LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1967, Page 150

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150 SOCIAL ACTION AND WELFARE

To Observe Centennial of Welfare Work
RESOLUTION 9-07

Overture 9-19 (CW, p. 278)

Wuereas, God has abundantly blessed our church as
it has proclaimed the Gospel in word and demonstrated
it in deeds; and

Wuereas, The 46th regular convention of The Lu-
theran Church — Missouri Synod, held at Detroit in
1965, resolved that the second Sunday in Advent, 1968,
be designated as an appropriate time for our congrega-
tions to recognize 100 years of God’s grace and blessing
in Lutheran welfare work; and

Wuereas, An appropriate recognition of God’s bless-
ings in the past should stimulate us to greater service to
people in need; therefore be it

Resolved, That all congregations, District social min-
istry and welfare committees, and agencies take steps to
advance Christ’s compassion through appropriate pro-
grams of social ministry in gratitude for a century of
blessings in the field of Christian social welfare and
through participation in centennial observances.

Action: Adopted.

To Support Open Housing
RESOLUTION 9-08

Overtures 9-08, 9-09, 9-10 (CW, pp. 275—276)

Wuereas, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod,
assembled in convention at St. Paul, Minn., in June 1956,
resolved: “That since Christians are constrained to do
justice and love mercy, we acknowledge our responsibil-
ity as a church to provide guidance for our members to
work in the capacity of Christian citizens for the elimi-
nation of discrimination, wherever it may exist, in com-
munity, city, state, nation, and world”; and

WuereaS, Discrimination in housing persists in many
of our American communities and consigns many of our
fellow citizens and brothers in Christ to life in ghettos,
where their fundamental freedoms are denied and legiti-
mate ambitions frustrated and where minority groups
are isolated from an interchange which could lead to
mutual love and understanding; and

Wuereas, The Scriptures urge us to love not only in
word and in speech but in deed and in truth (1 John
3:18) and promise us that as we do this to the least of
Christ’s own we do it to Him; and

Wuenreas, The Synod has already resolved in its 46th
regular convention in Detroit to encourage the members
of its congregations to assist in every appropriate way to
make it possible for people to obtain a place of residence
without restrictions because of race or national origin;
therefore be it

Resolved, That in faithfulness to our Lord and in
good faith with the spirit of previous conventions The
Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod undertake a pro-
gram of education and action that will include the fol-
lowing features:

a) It shall be directed to the membership of every
congregation of the Synod.

b) It shall emphasize every Christian’s ministry to
the whole man.

c) It shall urge individuals to support and to partici-
pate in housing programs that seek to achieve equality
of opportunity for every human being; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod direct the Board of Social
Ministry to engage immediately in planning and devel-
oping the means and procedures that contribute to the
advancement of the cause of open housing consistent
with the Synod’s financial management policies in other
matters.

Action: Adopted as given above.

To Provide Full-Time Executive Secretary
of Social Action
RESOLUTION 9-09
Report 9-01 (CW, pp. 266—267)

Wuereas, A full-time executive secretary would lift
many burdens from the shoulders of the Commission on
Social Action; and

Wuereas, Such an executive secretary would be able
to supervise, initiate, and coordinate District activities
and efforts in the area of social action; and

Wuereas, An Executive Secretary of Social Action
could sharpen the church’s social insights and assist the
church in effecting its contribution to the social order;
therefore be it

Resolved, That the request for a full-time executive
secretary of the Commission on Social Action be acted
upon favorably.

Action: Adopted.

To Provide Guidelines for Open Housing
RESOLUTION 9-10

Overture 9-10 (CW, p. 276)

Wuereas, The Synod’s Board of Social Ministry may
well benefit from some direction in the implementation
of Resolution 9-08; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod’s Board of Social Ministry
regard the following as a set of guidelines for this pro-
gram:

Guidelines for the Board of Social Ministry’s
Open Housing Program

The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod commends
to the Board of Social Ministry the following guidelines
for study and, where feasible, for action:

A. Fiscal Matters

1. The Board of Social Ministry shall be empowered
to solicit and to accept gifts and grants to be used for
open housing. Such funds are to be earmarked and kept
separate from other synodical moneys. These funds may