LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1969, Page 80

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80 RESOLUTIONS

stewardship in our Synod’s Church Extension Fund;
therefore be it

Resolved, That we encourage the Synod’s members
to earnestly consider the investment of their dollars in
our Synod’s Church Extension Fund and to experience
the Savior’s blessing that “where your treasure is there
shall your heart be also”; and be it further

Resolved, That each delegate prayerfully present this
matter to his congregations as the necessary first step
to carry out this resolution; and be it finally

Resolved, That as we pledge our hearts and sacred
honor to this resolution in the name of Jesus, so let both
the synodical and the District Boards for Church Exten-
sion be encouraged to promote this phase of the program
in the manner they deem best.

Action: Adopted (13).

To Provide Funds for Capital Needs
RESOLUTION 1-14
Report 1-03 (CW, pp. 45—49)

Wuereas, Certain projects of the Church Extension
Fund program for capital needs and advance site acqui-
sitions were delayed or halted due to lack of funds dur-
ing the past biennium; and

Wuereas, The present conservative estimate for the
next biennium’s capital needs amounts to $4,500,000; and

Wuereas, Continued delay in the provision of such
funds aggravates the problems and increases the cost
of projects; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Board of Directors be encouraged
to take immediate steps to make such funds available
in order to make use of the opportunities God has now
placed before us; and be it also

Resolved, That funds to meet such “Service-charge
Loans” and “Advance Site Acquisitions” be provided
and expanded as soon as possible.

Action: Adopted (13).

To Enable God’s People for Mission
RESOLUTION 1-15A

Reports 1-01, 1-02; Overtures 5-30, 5-31 (CW, pp. 2—4,
28, 40—45, 239—240)

Wuereas, The Synod has affirmed that the church is
God’s mission; and

Wuereas, Mission is not an optional activity in the
church but of its very nature and function; and

Wuereas, Our Lord Christ (John 17:21) desires that
His church be one in fact and action as well as in theory
and that all Christians strive to manifest this unity by
working together when it will edify Christ’s body and
advance His mission; and

WHEREAS, It is the responsibility of all the Christians
in a particular area to understand themselves as being
not only related to their one Head but also related to one

another in the fulfillment of His mission in that place;
and

Wuereas, We are grateful for the contribution that
the World Conference on Lutheran Education has made
to our understanding of the mission of the church; and

Wuereas, A confessional church must always be
a confessing church in a meaningful relationship to all
Christians; and

Wuereas, There is a grave danger that the church
will fail to meet the great opportunities that the Lord
of the church places before her in our times unless
many more Christians come to a proper Biblical under-
standing of their calling in the body of Christ and in
God’s mission and unless the church finds ways in which
it can make a united witness to all men; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Board for Missions be authorized
to develop ways to enable our pastors, missionaries, and
laymen to be Christ’s people wherever they are, and to
encourage, instruct, and counsel pastors, missionaries,
congregations, Districts, and sister churches as they
engage in cooperative ministry with other Christians in
all parts of the world, including also those not organiza-
tionally related to us; and be it further

Resolved, That in the future, new ministries be care-
fully planned not only in consultation with established
Lutheran ministries but with all existing Christian min-
istries, so that where a new ministry can enhance God’s
mission, it should be opened; and be it further

Resolved, That the Commission on Mission and Min-
istry in the Church be instructed to examine the Consti-
tution of the Synod in the light of the Mission Affirma-
tions and, in consultation with the Commission on The-
ology and Church Relations and the Commission on
Constitutional Matters, make appropriate recommenda-~
tions to the next convention of the Synod; and be it
finally

Resolved, That each District be encouraged to ex-
amine its constitution in the light of the Mission Affir-
mations and to act on appropriate recommendations
which emphasize its mission and ministry; and that in
turn each District President and/or the District Consti-
tution Committee encourage each congregation to make
similar self-study of its structure, its needs, its constitu-
tion, bylaws, and guidelines to provide for a reasonable
degree of latitude and flexibility in carrying out its mis-
sion and ministry.

Action: Adopted (13).

To Urge Comprehensive Long-Range
Planning on All Levels
RESOLUTION 1-15B
Reports 1-01, 1-02 (CW, pp. 23 ff.); Overtures 1-11 (CW,

p. 51), 1-36U (URO, p. 3)
Whereas, Constant change in the nature of the fron-
tiers which the church will be called upon to cross in

the world of the ’70s calls us to an awareness of the fact
that comprehensive planning will be required; and