LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1983, Page 29

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MISSIONS, EVANGELISM, AND SOCIAL MINISTRY 29

1-05

Report of Commission on Health
and Healing

During the past biennium the healing mission of our Lord
has added a significant witness to the Good News proclaimed
by partner churches of the Synod. At the same time there is
mounting evidence of change taking place within the mission
to carry the healing Christ to people in new and spiritually
significant ways. In the North American Districts there is a
new recognition of the healing mission of the church. The
creativity with which some congregations have responded to
this mission and found personal and church life enhanced
promises the whole church spiritual enrichment through its
healing ministry.

The Commission on Health and Healing was given its new
name in action taken by the 1981 LCMS convention. Formerly
known as the Council for Christian Medical Work, the commis-
sion has as its overall (or ultimate) goal that we are a “church
made up of caring people involved in Christ’s mission of health
and healing in the world.” To accomplish that goal, the
commission has a work plan (or course of action) for the 80s
focused on seven key words: to sensitize, to enable, to assist. to
stimulate, to serve as a liaison, to speak out, and to publish.

Serving as members of the commission during 1981—1983
were: Ruth Goehle, M.D., Rev. Dr. Roland Miller, Rev. Howard
E. Mueller, John Rittmann, M.D., Edith Schild, R.N., and
Robert J. L. Zimmer. William Crofford, M.D., replaced Ruth
Goehle in January 1983. Dr. Goehle resigned after accepting a
three-year assignment to develop a primary health care
program in Southern Sudan, Africa. Staff services are provided
by Florence Montz, R.N., staff administrator. Judy Shank
served as office secretary from September 1981 to December
1982. Since that time, Melissa Moeslein has provided secre-
tarial services on a half-time basis. We thank Judy and Melissa
for their dedication and service to the commission.

The commission met four times in regular meetings since
the 1981 LCMS convention, and twice by conference telephone
call.

In its sensitizing, enabling, and assisting roles the commis-
sion had opportunities to share aspects of its work at monthly
meetings of the Council of Adminstrators and unit executives
at the national headquarters of the Synod. More specifically,
the commission was involved in teaching a class at Concordia
Seminary, St. Louis, on parish administration as it relates to
health and healing, and in speaking at missionary orientation
classes; serving as aconsultant on a regular basis to the Board
for Social Ministry Services staff on project proposals, medical
in nature; and, through its staff administrator, was a frequent
contributor to ‘Welcome Stranger,” as well as to the 1983
special Refugee Sunday materials. At each CHH meeting a
staff executive of one of the Synod’s boards. commissions was
present to discuss special areas of concern and cooperation.
CHH staff served as advisor to the Board for Youth Ministry
Services staff on matters relating to the project supporting the
Immanuel Hospital School of Nursing, Eket, Nigeria, and to
the Board for Mission Services on selected medical projects.
programs overseas, and on matters relating to the health of our
overseas missionaries.

The Commission participated in a very real way in the
Organ Donor Project by providing more than $3,000.00 in
financial support of the “organ donor card insert” in the
Lutheran Witness.

Words of thanks and commendation go to the Wheat Ridge
Foundation, a strong partner in the healing ministry, as it
supports a broad range of programs around the world.
Especially noteworthy is its sponsorship of congregational
workshops on health and healing in which commission
members participated.

The International LWML, together with its districts, serves
as acontributing partner with the commission in its support of
medical mission programs overseas (Nigeria, Brazil, India, the
Philippines, and Uganda), and in the inclusion of health and
healing speakers at conventions, retreats, and other meetings.

Former commission member Dr. Ruth Goehle is on a three-
year primary health care assignment in Southern Sudan, and
we rejoice at the financial and prayer support given to her work

by Immanuel Lutheran Church, St. Charles, Mo. A short-term
assignment in Somalia preceded Dr. Goehle’s Sudan appoint-
ment. In behalf of the commission, Dr. Goehle also served as a
consultant to the Lutheran Church of Nigeria and the BFMS in
planning possible expansion of primary health care in Nigeria.

The commission stimulates interest in health and healing
by administering a scholarship and recruitment program. The
following persons received scholarship assistance in the
1981—83 biennium:

Samson Amean, medical student, Papua New Guinea

Eno Inyang, matron, Immanuel Hospital, Eket, Nigeria

E. A. Inyang, Nigeria, hospital administration

Jerome Agazi, dispenser in rural health clinics, Nigeria

Nursing Sister Elaine Unegbu, nurse tutor, Nigeria

Dr. John and Mrs. Bobbie Lautenschlager, Nigeria—continu-
ing medical education

Ron Kasper, M.D., Brenham, Tex., serving ashort-term assign-
ment with World Brotherhood Exchange in Liberia.

Helping LCMS medical students identify overseas oppor-
tunities for completion of community health requirements is
an ongoing challenge for the commission and staff. Medical
students who have participated in this service, at their own
expense, are F. J. Montz, Baylor Medical School, who studied
in South India; Doug Dehning, Creighton Medical School, and
David Wesche, University of Indiana Medical School, who
studied in Nigeria. At the October 1982 CHH meeting it was
decided to offer a $500.00 scholarship grant to LCMS medical
students in need of financial aid to participate in this type of
study. James Schlais, University of Wisconsin Medical School,
is the first such recipient for his study ‘work program in Papua
New Guinea.

The following persons are serving as LCMS medical
missionaries overseas: John Lautenschlager, M.D., in Nigeria;
Betty Mayer, R.N., Alice Brauer, R.N., and Mary McNabb,
R.N., in South India; Sandra Rhodes, R.N., Dorothy Degnitz,
R.N., Dean Smith, DDS. and P.S.S. Martin, M.D., in Papua
New Guinea.

The commission office continues to help identify opportuni-
ties for service in health and healing ministries for medical
persons interested in overseas service. We acknowledge and
encourage those members of LCMS congregations who accept
assignments as volunteer workers, apart from the formal
program of the church, especially at a time when our capacity
to carry on such ministries is limited by financial and other
restraints.

A special ad hoc committee made up of commission
members William Crofford. John Rittmann, and Edith Schild
is exploring new ways to mobilize Lutheran health profes-
sionals in the U.S.A., in order to address the void resulting
from the dissolution of the Lutheran Medical Mission Associa-
tion in November, 1981. The scholarship program of the CHH
continues only because of the generous contributions from the
LMMA. We thank God for the many visionary leaders who
were a part of the LMMA and who contributed selflessly as
they supported health and healing ministries around the
world.

The commission has a strong liaison relationship with
groups and agencies involved in health and healing and: orin
preventive health, namely, the Wheat Ridge Foundation;
Christian Medical College, Vellore, India; Medical Assistance
Programs, International (MAP); Lutheran World Relief; Chris-
tian Medical Commission, Geneva, Switzerland; Centers for
Disease Control, Atlanta, Ga.; National Council on Inter-
national Health, Washington, D.C.: Lutheran Deaconess
Association; and the American Hospital Association. Relation-
ships like these not only give the CHH opportunities to speak
out on holistic health and the role of the church in Christ's
healing ministry, but also make the CHH a recipient of
valuable information and research findings relative to primary
health care planning around the world and create an aware-
ness to the determined efforts of these and other agencies to
improve the health of all society.

Publication of Cross and Caduceus is the one direct way the
CHH communicates with the Synod and its administrative
units and with health professionals serving overseas and at
home. Elnora Briggeman of Iuka. Kans., served as editor of
Cross and Caduceus until the Lord called her to Himself in