LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1989, Page 154

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154 RESOLUTIONS

Board of Directors in meeting some of the fiscal needs of
older retired pastors and teachers and surviving spouses.
We commend both boards for their efforts in this Special
Assistance Program.

A Major Adjustment

Effective Jan. 1, 1989, the Board of Managers instituted
a major change, a revised pricing structure for the Con-
cordia Health Plan. This new pricing structure, matching
rates on a regional basis to the cost of health care in those
areas, allows the Plan to remain competitive in most areas
of the Synod. At the same time—and this has become an
exasperating problem-—it has placed a high burden of cost
on specific ministries located in major metropolitan areas.
Such high costs, in some instances, make the continuing
viability of these ministries an unanswered question. Our
committee will place before this convention a recommen-
dation suggesting an imperfect, but at the same time its
best, recommendation regarding this urgent and critical
need.

Professional Management

In general, however, as has been the case in so many
past conventions, the committee was impressed by the pru-
dent policies and professional management which continue
to surround the provisions and efforts of the Worker Bene-
fit Plans. In particular, we commend the careful and caring
ways of Mr. Earl Haake.

Richard Hinz, Chairman

To Give Support to Lutheran
Immigration and Refugee Services

RESOLUTION 7-01

Report R7-01 (CW, pp. 130-36); Overtures 7-16-17
(CW, pp. 259-60)

Wuereas, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services
(LIRS), an agency created and supported by an agreement
between The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS),
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and The
Latvian Lutheran Church in America, is celebrating its
50th anniversary as a ministry; and

WuHeEREAS, The founders of the LCMS were themselves
refugees and immigrants who established Lutheran set-
tlements in this country, beginning 150 years ago this year;
and

Wuereas, The number of refugees in the world contin-
ues to rise due to political, religious, and economic strife;
and

WHEREAS, It is God’s nature and therefore our respon-
sibility as His children to demonstrate our love and concern
for these refugees; and

Wuenreas, God has blessed us and provided us with the
means to reach out in Christian love to help these refugees
establish new homes in a foreign culture; therefore be it

Resolved, That in celebration of these two anniversa-
ries, the congregations of the LCMS be encouraged to sup-
port the LIRS with their prayers and through designated
yearly offerings for refugee concerns; and be it further

Resolved, That each congregation be encouraged to

adopt the goal of settling one refugee family in the next
three years; and be it finally

Resolved, That the District supplements be encouraged
to publicize the LIRS jubilee year celebration.

Action: Adopted (10).

To Support Work of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod World Relief

RESOLUTION 7-02A

Report R7-01 IV (CW, p. 134); Overtures 7-55A-—B, 7-
57A—B, 58A-B(CW, pp. 267-68)

Wuereas, Our Lord Jesus Christ by His deeds and
teaching encourages us to a ministry of compassion to-
wards the hungry, poor, and others in need; and

Wuereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
(LCMS) World Relief provides organizational and mone-
tary support to meet these needs through 40 overseas pro-
grams now in cooperation with the Board for Mission
Services, more than 250 domestic programs, and emer-
gency and disaster programs; and

WHEREAS, It is desirable to strengthen the understand-
ing of this ministry throughout our church and to fund
these programs; and

WHEREAS, The entire budget of LCMS World Relief is
provided solely through the contributions of individuals,
congregations, and other groups; and

WHEREAS, Over half of the funds of LCMS World Relief
go to the 300-plus programs of Lutheran World Relief, Inc.,
which has received the Presidential End Hunger Award
from the President of the United States for outstanding
policy formulation and program implementation; therefore
be it

Resolved, That each District in coordination with the
synodical director of LCMS World Relief be encouraged to
appoint one or more District contact persons to be respon-
sible for interpreting and promoting the work of LCMS
World Relief; and be it further

Resolved, That each congregation be encouraged to ob-
serve the annual World Hunger Sunday and seek the sup-
port of any possible matching funds from other sources;
and be it finally

Resolved, That the members of the Synod commit them-
selves to the support of LCMS World Relief through aware-
ness of its work, evaluation of their own life-styles, prayer,
and generous contributions in order that more relief work
may be accomplished out of love for Christ and the neigh-
bor (Matt. 25:40).

Action: Adopted as amended (6).

(The words and seek the support of any possible matching funds
from other sources, were added by common consent.)

To Encourage Ministry to Older Persons

RESOLUTION 7-03

Report R7-01 (CW, pp. 130-36); Overtures 7-20A-24
(CW, pp. 260-61)

WHEREAS, The longevity explosion in America has