LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1983, Page 54

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

o4 PARISH, YOUTH, AND COMMUNICATION SERVICES

school. This is the largest number of congregations in our
Synod to sponsor a VBS in the history of our church body.

Congregations continue to be creative in planning their
vacation Bible schools to fit their particular situation. Many
still conduct the traditional ten-day school during morning
hours. Others conduct a family school in the evening. Some
conduct the school on the church premises, while others may
have the program in a place such as a farm, a park, or acamp.

The vacation Bible school offers much potential for evan-
gelism as well as for the in-depth study of doctrines by
congregational members. Every congregation is to be encour-
aged to conduct a VBS in a form that is adapted to its
circumstances.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL ENROLLMENT

1979 1980 19x1
Number of Schools ............. 4,228 4,289 4,428
Students Enrolled .............. 299,070 306,429 316,948
Nonmembers Enrolled .......... 105,828 111,574 115,941
Teachers .................0000 ee 37.956 38,277 39,276

D. Confirmation Ministry

One of the most serious challenges confronting congrega-
tions of our Synod is the growing number of children baptized
in our churches who do not later receive the rite of confirmation.

Historically we always have had children who were bap-
tized but who did not later receive the confirmation rite. Some
parents are indifferent; some families move to a locality where
our Synod is not represented; some parents leave the church
entirely. Other reasons can be advanced.

Over the years we have always administered the rite of
confirmation to 81" to 94% of children baptized in our churches.
But since 1965 the percentage has gradually declined to the
point that in 1981 our churches administered the rite of
confirmation to 55.68" of the children baptized in 1967. The
table below indicates the long-term trend.

RELATION OF CONFIRMATIONS TO
INFANT BAPTISMS 14 YEARS EARLIER

Baptism Number Year of Number Percent

Year Raptized Confirmation Confirmed Confirmed
1932 ..0....0.0. 29,865 1946 26,034 87.17%
1937 J... eee, 32,235 = 1951 27,831 86.34".
1942 00.02.00... 42,610 1956 39,844 93.51%
ot 60,039 1961 33.989 89.92%.
1952 2.20.0... 68,364 1966 59,510 87.05"
1997 wo... eee. 84,026 1971 59,429 70.73"
1962 ........... 83.604 1976 54,383 65.05%.
1965 ......0.0.. 75423 1979 43,715 57.96%
1966 ........... 72.756 1980 40,926 56.25%
1967.0... Lee. 70,952 1981 39,506 35.68%

Among the many challenges that these disturbing statistics
suggest are these:

1. The challenge to regard confirmation ministry to the
voung Christian as consisting of the congregation's total
pastoral and educational ministry to the child (and the child’s
parents) from Baptism to the rite of confirmation.

2. The challenge to be more diligent in instructing parents
and sponsors prior to the administration of the Sacrament of
Holy Baptism as to the meaning of this sacrament and the
obligations the administration of this sacrament places upon
parents and sponsors for the Christian education of the child.

3. The challenge to be more diligent in instructing members

of our congregations as to their obligations for the spiritual
nurture of every child and parent.
4 The challenge to every congregation to design and
implement an integrated, coordinated, developmental program
of Christian education that extends from Baptism and the
nursery roll to the rite of confirmation.

5. The challenge to every congregation to develop and
maintain a meaningful ministry to every person of the congrega-
tion (‘soul accounting’).

6. The challenge to emphasize that Christian educationisa
lifelong process that does not end with the rite of confirmation.

E. The Director of Christian Education

As many as 85% of children baptized in our churches will
never attend a Lutheran school. Indeed, only 13% of our
congregations offer a full K—8 Lutheran elementary school
program. Therefore, every congregation needs to offer a strong
program of Christian education through Sunday, weekday,
and summer schools.

During the past 20 vears a growing number of congrega-
tions have discovered the value of adding a director of Chris-
tian education to their full-time staff. During this period the
number of directors of Christian education in our churches has
grown from less than 50 to approximately 400.

The director of Christian education is a valuable congre-
gational resource to work with the pastor and other congre-
gational leaders in developing strong Christian education
programs for all congregational members. DCEs are valuable
resources for devising creative approaches to enhance the
attractiveness of congregational programs, for developing
strong Christian education programs for all congregational
members, for providing for the effective organization and
administration of educational programs, for visiting members
and prospective members of the congregation, and for strength-
ening the congregation’s ministry of Christian education in
many other ways. a

Every congregation that considers the possibility of calling
an additional staff person to its staff would do well to evaluate
its ministry through Sunday, weekday, and summer schools
and then seriously consider calling a director of Christian
education. The addition of this staff person can well prove to be
a wise investment in the strength and future of the
congregation. .

As we consider the services the synodical Board for Parish
Services offers to congregations, we recognize with deep
gratitude our partners in ministry—the District Boards of
Parish Services and their education executives. The greater
part of our services to congregations is accomplished through
the District structure.

F. Standing Committee

In compliance with a resolution of the 1981 synodical
convention, the Standing Committee for Sunday ‘Weekday.’
Summer Schools and Confirmation Ministry was appointed by
the synodical Board for Parish Services. Members of this
committee are: Rev. Robert W. Hill, Plano, Tex., chairman;
Director of Christian Education Dennis E. Dressler, Kal-
amazoo, Mich.. secretary; and Teacher Carolyn Shaver, Lake-
wood. Colo. At the time of this writing two meetings have been
held; already committee members have proven to be very
helpful.

The emphasis of the Nov. 18—19. 1982, meeting was on the
strengthening of our Sunday, weekday, and summer schools.
As representatives of people in our congregations, committee
members made many helpful suggestions. Future meetings
will be given to other aspects of our ministry with Sunday,
weekday, and summer schools.

G. Cooperative Services with Districts

During the past biennium services of the Board for Parish
Services and its staff in cooperation with District boards have
included the following in the area of Sunday schools:

1. Continuation of the revision and publication of the “New
Life in Christ’ Sunday school materials for preschool and
elementary grade students. New courses for youth and adults
were offered the church.

2. The Eighth North American Lutheran Sunday School
Convention was held in Chicago July 16—18, 1982, for approx-
imately 2,000 Sunday school workers. The convention was
enthusiastically received. The next Sunday school convention
is being planned for July 1986 in St. Louis.

3. Districts are following through on the Sunday school
convention with a variety of training events for Sunday school
workers.

4. Program Resources for Sunday School Conferences con-
tinues to be published semiannually. Topics for the past
biennium were: “The Sunday School—Family and Minister