LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1983, Page 3

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D. Ministry to People with Special Needs

14 projects, 13 Districts
E. New Approaches to Ministry
3 projects, 3 Districts

133 projects

At this same meeting, the BFMS also approved 22 addi-
tional projects available for specific funding through major
gifts to FIR (“Designated Projects in North American Missions
and Ministries”) in the amount of $1,682,500,

In its meeting of Jan. 13—15, 1982. the BFMS approved
another set of projects, approved and recommended by the
Projects Committee for North American Missions (PCNAM):

A. New Mission Starts
27 projects in 18 Districts

B. Strengthen Existing Congregations

42 projects in 24 Districts

D. Ministry to People with Special Needs

22 projects in 17 Districts

E. Develop New Approaches to Ministry

3 projects in 5 Districts
96 projects

Note: “C. Ministry to People of Other Cultures” had no

project at that time.

Once again, the BFMS (Oct. 20—22, 1982) approved another
set of 63 new projects from a list of 78, approved and recom-
mended by the Projects Committee for North American Mis-
sions (15 were referred back to PCN AM for reconsideration and

reevaluation):
A. New Mission Starts

MISSIONS, EVANGELISM, AND SOCIAL MINISTRY

645.000

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istry communications of the Lutheran Council in the U.S.A.
($26,000 per annum). The Synod in that same action directed

the BFMS to implement its own editorial service for campus

201,000
$ 8,546,250

ministry communications

tions on a two-year
Aug. 1, 1982. The first
December 1982.

$ 1,520,000

2,279,500

1,272,900

210,000
$5,282,400

(cf. 1981 Convention Proceedings,

Sess. 14, pp. 55—56, substitute resolution for Res. 1-09). The
position of secretary for Campus Ministry Publications was
established. However, because of budgetary restrictions, the
position has remained vacant. Yet the BFMS felt that the
writing and production of campus ministry materials were so
important that it did approve the engaging of two campus
pastors as coordinating editors for Campus Ministry Publica-
purchase of service contract, beginning
packet of materials was published in

universities during the 1981—82 school year, and the numberis

expected to reach one million by 1990. .

To provide opportunities for campus ministry leaders, as
well as campus pastors and ministers, to keep abreast of
current challenges, special needs and trends, and to provide

occasion for interaction, three special conferences are con-
ducted each year. A District campus ministry coordinators

conference is conducted each April... .

a full-time campus
.and a town-gown campus
ll under the direction of the

moO ww

21 projects in 18 Districts . vette $ 1,915,000 ministers conference each August...
’ Stregetnen Existing Congregations 849.000 ministry conference each October, a
we © PO eg . secretary for campus ministry.
. Ministry to fe pple of Other Cultures 803.000 A Lutheran Student Evangelism Conference was also
Ministry to Pe le with Special Needs “ conducted in October 1982, at the University of Wisconsin-
: “4 y ect was Di triets 781.730 Madison, in which over 220 students participated. A second
Dev ok WA voaches to Ministry , such conference is scheduled for October 21—23 at Iowa State
» Vevelop New /\pproaches : as University in Ames, Iowa.
3 projectsin 3 Districts .......... 135,000

66 projects Total $ 4,485,730

«3 of the above are additional grants to previously approved projects:

Campus ministry is committed to its mission... the mission
of the church ... to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ as

the Son of God and the only Savior of the world!

~- A source of real help to young congregations and special
mission projects in North America continues to be the subsidy

$

—_—

program of the Lutheran Brotherhood’s church extension
program, sponsored by its Fraternal Affairs Division. Thus, in
1981, a total of $650,000 in units of $25,000 each was made
available through the Board for Mission Services to 26 congre-
gations and/or missions in 22 different Districts of the Synod.
In 1982 again, $650,000 was made available for new congre-
gations. The grant was disbursed through the Board for
Mission Services as follows: 11 projects in 8 Districts in units of
$30,000 each; 12 projects, one in each of 12 Districts, in units of
$25,000 each; and one project (Hispanic in Ohio) at $20,000.
Finally. asa result of aremainder in the Lutheran Brotherhood
church extension fund and from funds unspent in one project,
$30,000 and $37,170 respectively were assigned to two projects,
one in each of two different Districts in the Synod.

Campus Ministry

An important aspect of missions in North America is
reaching out with the Gospel to the 12 million students enrolled
on over 3,000 campuses throughout our land. At the present
time there are 92 full-time LCMS pastors and ministers in 84
campus ministries. In addition there are almost 500 congrega-
tions located in communities where a college, university. or
vocational school has been established and which the con-
gregation regards as part of its “parish responsibility.’ These
congregations are sometimes referred to as town-gown congre-
gations since they serve both the “town” and the “gown”

(academic) communities.

Pastors who serve in campus-related ministries have need
for sound, confessionally Lutheran literature that is directed in
a relevant manner to the campus community. The 1981
convention of the Synod resolved that tbe Board for Mission
Services withdraw its financial commitment to campus min-

call a full-time American

peared that lack of funds
Board of Directors of the

American Indian Ministry

The Synod in its 1981 convention resolved “to establish a
unified Word and Deed ministry among the American Indian
people” (1981 Proceedings.
at that time also authorized the Board for Mission Services to

1-04A, pages 130—31). The Synod

Indian ministries staff person to

coordinate and administer this program. Once again, it ap-

would make it impossible for the
Synod to authorize the necessary

money for calling such a person. However. when the validity,
urgency, and need for a full-time American Indian ministries
staff person was reviewed and alternate funding secured,
approval was granted. It is the hope of the BFMS to fill this

position as soon as possible.

A special Sunday was set aside to increase awareness of the
need and opportunities for mission outreach to the American
Indian. Seven hundred and seventy-two congregations ordered
over 230,000 bulletin inserts entitled “American Indian Mis-
sion News” for distribution among their worshipers in ob-
servance of American Indian Sunday. Aug. 29, 1982.

One new Indian mission was begun during 1982. At the
request of tribal leaders of the Northern Cheyenne people, the
Montana District called the Rev. Dennis Bauer to serve on the
Northern Cheyenne reservation. The Wyoming District has
purcbased property near Crowheart, Wyo., and plans to initi-
ate new work on the upper part of the Wind River Indian

reservation among the Shoshone Indians. The Rev. Donald J.

Bren will serve the new mission.

In the area of recruitment. two Indian young people are
enrolled in synodical schools in preparation for full-time
service in the church. In addition, two graduates of Concordia
Teachers College are tentatively planning to enroll in Con-

In November 1982 a three-day international student semi-
nar was conducted inSt. Louis for 10 campus ministry workers.
Its purpose was to broaden understanding of cultural and
religious differences, to identify needs among international
students, and to develop relationships to aid outreach to those
students. The seminar highlighted the fact that overseas
missions are literally coming to the United States in the form of
thousands of international students who are studying at
various colleges and universities. A total of 326,299 inter-
national students were enrolled in American colleges and

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