the new
Bylaws regarding a Board of Control for that institution would
be submitted for approval to the 1981 synodical convention.

RR. Other Items. The board granted powers of attorney at
various times for specific purposes especially in overseas areas
of activity; approved the purchase and sale of various campus
properties on recommendation of the Board for Higher Educa-
tion; concluded its work on certain concerns raised by alayman
from Ohio; gave approval to the reorganization of the Mission
staff, the Parish Education staff, and the Treasurer’s Depart-
ment; authorized the translation of an additional work by
Gerhard; created a Division of Administration as part of the
divisional structure of the Council of Administrators; reas-
signed the Commission on Black Ministry from that division to
the Division of Missions and Special Ministries; approved part-
time staff assistance for the Council for Christian medical
Work; referred the question of the Synod’s position on legisla-

tion regarding charitable contributions to the synodical Presi-
dent; extended an Expansion Fund loan to Seward for the
purchase of a computer; voted the necessary borrowing
authority for the Treasurer of the Synod; approved according
to the Bylaws additional criteria for recognition as listed
service organizations; approved release of Lutheran Annual
computer tapes to Lutheran Brotherhood; received audit reports
from various agencies and institutions owned or controlled by
the Synod; created the position of manager of general services
at headquarters; declined the request by the Fort Wayne
seminary for a School for World Missions; included salaried
officers in a worker’s compensation insurance policy; adopted
a policy for Districts of the Synod to deposit their balances with
the Synod; gave encouragement to a telephone ministry
developed in St. Louis and placed it within the purview of the
Board for Evangelism.

IV. Recommendations ~

A. Sabbaticals and Study Leaves. In order to provide for
uniformity, the board recommends that Bylaws 2.11 e and f be
amended to include the italicized words: “A synodical board or
commission, in accordance with policies adopted by the Board
of Directors, may grant....”

B. Age Discrimination. In view of governmental rulings
forbidding mandatory retirement at age 65 and providing for
other equalizing arrangements, the Board of Directors recom-
mends that the sentence “Such request for reappointment shall
be accompanied by satisfactory medical evaluations” be de
leted from Bylaw 2.105 a 1.

C. Salaries of Outgoing Officers. Since the Synod had
changed its fiscal year to begin July 1 instead of Feb. 1, the
board resolved to recommend to the convention that Bylaw
2.07 regarding the continuing salary of outgoing officers
should provide for such continuation to the end of the calendar
year instead of the fiscal year and that the Treasurer should be
included in the list of officers in that Bylaw as long as the office
remains a full-time elected position. Task Force IJ has similar
recommendations to the convention.

D. Transfer of Theological Education Responsibilities in
Argentina from the Board for Higher Education to the Board
for Missions. Both boards were in agreement on this procedure.
The Board of Directors recommends that the convention ratify
this action.

E. Coordination of Communications. The 1979 convention
(Res. 7-01) instructed the Board of Directors to develop recom-
mendations in this area. The recommendations are being

submitted by means of a separate overture. Lo.

F. Black Centennial Committee. The board recommends
that the Black Centennial Committee be dismissed with
thanks and its responsibilities turned over to the Commission
on Black Ministry.

G. Fund-Raising. By means of a separate overture the
Board of Directors is proposing a major change in fund-raising
activities of the Synod.

H. National Lutheran Indian Board and Indian Desk of
LCUSA.A separate overture is being submitted on this subject.

I. Ohio District Church Extension Fund. The same is true
of this particular issue.

J. Task Force Recommendations. Still another overture
proposes changes and supplements to the proposals of Task
Force IT.

K. Stewardship Recommendation. The board is also offer-
ing recommendations in an overture with respect to the
proposals submitted by the Board of Stewardship to the
convention.

Herbert Mueller, Secretary

Appendix 4-04A
Appointments and Elections

The Board of Directors has the responsibility under the
Bylaws to fill many positions by appointment or to ratify or
concur in various appointments. Such actions taken during the
past two years are as follows:

a

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