LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1981, Page 292

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292 PARISH SERVICES

This support for the Witness takes practical form when
District staffs and congregation members work for blanket
subscription throughout the District and in the congregation.
Blanket subscription to the Witness would bring it into every
one of the 800,000 homes in the Synod.

It is interesting and encouraging to note the fine support of
the Districts and congregations in subscribing to the Witness.

Nine Districts and the Armed Forces Commission (which
mails the Witness to 7.000 members in the military) range from
90 to 100 percent blanket subscriptions: Nebraska, Northwest,
Iowa East, and the Armed Forces Commission, 100 percent;
Missouri, Texas, and South Dakota, 99 percent; Mid-South, 96
percent; Wyoming 94 percent: Southern I]linois, 90 percent.

Six Districts are in the 72—88 percent bracket: Minnesota
North, 88 percent; Montana, 84 percent; Kansas, 81 percent;
Iowa West, 76 percent; SELC, 73 percent; and Oklahoma, 72
percent.

Two more Districts have more than the d9 percent synodical
average: North Dakota, 68 percent; Southeastern, 60 percent.

Five Districts are above 40 percent: Florida-Georgia, 53
percent; Colorado, 51 percent; Central Illinois, 49 percent;
Southern California, 46 percent; Ohio, 45 percent.

Four Districts are in the 30-percent range: North Wisconsin,
39 percent; Ontario, 39 percent; Minnesota South, 35 percent;
Michigan, 33 percent.

Seven Districts range from 20 to 29 percent: Northern
Illinois, 29 percent; Indiana, 29 percent; Southern, 28 percent;
California-Nevada-Hawaii, 25 percent; New England, 20
percent; New Jersey, 20 percent; South Wisconsin 20 percent.

Two Districts are in the teens: Eastern, 17 percent; English,
16 percent; and one, Atlantic, has a7-percent blanket subscrip-
tion to the Witness.

We hope delegates to the convention will return home to
their congregations and encourage blanket subscriptions to
the Witness as a sharing of faith and ministry in Jesus Christ.
The Editorial Commission and the staff believe the blanket-
subscription price of the Witness—about $2.50—makes it a
most reasonable means of linking the members and congrega-
tions of the Synod.

To inquire about blanket subscriptions, congregation
leaders should contact their District office.

Reporter subscriptions are provided free by the Synod to
congregation leaders whose names are submitted by the
pastor. Individual subscriptions are available at $9 per year
from Concordia Publishing House.

Members of the Editorial Commission for Official Period-
icals are: Rev. Henry C. Lubben, pastor of Trinity Lutheran
Church, Taylorville, Ill. (chairman); William Haeseler III, a
businessman from North Tonawanda, N.Y. (vice-chairman);
Marlys S. Taege, director of development, Bethesda Lutheran
Home, Watertown, Wis. (secretary); Dr. Herbert Berner, retired
pastor, Milwaukee, Wis.; Signe Carlson, mother and housewife,
Austin, Minn.; Rev. Paul J. Foust, administrative assistant for
stewardship and evangelism, Michigan District, Ann Arbor;
Dr. August T. Mennicke, president, Minnesota North District,
Brainerd; Dr. Rudolph Norden, retired pastor and editor at
Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis; Rev. Hans R. Tornow,
executive for program—stewardship and public relations,
Northern Illinois District, Hillside.

Dr. Ralph Reinke, president, Concordia Publishing House,
Dr. George Wollenburg, synodical Fifth Vice-President, and
Victor Bryant, chairman, synodical Division of Communica-
tions, are advisory members.

Rev. Leland R. Stevens was installed as executive editor on
Dec. 7, 1979. He earned a masters degree in religious journalism
at Syracuse University in 1967 and served 20 years in the Air
Force chaplaincy and six years in the parish ministry.

Roland Lovstad joined the staff in July 1979 as an assistant
editor with responsibility for the Reporter. He is a 1967
graduate of the University of Minnesota School of Journalism
and worked for 12 years in newswriting and public relations at
the University of Minnesota, Duluth campus.

Appointed features editor of the Witness in February 1980,
Robin Mueller has been on the staff since 1976, beginning as
production coordinator. She is a 1975 graduate of Valparaiso
University, where she majored in English literature and
journalism. She has a masters degree in media studies from
Webster College, St. Louis.

Karen Kueck became production coordinator in March 1980
after six years experience with newspapers and business
publications. She is a 1971 graduate of the University of
Missouri School of Journalism.

Ruth Lindemeyer is assistant to the executive editor and
has the longest experience on the staff—13 years.

The Editorial Commission and staff want to recognize the
services of Dr. George W. Wittmer, pastor emeritus, who served
as interim executive editor from February through November
1979; also, members of the commission, William Wagner,
chairman, and Rev. Eugene L. Krentz, who finished their terms
during the biennium.

We acknowledge Lutheran Brotherhood for continuing to
fund Witness subscriptions during the biennium for retired
pastors, teachers, and surviving spouses. We also want to
express our appreciation to the members of Concordia Publish-
ing House for their editorial, graphic, and production support
of Synod’s official periodicals.

We thank God for his blessings and we continually pray for
the Holy Spirit’s guidance in witnessing to Jesus Christ our
Lord through the pages of the Witness and Reporter.

Leland Stevens, Executive Editor

7-07

Report of Commission
on Church Literature

In its ongoing study and review of the publication needs of
God’s people, the Commission on Church Literature is mindful
of the increasingly diverse audiences for and purposes of
publications for members of the LCMS. The “coming of age” of
the postwar generation, the growing incidence of single-parent
families, dramatic increases in longevity, the changing
character of the workplace (and home) as more women enter
the labor force, a growing recognition of the scarcity of
resources, and the consequent diminishing of expectations are
just a few of the numerous changes affecting personal and
institutional life and placing new demands and stresses on the
ministry of our church.

It is in this context of social change and restructuring that
the commission advises Concordia Publishing House on speci-
fic publishing needs and attempts to shape publication
proposals of a timely nature. However, the commission is also
mindful that it is the unique purpose of such publications to
present the timeless message of God in Jesus Christ, a message
of judgment, hope, and salvation. To assure that each publica-
tion presents this message in a timely and vivid manner, the
commission carefully reviews each publication proposal
offered; suggests authors of merit and insight; and reads
outlines, specimen writings, and manuscripts prior to recom-
mending publication.

During the past biennium the commission reviewed scores
of publishing proposals, monitored numerous works in pro-
gress, recommended over 20 works for publication, and
suggested and assigned authors for such ongoing publications
as Portals of Prayer, Taegliche Andachten, tracts, and the
Concordia Pulpit.

Meeting regularly, the commission jointly reviews the
recommendations from the following interest areas and their
commissioners: Children’s Materials, Mrs. Barbara Steege;
Devotional Materials, Dr. Milton Nauss; Exegetical Materials,
Rev. Dean Wenthe; Historical Materials, Dr. Robert Kolb;
Homiletical Materials, Rev. Richard Kapfer; Lay/General
Materials, Dr. Ihno Janssen; Professional/Paraprofessional
Materials, Rev. William Griffin; Research Materials, Dr.
Martin Scharlemann; Systematic Materials, Rev. Paul Paster-
nak; Tracts, Rev. Arthur Kaul; and Youth-Young Adult
Materials, Dr. Paul Maier.

Assisting the above are the following: Devotional, Dr.
Rudolph Norden; Exegetical, Dr. James Voelz and Dr. Horace
Hummel; Homiletical, Dr. Erwin Kolb and Rev. Leland
Teuscher; Lay/General, Mrs. Ruth Duerr and Rev. Martin
Taddey; Professional/paraprofessional, Dr. John Golisch,
Prof. Steven Hein, and Dr. Frazier Odom; Research, Rev. Larry
Myers, Rev. James Nickel, and Prof. William Weinrich; Syste
matic, Dr. Samuel Nafzger; Tracts, Rev. James Brubaker, Mrs.