LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1981, Sheet 377

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368 OTHER REPORTS

Lutheran Television specials, and Tension Point films avail-
able to congregations.

Worthy of special mention is the Tension Point film series.
This series consists of 18 open-ended, 10-minute films accom-
panied by Bible-study and discussion materials. The series has
also been closed captioned for the deaf and hearing impaired
for on-television usage, and open captioned for use in deaf
congregations. This captioning was made possible through a
special grant from Lutheran Friends of the Deaf.

Hispanic Ministries

With the addition of the Rev. Fred Pankow to its staff as
Hispanic coordinator, the Int’] LLL has expanded its outreach
to Spanish-speaking people. A 15-minute Spanish radio drama,
Ayer, Hoy v Siempre, is currently being broadcast weekly over
more than 40 radio stations serving Hispanic communities in
the United States, Esta Es La Vida, a series of “‘This Is the
Life’’ episodes lip-synched into Spanish are currently being
shown on 18 stations, and a limited amount of Spanish
Christian literature related to these programs is being pro-
duced. The Int’! LLL is working closely with other boards and
agencies of the LCMS involved in Hispanic ministry through
participation as a member of the LCMS Coordinating Commit-
tee for Hispanic Literature.

Preaching Through the Press

In previous years Preaching Through The Press (PTP)
consisted of placing ads in national-circulation newspapers
and magazines from time to time. The ads offered booklets
relating the Gospel to social or personal problems. Beginning
in 1980, however, PTP has become primarily a local compaign
to be carried out by local congregations or league-affiliated
groups.

A local PTP campaign consists of placing posters in public
places, ads in local newspapers, and possibly spot announce-
ments on radio and television offering a PTP booklet to those
who request it by writing to a local address. Besides relating
the Gospel to people’s specific needs, the local campaign also
provides opportunities for evangelism followup. A brochure
available from league headquarters gives step-by-step instruc-
tions about how to conduct a local PTP campaign.

Int’] LLL Groups

The Int'l LLL also serves congregations of the Synod
through is affiliated-groups program. Presently there are more
than 1,500 such groups in LCMS congregations throughout
North America. These groups represent the entire range of
congregational auxiliaries, including men’s clubs, women’s
organizations, young-adult groups, couples’ clubs, Bible
classes, Sunday schools, and voters’ assemblies. The league
serves these local groups by providing planning and program
resources, Bible-study materials, and service-project sugges-
tions.

This year the league is beginning a new program designed
to strengthen existing groups and to encourage the formation
of new groups both in North America and in other countries
around the world. Called the “Share Christ” program, it will
pair groups in the United States and Canada with groups in
other countries. These groups will participate in a series of
specially prepared Bible studies, each with an intimate, per-
sonal application in which they will share themselves, their
faith, and their Lord. In this way the groups will share the
Word of God with one another, be strengthened in that Word,
and be brought to a new understanding of their unity in Christ.

Budget Summary

Through its radio and television ministries, the Int’] LLL
continues to reach out to people all over the world with the
saving Gospel of Jesus Christ. Although it is impossible to get
a precise measure of the size of our audience, we do know that
we are reaching many millions with the Gospel and generating
many thousands of opportunities for personal followup.

We recognize this as a tremendous blessing, yet at the same
time we realize that it represents a continuing challenge,
especially at this time when increasing inflation is making
sharp inroads into our ability to sustain and expand our
operation.

This year we have set a budget goal of $9.7 million, but this
budget represents only the barest minimum needed to keep our
programs going.

Asin the past, we must rely on congregations and members
of the LCMS to provide the largest portion of funds to meet our
needs. You have already indicated that you will provide that
support through increased congregational participation in
Lutheran Hour Sunday and Television Sunday and through
increasing support by individual LCMS members as “Bringing
Christ to the Nations Support Plan” members, Lutheran Hour
and Lutheran Television sponsors, and Int’l LLL members.
For that we offer our heartfelt thanks.

We also ask that you continue to remember our worldwide
ministry in your prayers. And we hope you will continue tolook
on the Int’! LLL as an organization dedicated to serving the
church, both through our worldwide Gospel-outreach minis-
tries and through our programs and projects designed to
involve laypeople in a meaningful, personal ministry as
leaders, workers, and Spirit-filled contributors to the overall
work of proclaiming the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. To
Him be the glory forever and ever!

John A. Daniels, Executive Director

X-02

Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

Helping women develop spiritually, encouraging and equip-
ping members to reach out in love, alerting members to
opportunities for helping others, and gathering funds for
mission projects sponsored or approved by the Synod is the aim
of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, an auxiliary of
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

To achieve its goals, the league organizes the ideas, energies,
and resources of women who make up the membership of the
LWML.

The continuity behind the effort is the committees and
officers who implement the suggestions, recommendations,
and commitment of the members.

This is done by

—encouraging Bible study

—publishing a variety of materials

—providing program help and resources

—offering rallies, conventions, workshops, seminars for
training and personal growth

—administering funds according to the bylaws for mission
projects, publications, and programs

A one-year emphasis is given to selected subjects of Bible
study, evangelism, and service. The fourth year is a variable;
prayer was chosen for 1981—82. Convention mottos, themes,
Bible studies and the miniseries ‘“‘Mustard Seeds” accent the
annual emphasis.
Following is an accounting of the program of work for the
1979—81 biennium of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary
League.
“Sow the Seed,” the 1979 Omaha convention motto, was the
major theme during the biennium. Emphasis was evangelism
and service through the subthemes “Speak God’s Love” and
“Share God’s Love.”
New programs and materials, developed by committees and
resource people, were:
—1979 convention filmstrip with narration
—Annual Bible studies—(1979) “Call of the Kingdom” by
Pauline and Rev. Leonard Erdman; (1980) ‘Share God’s
Love” by Alma Kern

—‘“‘Mustard Seed” Bible studies—‘“‘This I Believe” by
Dorothy Rosin

—Annual Prayer Service—(1979) “Brazil’s Banner for
Christ” by Brazil LWML,; (1980) “This We Believe” by
Lutheran Women’s Cooperating Committee; “Recon-
ciled,” a drama by Lois Dankenbring celebrating our
common Lutheran heritage

—Resource folder for each society which included officer

guidelines, program helps, resource listing, and other
material

—LWML Sunday worship service and related items—over

507,000 bulletins and 561,000 inserts were ordered in 1980

—Leadership training material