Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1983 · 55th Convention › Page 25
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1983, Page 25

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

MISSIONS, EVANGELISM, AND SOCIAL MINISTRY 25

Through Service—Him We Proclaim! A magnificent com-
mitment, a worthy challenge, a continuing guideline for our
efforts' The decade ahead, complex, is one of challenge and
opportunity.

Eugene Lines. Executive Secretary

1-04
Report of Commission on Black Ministry

In Black Ministry, Him We Proclaim

“IT am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power
of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth” (Rom. 1:16).
That is the “Old Time Religion” which the old spiritual says
“was good for our fathers, and it’s good enough for me.” The
religious background or heritage of most Blacks in America is
the conservative elements of the Baptist, Methodist, and
Pentecostal churches. With them there is never a quibble about
the verbal inspiration of the Bible, or about the divinity of
Christ Jesus or His vicarious atonement.

A common mistake made by many pastors in adult confir-
mation instruction is to begin by teaching the distinctive
differences between the Lutheran Church and the denomina-
tion of their heritage. There are sufficient basic cardinal
doctrines with which our church and theirs fully agree to fill
the lesson plan for many lessons. Doing this in the beginning
will relax the new confirmand and build him up in the Lord
before approaching the difficult and controversial. When most
Black people learn that our church is as broad and as narrow as
God’s holy Word, they feel at home. When they learn that in

COMMITTEE

Higher Education
Rev. Warren Davis, Chairman
Rev. John T. Skinner, Retired
Rev. William Marsh
Rev. Ulmer Marshall Jr.
Rev. William D. Gassett
Ms. Andrea Marrero

There is one additional layperson yet to be

Mission and Ministry
Kermit Ratcliffe, Chairman
Rev. George Campbell
Rev. Kenneth Young
Dr. Bryant Clancy

Youth

Mr. Benjamin Porter, Chairman
Rev.James McDaniels

Mr. Robert Brown

Ms. Vivian Gibbons

Mr. Martin Porter

Social Ministry
Ms. Viola Coleman, Chairman
Ms. Addie Wilkins
Ms. Geraldine Plato
Mr. Harold Williams
Mr. Otis Woodard

Parish Education
Mrs. Susan McCants, Chairperson
Mr. John Brazeal
Others to be named

Ministerial Health
Rev. Simon Bodley, Chairman

Dr. Philip Campbell
Rev. Robert Collins

Recruitment
Mrs. Dorothy Davis. Chairperson
Rev. Paul Anderson
Rev. Floyd McAdoo
Rev. Ulmer Marshall

this church we proclaim Christ crucified as the only Savior of
the world and the only hope of salvation, they become excited.
When they understand God’s simple but essential plan of
salvation, they feel truly enlightened. Truly we proclaim Christ
Jesus in Black ministry in order that He might claim them as
His own. Having accepted the claim of Christ upon their lives,
God's people are taught that they are claimed to proclaim this
same Jesus to those who are not yet His. When this is done, the
cycle is complete and a new cycle is begun. .

A common complaint in Black ministry through the years |
has been that they were excluded from the decision-making
processes which directed and controlled Black ministry in this
country. Until recent years that complaint was relatively valid,
but not any more. The fundamental thesis behind the present
structure and programs for Black ministry in the Synod, both
locally and nationally, is the following statement: ‘The more
you involve people in the decision-making processes which
affect them, the more you can expect their support when those
decisions must be implemented. ;

We are organized to facilitate involvement. For effective
coordination of Black ministry at the national level, we have
committees which roughly correspond to the Synod’s structure.
These committees are usually located in cities or areas of close
proximity to economize on transportation. They meet often.
They carry out assignments given them and report back to the
commission. The Commission on Black Ministry is much more
than nine persons and an executive, who sit down periodically
to make decisions about Black ministry in the Synod. Usually
only one person on a committee is an appointed member of the
commission, but the input of each one affects the ultimate
decision of the body. The current committees of the commission
are as follows:

LOCATION
New Orleans

Jehovah Pensacola, Fla.
Bethel New Orleans, La.
Bethel New Orleans. La.
Trinity Mobile, Ala.
Holy Cross New Orleans, La.
St. Paul New Orleans. La.

confirmed.
St. Louis, Mo.

St. Paul Dallas, Tex.

Holy Comforter
N.LD. (Mission Exec.)
S.E.D. (Parish Serv. Exec.)

St. Louis, Mo.
Chicago, Ill.
Washington, D.C.

Philadelphia, Pa.

Holy Cross Philadelphia, Pa.
Trinity Jamaica, N.Y.
Holy Cross Philadelphia, Pa.
Holy Cross Philadelphia, Pa.
Holy Cross Philadelphia, Pa.
St. Louis, Mo.
Transfiguration St. Louis, Mo.
Transfiguration St. Louis. Mo.
Christ St. Louis. Mo.
St. Paul St. Louis, Mo.
St. Paul St. Louis, Mo.
Chicago, IIl.
Good Shepherd Gary, Ind.

Christ the King

St. Philip
Our Savior
Concordia Seminary

Chicago, II.

Indianapolis, Ind.

Chicago, Il.
Indianapolis, Ind.
Ft. Wayne, Ind.

Nationwide

St. Philip Detroit, Mich.

St. Matthew Lake Charles, La.
St. Philip Cleveland, Ohio
Trinity Mobile. Ala.