Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1983 · 55th Convention › Page 237
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1983, Page 237

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

STRUCTURE AND CONSTITUTION 237

colleges and seminaries to deal with basic problems
of Christian education;

k. assist our families in the development of Chris-
tian family life on all age levels:

l. provide periodical literature such as story
papers and devotional literature for children and
periodicals for youth and adults.

7.41 Membership

Each synodical District shall elect or in some
other way create a committee or board of parish
education.

7.43 Functions

The District board shall cooperate with the
Svnod's Board of Parish Education and shall assist
and advise the local congregation with regard to the
whole range of Christian education on all age levels,
helping the local congregation achieve the objectives
and scope of Christian education as outlined in
Section 7.01.

7.45 Director of Education

The Districts of the Synod are advised to provide
for the systematic supervision and professional
guidance and promotion of Christian education and
to that end, wherever possible, establish and main-
tain the office of a full-time superintendent, director,
or secretary of education, who shall be responsible to
the District Board of Parish Education in the perform-
ance of his duties.

D. CONGREGATIONAL BOARDS
OF EDUCATION

7.51 Functions

Every congregation should be encouraged to elect
or in some other way create a board or committee of
Christian education. This board as the agent of the
congregation is to deal with the educational needs of
the congregation. It concerns itself with education for
all age levels and suggests policies for all the educa-
tional agencies.

E. HIGH SCHOOL ASSOCIATIONS
7.53 Encouragement to Form

Congregations in the same area should be encour-
aged to form associations to establish and maintain
secondary schools and to seek the advice of Boards of
Parish Education of the Synod and the Districts and
of the Board for Higher Education for professional
guidance in setting up the programs. The general
supervision of this program, however, shall be pro-
vided by the District Board of Parish Education;
therefore be it

Resolved, That the 1982 Missouri District Convention
petition the 1983 synodical convention to review all the above
named sections and to incorporate them into the 1983 Hand-
book of the LCMS.

Missouri District
Paul Spitz, President

5-88

To Change Name from Social Ministry
Services to Church and Society
WHEREAS, Social Ministry has frequently been misunder-

stood and for that reason has been confusing to many of our
members; and

WHEREAS, Social Ministry Services has improperly, though
frequently, been identified with Social Gospel; and

WHEREAS, Such misperceptions have hampered the work of

this board of our church and required needless explanation
that the work of the board is in the best tradition of Lutheran-
ism, both confessional and caring; and

WHEREAS, The service of this board is complex, frequently
technical, addressing many dimensions of human need, spiri-
tual, psychological, and physical; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Bylaws of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod be amended to change the name of the board
from Social Ministry Services to Church and Society: and be it
further

Resolved, That this change be publicized with proper notice
in the church's periodicals; and be it further

Resolved, That hereafter the board be known as the Board
for Church and Society; and be it finally

Resolved, That the chief executive officer of this board be
known as the Secretary for Church and Society.

Board for Social Ministry Services
Walter W. Snyder, Chairman
Eugene W. Linse, Executive Secretary

To Remove the 1986 Timetable
for the Discontinuation
of Commission on Black Ministry

WHEREAS, The Commission on Black Ministry in its efforts
to plan, coordinate, and expand Black ministry in the Synod,
has made outstanding contributions to the growth of Black
ministry; and

WHEREAS, The work of the commission as a coordinating
unit in the synodical system is extremely complex and compli-
cated, requiring long-range planning for effectiveness at all
levels; and

WHEREAS, The projected discontinuation of the commission
is predicated upon a great change in the social patterns in our
society, so as to make the need for the commission nonexistent;
an

WHEREAS, The present social patterns in our society, espe-
cially in the church, point to an increasing need for a Commis-
sion on Black Ministry; therefore be it

Resolved, That the timetable of 1986 be eliminated; and be it
further

Resolved, That a realistic study and appraisal of social
conditions, social patterns, and trends be the basis for any
further recommendation for the discontinuation of the
Commission on Black Miuistry; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod express its appreciation for the
work which, under the blessings of God, has been achieved by
the commission and assure the commission of its continued
support.

Commission on Black Ministry
Richard Dickinson, Executive Secretary

5-90

To Establish and Initiate the Office
of Called Lay Minister (CLM)

Preamble

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in its last four
conventions has passed various resolutions in an effort to
implement training for workers for Hispanic ministry. For
whatever reason, the implementation of these resolutions has
been difficult. Perhaps some of the reasons for this are as
follows: the diversity that is found among the Hispanic people
caused by country of origin; the cultural and social background.
which plays a very important role in the life and thinking of
Hispanic people; economic factors; language barriers; and
general levels of formal education.