LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1981, Sheet 340

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tem 6; Dir. LPAA 4; Dele. Republican State
Conv. 2; Pres. South Texas Geological Soc. 1.
Ethel P. Lesh, 53, Clifton, NJ: Trinity
(NJ); educator. S. Conv. Dele. 2. C. Sec. for
Deacons 3; SS Teacher 25, Organist 26.
James E. Price, 64, University City, MO:
St. James (MO): public high school principal.
S. BPE 3; Armed Forces Com. 2. C. Bd. of
Educ. 4; Bd. of Dir. 3; Future Planning Com. 1.

Maynard H. Brandt

1. IT have had an interest in Christian educa-
tion for many years and worked in congre-
gations with strong programs of Christian
education. Served Christian Education
Committee of the Iowa District West for
seven years and am completing my second
term on the Board of Parish Education—
presently serving as chairman of this
board.

2. My disappointment in the Synod was in the
weakness that was shown in the years that
doctrinal controversy permitted us to lose
sight of our mission. My joy is that once
more, by God’s grace, we are moving ahead
with sound Christian doctrine.

3. I believe we need to see once more the
tremendous challenge God has placed
before us in a worldwide mission. Somehow
we seem to have lost sight of that in recent
years. While we can never meet that chal-
lenge completely, and the task will never be
completed, we can, under God’s grace, equip
our people for the work God has placed
before us. I pray that the Holy Spirit will
lead us in this direction.

David V. Dissen

1. Have been in the parish ministry for nearly
21 years. Serve on the President’s Advisory
Council at Concordia College. Have
attended all synodical conventions since
1969. Deep interest in overall growth and
outreach of Synod. Concern for parish
education manifested by starting Christian
day school in present parish.

2. Greatest joy—continued commitment of
Synod to Scripture and our Lutheran Con-
fessions combined with Synod’s obvious
interest in church growth in all areas of
church life. Greatest disappointment—slow
process of resolving some of its internal
strife so that we can implement more of our
Christian education and mission outreach
and inreach!

3. Our mandate from the Lord is clear. We
need to educate, inform, equip, and inspire
our people more and more in Scriptural
principles and individual involvement of
church growth. God’s people need to be
steeped anew in the great truths of God’s
Word. We need continued faithfulness to
Scripture but also a vigorous outreach to a
watching and waiting world that needs to
be prepared by God’s grace for a coming
Lord!

Raymond A. Mueller

1. After four years on Synoq’s Board of Parish
Education, I now understand even better
why the contacts and experience I have had
on this board would enable me to serve
Synod’s best interests, doctrinal and other-
wise, more and more effectively if reelected
for another term.

2. Thanks be to God for His marvelous miracle
of rescuing the Missouri Synod from the
Gospel-killing and mission-destroying doc-
trinal direction in which we were headed,
and also for causing us to begin to grow
now toward a much mote vigorous zeal for
outreach all over the world!

3. Since the Great Commission clearly com-
bines vigorous mission outreach with sound
doctrine and thorough Christian education,
I would like to see Synod train and retrain
its pastors, teachers, and laity to carry out
both sides of the combination with earnest
zeal and commitment to Christ as Lord.

NOMINATIONS

True doctrine without outreach saves
almost no one. Outreach without true doc-
trine saves the same number. Both must be
promoted together.

Allen W. Schade

1.

ra

3.

T have been trained in a wide variety of
Lutheran education areas: small, rural
parochial schools, synodical high school,
trained in secondary education at Con-
cordia, Seward. I have been heavily in-
volved in adult education in the parish and
working with training youth in our
District.

. I believe the goals of the Forward in

Remembrance drive are focused with the
Great Commission, extending the mission
of the church throughout the whole world,
training our people to function more effec-
tively in the total Gospel ministry entrusted
to us as ambassadors for Christ. As this
reflects the focus of Synod, it is something
to thank God for once again.

. As above, I think we need to get back to

some key emphases: Training our people to
be effective disciples, which is a continued
emphasis on solid doctrinal and practical
education. That will generate a deeper
commitment to serve Christ in a wide
variety of ministries herein North America
and around the world. The Gospel must be
the heart of our motivation and the preach-
ing of it must be the focus of all our efforts.

Allen Herbst

. Experience in parish and District worship,

education, and administrative services has
been broad and fairly balanced. In addition,
I served one term on Synod’s nominating
committee and could bring that experience
to a second term.

. Joy and gratitude fill my heart that our

gracious Lord has led the Synod to reaffirm
a courageous and accurate doctrinal stance
based on the verbally inspired, inerrant
Word. I pray that our leaders retain a pure,
Biblical perspective on all levels. I rejoice at
the spirited multicultural and worldwide
mission thrust.

Congregations need to work harder at
assimilating new members rather than
despond over delinquency lists. Building
an aggressive program for the ‘‘new-
comers” can serve to prevent them from
becoming the delinquents of the future.
District and Synod need to quickly face the
recruitment challenge to fill pastoral and
classroom vacancies. Synod must also
reverse the recent “laissez faire” attitude
toward a unified approach of training day
school teachers and DCEs.

Fay R. Richert

1.

I have been a teacher and principal in the
schools of LCMS for 28 years. I am familiar
with many publications of the Board of
Parish Education and the educational
materials of Synod. I am completing my
first term on the synodical Board of Parish
Education.

. My greatest joy is that Synod is trying to

adhere to Scripture and the Lutheran
Confessions. In particular Synod has
reaffirmed its position that the Bible is the
inerrant and inspired Word of God.

. In our Synod we should spend much effort

and money in sending missionaries, start-
ing new churches, and aiding those con-
gregations in need. We need to push for
support of our educational program of
colleges and seminaries so that pastors,
teachers are well trained in His Word and
using His Word.

Joe Frost

1.

(a) Twenty years working in various church
roles. (b) Professor and visiting professor at
several major universities. (c}) Lecturer and
workshop director at over 100 colleges and

331

universities in the U.S. and foreign coun-
tries. (d) Author ofnumerous books, articles,
and research reports in the field of educa-
tion. (e) President of the Association for
Childhood Education International with
membership in 70 countries.

2. My greatest joy is in seeing efforts toward

expansion and improvement programs to
serve children in educational contexts with
emphasis on spiritual development and in
seeing efforts to improve and expand
missions throughout the world.

3. A major concern of the church must be to

spread the Gospel to the young and the
unchurched throughout the world. This
requires an ever-growing system of Chris-
tian schools at all levels, preschool through
university, through which trained leaders
can spread the Word.

Roy H. Guess

1.

It takes nearly a year for a newly elected
person to become a truly effective board
member. Having served one four-year term,
I will, if elected, be a truly effective board
member whose primary concern is the pre-
servation of historical Lutheran theology
in all publications.

. The last two synodical conventions made

great strides in returning our Synod to its
former position of Bible-based theology. I
thank God for bringing Missouri back to its
position of eminence in the field of theology
ina world where heresy abounds and people
worship many gods.

. I believe Synod should concentrate on

aggressive mission programs, using the
latest scientific technology, to bring the
pure Gospel of our Savior to every person on
this planet. Although blessed with unbeliev-
able opportunities in the mission field, we
are failing to supply the necessary funds to
take advantage of these God-given oppor-
tunities to spread the truly inspired and
inerrant Word of God.

Ethel P. Lesh

1.

Having experienced the joys and frustra-
tions of working in education at the parish
level for so many years, I believeI can make
worthwhile contributions based on that
experience and my formal training in
education.

. The only directions in which Synod can

move are closer to, or farther from, God’s
will as we can determine His will from the
Bible. As our stand on Scripture as the
foundation of faith remains firm, I have the
greatest joy.

. Synod has to move in every direction, ‘‘all

the world,” as opportunity and resources
are found. Synod’s role is to spread the Good
News by training people, using and develop-
ing programs and media to that end, and
seeking and channeling resources.

James E. Price *

1.

Thank God for the Synod’s commitment to
Black Ministry. My current membership on
the Board of Parish Education inspires me
to recognize the need for effective Black
representation. My background experience
in education (public) and as a member of
the Lutheran Church (LCMS), I feel
strongly the urgency of the challenge.

2. The continued commitment of the Synod’s

Commission on Theology and Church
Relations in its efforts to bring about a
unified understanding so as to minimize
the number of congregations who might
leave the LCMS. In addition, my personal
concern, at this time, isin the area of Black
mission ministry.

3. My greatest joy is the continued spiritual

growth and carrying out the Synod’s
mission to the church, despite the conflicts
that have tended to divide it (LCMS) in
recent years. Spiritual growth as a partici-