LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1983, Page 242

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242

available to the educational institutions as they seek to fill
vacant staff positions.

Overtures 6-59 and 6-60, relating to evangelism training
and foreign language programs were referred to the colleges
and seminaries for information regarding programs presently
in existence as well as plans for possible improvement. The
Board for Professional Education Services will continue to
monitor these efforts and will assist whenever possible in

__ helping to make them more effective.
~~

“™ Tn considering an overture requesting guidance for dealing
with requests for policy leaves for administrative and staff
members of educational institutions, a formal request was
made to the Commission of Constitutional Matters for aruling.
The decision of the commission was that such persons are staff
members of the boards of regents and are therefore eligible for
such leaves. The Bylaws provide that the board of regents
“may” grant leaves to them. In view of this the boards of
regents may wish to redesignate these positions if it does not
consider them to be their executive or administative staff
members.

~ In response to Overtures 4-27 and 4-28 the Board for
Professional Education Services has endeavored to gather the
necessary information relating to salary, housing, and fringe
benefits for seminary and college faculties. It is in the process
of assessing this information with a view toward developing a
fair and equitable schedule for use by the educational institu-
tions. Two major factors complicate this matter. First is the
variable cost of living factors. Second is the lack of funds
necessary to meet the requirements of the schedule when it is
developed. The Board for Professional Education Services will
be dealing with both of these issues in the immediate future
with the intention that the necessary schedules be available

during the 1983-84 academic year.

Personnel and Regular Activities
of the Board and Staff

During the past biennium a number of changes have
occurred in board membership. Based on convention action the
number of members on the board was increased to nine. Dr.
Alvin Czanderna was reelected to the board and chosen as
chairman for the biennium. Dr. Charles Reimnitz was also
reelected and serves as vice-chairman.

Rev. John Schildwachter was elected as a pastor member to
replace Rev. Elmer Moeller, who declined nomination for the
position. Rev. Horace Garton is completing the term to which
he was appointed in 1980 to complete the unexpired term ofthe
Rev. D. Ray Halm, who became president of Christ College
Irvine.

Also newly elected to the board were Dr. Roy Kaiser,
principal of St. John’s Lutheran School at Rochester, Mich. Mr.
Ralph Nitz, principal of Lutheran High School, Springfield,
Ill.; and Mr. Richard Ungrodt, lay member and professor and
vice president for academic affairs at Milwaukee School of
Engineering.

Continuing service as members of the board were Mr. Carl
Straub and Dr. Conrad Kercher, teacher and lay members
respectively. During the past biennium Dr. Kercher has served
as secretary of the board.

During the biennium the Board for Professional Education
Services staff suffered a loss when Dr. Delphin Schulz, who
had served faithfully for over 20 years as an associate secretary
concerned primarily with curriculum and instruction, accepted
a call to serve as director of parish services for the English
District. The direction and expertise provided by him during
this long period of service are difficult to replace. After seeking
nominations, acal] was issued to Dr. Rudolph Block to assume
a staff position. Dr. Block, who has served most recently as
academic dean at Concordia College, River Forest, assumed
this position beginning April 1, 1983.

A number of changes have occurred or will be occurring
among those who occupy the position of presidents of the
colleges and seminaries of the Synod. Following the election of
Dr. Ralph Bohlmann as President of the Synod, the electors
chose Dr. Karl Barth, President of the South Wisconsin
District, to succeed him as president of Concordia Seminary,
St. Louis. Following the retirement of Dr. Merlin Pohl, present-
ly serving a presidential leave at Concordia College, Selma, in

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

the area of recruitment and development, the electors chose Dr.
David Schmiel, vice-president in charge of academic affairs at
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, to succeed him as president of
Concordia College, Ann Arbor. During 1983 elections will be
held for the presidencies at Concordia College, River Forest,
and Concordia College, Portland, to replace Dr. Paul Zimmer-
man and Dr. E. P. Weber, both of whom are retiring after long
and distinguished periods of service.

In spite of the loss of staff, campus visits were continued as
in the past. This was possible during the 1981-82 academic year
only because Rev. Ronald Berg, academic dean of Concordia
College, Milwaukee, led the team visits during a sabbatical
leave. We are grateful to him for this service as well as to
members of the teams who served voluntarily without compen-
sation on these visits. Special thanks are also due to Dr.
Herbert Bredemeier and Dr. Albert Huegli, who have provided
some staff services during the biennium, as well as to Dr.
Luther Mueller, who completed evaluations of the teacher
education programs at some of the colleges and offered sugges-
tions for their consideration and improvement.

Finally, a word of special thanks is due to Dr. Ralph
Bohlmann for his constant support of higher education within
the Synod and for the leadership he has provided in securing
recognition for the efforts of the seminaries and colleges and
their staffs as they seek to prepare people for ministry in the
Synod, as well as to Dr. Norman Sell, who continues to assist
the educational institutions in their planning and funding for
operations requirements.

Concluding Statement

The future for the colleges and seminaries, as always, is in
the hands of our Lord. Trusting in His mercy and His promise,
the Board for Professional Education Services, as well as the
educational institutions, commit themselves to exert every
effort to be faithful to the commission which has been given
them. By the power of the Holy Spirit they will continue to
witness to the saving Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in all
their activities. It will be Him they proclaim.

Walter Rosin, Executive Secretary

Appendix 6-01A
STANDING COMMITTEES ON COLLOQUIES

The colloquy programs of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod are designed for those who want to become pastors,
teachers, deaconesses, and lay ministers in the Synod other
than by completing all courses required for graduation from a
synodical college or seminary. Applicants are usually older
than the average college or seminary students.

For the Pastoral Office

This committee consists of a Vice-President of the Synod.
appointed by the President of the Synod, and the presidents of
the theological seminaries at Fort Wayne and St. Louis. Those
presently serving are Dr. Robert Sauer, chairman; Dr. Robert
Preus; and Dr. Kar] Barth.

So that this report and recommendations will be more
meaningful and understandable, it will be necessary to take a
brief bit of recent history into account. Between 1963 and 1975
an average of seven colloquy candidates were certified for
ministry each vear. In 1975 the total enrollment was 34. The
1975 convention. upon the request of the Colloquy Board.
added the following three new categories of eligibility:

—Members in good standing of synodical congregations who are
graduates of an established nonsynodical seminary:

—Membhers in good standing of synodical congregations who are
over the age of 40, are college graduates, and have had consider-
able experience in church work;

—Members in good standing of a synodical congregation who
belong to a special ethnic or linguistic group, who have a college-
level education, and who have had considerable experience in
church work.”

Since that time the number of candidates increased drama-
tically. In 1977 the enrollment was 71. By 1979 the number of
candidates had risen to 150. It peaked in 1980 with an
enrollment of 240. Presently there are 181 in the program: 58