LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1983, Page 53

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

had also declined to add as a third resolve the words,
«That the Synod in convention direct the appropriate
boards to coordinate and sponsor regional lay leader-
ship training programs for ethnic ministry.” The con-
vention made its decision after agreeing to cease debate
on both the amendment and the main resolution. By the
adoption of Res. 1-19( TB 46) the delegates requested the
Commission on Health and Healing to gather and
maintain a realistic roster of “health workers for
Christ” and acknowledged and encouraged the service
-of these workers. After changing the word “the” to
“some” in line 67 (TB 46) and the word “instruct” to
“encourage” in lines 21 and 25(TB 47) the floor commit-
tee introduced Res. 1-20 (TB 46) encouraging the bring-
ing of the Gospel to Jewish people. The convention
adopted this resolution, affirming its belief that the
--Messiah, Jesus, is the only way for all people to be
reconciled with God and affirmed its desire that Jewish
people be included in the proclamation of this truth. It
also instructed the Board for Evangelism Services and
-its Task Force on Witnessing to Jewish People to
continue to provide help to Districts and congregations
for proclaiming the Gospel to Jewish people and for
dealing with anti-Semitism. It further commended the
Commission on Theology and Church Relations for
providing guidance for bringing the Gospel to them,
encouraged the Board for Parish Services to cooperate

with the Task Force on Witnessing to Jewish People in
providing study materials on the Jewish people today,
ag well as the problems of anti-Semitism and Jewish
evangelism, and instructed the Board for Social Min-
‘istry Services to include concern for anti-Semitism and
prejudice against Jewish people in its materials and
programs which deal with all forms of prejudice. With
the adoption of this resolution the work of the Floor
- Committee on Missions, Evangelism, and Social Min-

istry was declared completed.

. Announcement

+; The Rev. Paul Devantier, executive secretary of the
Board for Communication Services, announced that a
number of materials would be made available to dele-
gates for reporting the actions of the convention to the
cangregations of their Circuits. Among these were a
--four-page printed overview of activities and a press
 elease which would be distributed at the close of the
- convention. Within two weeks, lay delegates would also
be provided with slides, as well as a four-page summary
~ of the convention and a four-color insert which would be
., made available in quantity. It is.intended that the insert
will also appear in the Lutheran Witness.

sagt or: .

‘heology and Church Relations

Chairman Kuehnert of the Floor Committee on
Theology and Church Relations introduced Res. 3-17A
. (TB 239) expressing the joy of the LCMS in the fraternal
..telationship which exists between the Synod and the
. Lutheran Church of Australia. By adopting the resolu-
tion the Synod reaffirmed its continued desire to estab-
lish altar and pulpit fellowship with that church,

MINUTES OF THE CONVENTION 53

authorized the President to communicate to the Lu-
theran Church of Australia its desire to establish closer
relationships and its willingness to engage in fraternal
discussion, and invited the Lutheran Church of
Australia to join the Synod in the prayer that God would
lead the two groups to work together in mutual consola-
tion, encouragement, and exhortation toward main-
taining and establishing sound confessional Lutheran-
ism in our world. During consideration of Res. 3-21A
(TB 284) the delegates amended the resolution by
striking the word “sainted” in line 10 (7B 284) and
adding after the word “teachers” in that line the words
“who have gone before us.” They also agreed to change
the words “the resolution” to “this resolution” in line 28
(TB 284). The resolution was then adopted as amended,
asking the Board for Parish Services and the Depart-
ment of Stewardship and Financial Support to imple-
ment the resolution, which called for the creation of an
endowment fund which would make financial resources
available to the Standing Committee on Church Litera-
ture for scholarly research and writing.

By adopting Res. 3-18 (7B 70) the delegates agreed to
the inclusion of Bylaws in the Handbook of the Synod,
which would provide for an appeals procedure for
doctrinal materials already published. During the dis-
cussion the word “board” was changed to “commis-
sion” in line 38 (7B 71) and the word “challenge” was
changed to “challenger” in line 44 (TB 71). The conven-
tion also considered the addition of the words “of any
congregation” after the word “member” in line 18 (TB
71) but declined to do so. In taking this action, it was
agreed that the word “member” refers to pastors,
teachers, and congregations. Action on the resolution
was taken after the delegates had agreed to cease debate
on both the amendment and the main resolution. Since
adequate procedures for doctrinal review are provided
in the Handbook of the Synod, the convention declined
Overture 3-34 (CW 107). This was accomplished by
adopting Res. 3-19 (7B 72).

Progress Report

Dr. Robert Sauer, First Vice-President of the Synod,
indicated that at this time 76 resolutions still remained
for consideration by the convention. The tally accord-
ing to committees and resolutions was as follows:
Committee #2—12 resolutions; Committee #3—5 reso-
lutions; Committee #4—16 resolutions; Committee #5—
43 resolutions.

Constitution and Structure

Chairman Griesse of the Floor Committee on Consti-
tution and Structure reintroduced Res. 5-11B (TB 302)
on which discussion had begun in a previous session.
Immediately after the introduction of the resolution a
delegate proposed that the convention consider as a
substitute motion Overture 5-49A (CW 225) which called
for the establishment of a Board for Pastoral Ministry.
Following the “Behnken rule,” the delegates voted
immediately on the proposal and declined to consider
the substitute motion. After agreeing to cease debate the