LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1989, Page 96

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96 RESOLUTIONS

To Establish a Task Force
for Black Ministry

RESOLUTION 1-04A

Report R1-05 (CW, pp. 20-21); Overture 1-45 (CW, Pp.
155)

Wuereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
(LCMS) in convention in 1977 identified the need for re-
newed emphasis and special planning in black ministry
(Res. 10-01A); and .

Wuereas, The 1977 LCMS convention established a
Commission on Black Ministry to plan, to coordinate; and
to expand black ministry (Res. 10-01A); and

Wuereas, The 1981 LCMS convention established the
Standing Committee for Black Ministry (Commission on
Black Ministry); and

Wuereas, The Board for Mission Services established
the position of Counselor for Black Ministry which was
filled Nov. 1, 1985; and

WuereEas, The Commission on Black Ministry, since its
inception, has been a catalyst in coordinating the black
ministry within our Synod; and

Wuereas, Changing conditions within black commu-
nities are offering growing opportunities for mission and
ministry; therefore be it

Resolved, That the President of the Synod convene a
special task force for thorough review and evaluation and
to set goals and to create a vision for the ongoing work of
black ministry in our church; and be it further

Resolved, That this task force (which shall consist ofa
majority of black members) be composed of the following:

(1) one representative of the Board of Directors

(2) two representatives of the Commission on Black

Ministry

(1) one member-at-large who shall be a black pastor

appointed by the President of the Synod

(1) one member of the Board for Mission Services

(2) two staff: the executive director of the Commission

on Black Ministry and the executive director of the
Board for Mission Services or his representative;

and be it further

Resolved, That this task force report its findings and
recommendations to the President by Jan. 1, 1991, for im-
plementation and assignment to the appropriate entity in
the LCMS; and be it finally

Resolved, That we give thanks to the Lord for the bless-
ings He has bestowed upon black ministry for the past 112
years.

_Action: Adopted (10).

To Evaluate Church’s Name
in View of Church’s Mission
to Tell Everyone What He Has Done

RESOLUTION 1-05A
Report R1-07 (CW, pp. 5, 21-24)
Wuereas, We thank God for our heritage and the his-

tory of our church and are proud to be known as The Lu-
theran Church—Missouri Synod; and

Wuereas, The new Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America has designated their districts as “synods,” in-
cluding their “Missouri-Kansas Synod,” and this creates
confusion and some loss of identity for us; and

Wuereas, There is confusion overseas, within our own
borders, and in Washington, D.C., as to the size and scope
of our church; and

Wuereas, Our church has not always been called The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (it was once called the
Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio and Other
States); and

Wuereas, Geographically our roots may be in Missouri,
but our mission is to all nations, and we are called to tell
the story to all; and

Wuereas, There are many “nations” of people even
within our own national borders (e.g., Asian, black, His-
panic, Indian, and other ethnic and cultural groups); and

Wuereas, Our church’s headquarters is called the In-
ternational Center; and

Wuereas, Our auxiliaries are known as international
organizations (e.g., International Lutheran Laymen’s
League and International Lutheran Women’s Missionary
League); therefore be it

Resolved, That the Board for Communication Services
(BCS) continue the identity study of the Synod (see CW p.
23); and be it further

Resolved, That the BCS also study the question of
changing or strengthening the name of our Synod to reflect
an evangelical and international dimension that conveys
our heritage, and our mission to tell everyone what He has
done; and be it further

Resolved, That the study mentioned above include con-
sultation with our partner churches in other countries and
solicitation of names from the congregations and other en-
tities of the Synod; and be it finally

Resolved, That the BCS report back to the Synod in
convention in 1992 for possible action.

Action: Adopted (12).

To Encourage Urban Ministry Planning
RESOLUTION 1-06

Report R1-01 (CW, pp. 11—12); Overture 1-12 (CW, p.
151)

Wuereas, The continued influx of people into our na-
tion’s large urban centers means that 80 percent of our
citizens will be living in metropolitan centers by the year
2000; and

WHEREAS, Millions of immigrants from countries
around the world are settling in our nation’s large cities;
and

WHEREAS, The laborers are few for this challenging min-
istry; and

Wuereas, There are hundreds of Missouri Synod con-
gregations actively engaged in a variety of cross-cultural,
evangelistic, transitional, ethnic, and educational minis-