LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1967, Page 24

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24 MINUTES OF THE CONVENTION

statement to one of the participating church bodies” of
the LCUSA to the convention. He gave some of the
highlights and current emphases in the program of the
Lutheran Council.

After announcements. Dr. Adolf F. Meyer brought
the morning session to conclusion with a prayer.

Session 6

Opening July 10, Afternoon

Rev. Fred W. Loose offered the opening prayer for
the sixth session.

The minutes of the fourth (July 9, evening) and the
fifth (July 10, morning) sessions were approved as read.

Committee 5— Constitutional Matters

Mr. Edwin Schiewe, a voting lay delegate from the
Northern Illinois District, moved, and Pastor Werner
Jurgens, a voting pastoral delegate from the Ohio Dis-
trict, seconded the resolution to incorporate The Lu-
theran Church — Missouri Synod under the General
Not-for-Profit Corporation Act of the State of Missouri.
The motion was adopted without a dissenting vote (TB
154—156, 5-02).

The convention declined Overture 5-36, proposing
to poll congregations on possible changes (TB 157, 5-03).

The convention revised the wording of sections 2.123
—2.137 of the Handbook, changing certain election pro-
cedures, especially for vice-presidents (TB 157—159,
5-04).

It amended Handbook 5.37, providing the President
an opportunity to mediate in appeals cases from District
boards to the synodical board (TB 160, 5-05).

The proposed change in Handbook 3.61 b was re-
ferred to Committee 5 for further clarification (TB 161,
5-06).

Committee 16 — Elections

Carl L. Waldschmidt explained the election proce-
dures to the delegates, since ballots will be counted by
data-processing machines. The elections took place
between 2:15 and 3:00 p. m., at which time the elections
were declared closed.

Committee 2— Theological Matters

The resolution that the document “The Witness of
Jesus and Old Testament Authorship” be studied and
discussed in pastoral conferences and that the Commis-
sion on Theology and Church Relations be encouraged
to reexamine this document was amended “that the
commission issue a reply to the church, which answers
the questions and concerns submitted to the commission,
clarifying the language and content of the document.”
The resolution and the amendment were adopted (TB
69—70, 2-03 a, 2-03 b).

The convention commended the document “A Lu-
theran Stance Toward Contemporary Biblical Studies”
for study and declined Overture 2-07. An amendment

to commend the document for study to pastoral confer-
ences was defeated (TB 68—69, 2-02 a, 2-02 b).

It commended the Commission on Theology and
Church Relations and encouraged it to continue its im-
portant work (TB 68, 2-01).

It requested the congregations of the Synod to await
the study on woman suffrage (TB 72, 2-05).

Committee 14— Stewardship and Finance

The convention urged a personal follow-up of the
Ebenezer thankoffering (TB 107—108, 14-09) and asked
the Christians of the Missouri Synod to tell others about
the personal blessings they have received and about the
grace of God in their lives (TB 108—109, 14-10). It
recommitted the resolution to exhort pastors and others
to full involvement in the Ebenezer endeavor to Com-
mittee 14, requesting it to take into account remarks
asking for the extension of the project into 1968 and
involving also the congregations directly (see TB 109—
110, 14-11).

Dr. John Kovac

Dr. Karl Graesser introduced Rev. John Kovac,
D.D., president of the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran
Churches. Dr. Kovac said that his church cherished
its fellowship with the Missouri Synod during the past
65 years; he hoped and prayed it would continue. The
Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches will strive to
increase its support of Missouri Synod overseas mis-
sions and institutions for training church workers. He
warned that in a time of rapid change we must all guard
against extremism.

An Intercessory Prayer

At the request of President Harms, Dr. Paul Streu-
fert led the convention in a supplication for Pastor
Bernard Galicher of Paris, who was stricken this day
with a massive heart attack on his arrival in New
York, and for Mrs. William Eifrig, of Wheaton, IJ1., who
also was stricken.

Committee 13— Special Ministries
and Sundry Matters

The convention accepted the report on the Lutheran
Hour (TB 162, 13-13) and joined the Lutheran Lay-
men’s League in gratitude for the Lutheran Hour, en-
couraging support for it (TB 163, 13-14).

It accepted (substituting this word for “receive”
with thanks the report of the Commission on Architec-
ture (TB 162, 13-11).

It adopted the report on Concordia Historical In-
stitute (TB 162, 13-12).

It instructed the to-be-appointed committee for the
125th anniversary of the Synod to plan the anniversary
with a “Forward Thrust” (TB 165, 13-16). In connec-
tion with the 125th anniversary, it empowered the com-
mittee, among other anniversary projects, to arrange
for sufficient funds (approximately $500,000) to meet
the expansion needs of Concordia Historical Institute
(TB 166, 13-17).

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