LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1983, Page 44

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44 MINUTES OF THE CONVENTION

Board of Regents—Ann Arbor
PASTOR
James Nickel, Elkhart, IN (IN)

Board of Regents— Austin
PASTOR
Marvin Lehnhardt, New Orleans, LA (SO)

Board of Regents—Bronxville
PASTOR

Arthur Geidel, Palisades Park, NJ (EN)

Board of Regents—Fort Wa yne
PASTOR

Donald E. Kirchner, Chestnut, IL (CI)

Board of Regents—St. Louis
PASTORS

Edgar F. Rehwaldt, Richfield, MN (MNS)
Neil R. Schmidt, St. Ann, MO (MO)

Board of Regents—St. Paul
LAYPERSON

Ed Gensmer, Hutchinson, MN (MNS)

Board of Regents—Selma
PASTOR

Howard Foard, Chicago, IL (NI)

Those who were reported elected were then declared
elected to the positions. Ballots for the remaining
unfilled positions were distributed, and after balloting
had been completed, the voting was declared closed.

Point of Privilege

Speaking on a point of privilege, a delegate asked
that delegates age 65 and over be asked to rise. The
request was granted.

Missions, Evangelism, and Social Ministry

Chairman Marcis of the Floor Committee on Mis-
sions, Evangelism, and Social Ministry introduced Res.
1-10 (TB 41). The delegates adopted this resolution and
thereby asked that the Synod support the second Great
Commission Convocation scheduled for October 25—
28, 1984, in St. Louis, and asked the Districts to promote
attendance at the convocation, plan for followthrough
reporting of the convocation, and conduct District
convocations, and urged the Circuits of the Synod to
promote attendance at the convocation, and the con-
gregations to send representatives to it. The convention
also adopted Res. 1-11A(7B 168) which asked congrega-
tions to renew their support for refugee sponsorship and
resettlement. This resolution encouraged congregations
which had sponsored and resettled refugees in the past
to do so again, asked the Synod and District social
ministry committees to continue to make available
materials and guidelines concerning refugee sponsor-
ship, resettlement, and Christian education to congre-
gations, and asked the congregations to lend their
complete support to the observance of “Refugee Con-
cerns Sunday” on May 6, 1984. During the discussion of
the resolution delegates were asked to remember the
homeless who are abandoned in the cities and who live
in its streets.

By adopting Res. 1-12 (TB 43) the delegates expressed

concern and support for the health and healing ministry
of the church. Prior to the introduction of the resolution
the floor committee had deleted the words “at home
and” in line 37 (TB 43). The adoption of the resolution
took place after it had been amended in line 32 (TB 43)
by changing the word “ask” to “instruct” and replacing
the words “encourage the preparation and distribution
of” with the words “to prepare and distribute” in lines
32 and 33. The resolution was adopted as amended after
the assembly had agreed to cease debate. Before intro-
ducing Res. 1-13(TB 43), which affirmed the conviction
of the Synod that Christians should take an active part
in social, economic, and political issues and encouraged
its members to become more informed on civil matters,
the floor committee had removed the prefix “non” in the
word “non-Christians” in line 74 (TB 43). The resolution
was adopted as presented. After declining to remove
lines 45 and 46 (TB 44) and agreeing to cease debate on
the main resolution, the convention adopted Res. 1-14
(TB 44) which recommended certain approaches and
resources in evangelism. Among these were Lutheran
Open House activities on the District, regional, Circuit,
or congregational level. The resolution also encouraged
the Districts to sponsor Lutheran Open House activities
on these levels and asked the Board for Evangelism
Services to assist Districts in conducting Lutheran
Open House events by providing guidance, training,
and necessary materials. It also asked that the Synod
commit itself to the principle that assimilation begins
the moment a person first attends the services of a
congregation and especially when a person enrolls in
the adult membership class of that congregation. It
further recommended that the resources developed by
The Board for Evangelism Services and Concordia
Publishing House be commended to the congregations,
seminaries, and colleges of the Synod for their use in the
church.

Special Recognitions

Mr. Franklin L. Jensen of the Lutheran Immigration
and Refugee Service was introduced to the delegates. In
his remarks he pointed out that the Lutheran churches
have been involved in resettling 4,600 persons. He
introduced three families to the convention and pointed
out that the children of all of them had been baptized.
He acknowledged the leadership which had been given
by Pastor Eugene Gunther to the efforts of resettlement,
as well as those of August Bernthal. In recognition of all
of this action, the delegates joined in the singing of the
second stanza of the refugee hymn. Mr. Jensen stated
that there were still 150 open cases which needed
sponsorship within the next month or they would be.
returned for resettlement by other groups. He reminded
the delegates that there are still 216,000 refugees in
camps in Southeast Asia, some of whom have been
there for two to three years.

Mr. Rodney Rynearson, director of the Lutheran
School for the Deaf, was introduced to the convention
In his remarks he pointed out that the goal of the school