Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1969 · 48th Convention › Page 203
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1969, Page 203

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

SYNODICAL ADMINISTRATION 203

during the course of the biennium to carry out the in-
tent of Resolution 6-21.

O. Fiscal Cooperation. The board is happy to report
closer cooperation between District and synodical fiscal
departments (Res. 14-06).

III. Other Business Transacted

Many other resolutions were adopted by the Board
of Directors during the course of the biennium. This
is hardly the place to report extensively on these actions.
The minutes, however, are available to the floor com-
mittee for review. We list merely some significant areas
of responsibility and some typical actions taken.

A. Budget. The Board of Directors has a grave re-
sponsibility in the development and administration of
the annual budget of the Synod. For that reason it
works very closely with the Council of Administrators
and also hears regular reports from the Treasurer, the
Controller, and other responsible officers and boards.
It takes whatever action seems indicated at the moment
within the framework of the synodical Handbook.

B. Debt. The Ebenezer Thankoffering failed to reach
its goal, but it did produce in gross receipts as of Jan.
31, 1969, the very creditable amount of $14,491,425, for
which the Christians of our Synod are to be commended.
The proceeds of this offering were to be used exclusively
for capital investments. It is therefore understandable
that the need for capital has become aggravatingly in-
tense. The board appointed a task force to develop rec-
ommendations for the generation of additional capital.
Receipts for current operational expenses also failed to
measure up to expectations. Here too it became neces-
sary to take emergency action. We may mention spe-
cifically the “Make Things Happen” offering in Sep-
tember 1968.

C. Capital Projects. All requests for expenditures for
capital projects must come before the Board of Direc-
tors. Most of the contemplated capital expenditures for
missions were granted from the limited funds at hand,
but as a result the needs of the Board for Higher Edu-
cation are particularly prominent at this time.

D. Manuals. During this biennium the board re-
quested all operating boards and commissions of the
Synod to file policy and operating manuals with the
board. This should make for greater efficiency also as
the individual boards face up to their responsibility of
keeping their policies current.

E. Policy Statements. One of the important functions
of the board is the development of policy statements.
Statements were adopted. for example. on the following
matters: on applying for government loans for residence
halls: on modified service: on salary termination: on the
necessity of plenary boards electing their executives: on
the eligibility of erstwhile executives to serve on the
board formerly served by them: on the prior consent
of the Board of Directors for applying local college
funds to capital projects: on being involved as amicus
curiae in judicial procedures: on using women as ad-
visory members of synodical boards, commissions, and

committees: on self-insurance claims: on the percentage
of funds to be invested by the synodical Board of Trust-
ees in equities and on Canadian investments by the
trustees: on the release of detailed information of a
personal financial nature: on travel allowances for wives
to accompany their husbands on extended tours of duty;
on filling top staff positions before lower positions: on
the prevention and detection of fraud; on loans to syn-
odical executives for purchasing housing.

F. Deaths. The board was particularly saddened by
the death of Dr. J. W. Behnken. The vacant place which
he filled so humbly at the bottom of the table over
which he had presided for so many years is a mute re-
minder of his services and of our loss. In his will Dr.
Behnken treated the Synod as one of his children and
included it for a full child’s share of his estate. The
board was also saddened by the passing of Mr. Theodore
Eckhart. who had served so many years in a financial
capacity, and by the passing of Mr. Tracy B. Whitton,
a member of the Synod. whose firm had served as ex-
ternal auditor for several years.

G. Major Presentations. Among the major presenta-
tions received by the board we might mention the fol-
lowing: on the avoidance of duplication of effort be-
tween the Synod and LCUSA by Dr. C. Thomas Spitz:
on the deaconess program by a professional consultant:
on the Kerner report by State Senator Paul Simon of
Illinois: on black power by Pastors Moses Dickinson and
Albert Pero: on back-door losses by Rev. Paul Picard:
on the Denver convention essay by Dr. R. Caemmerer:
on the meeting of the World Council of Churches in
Uppsala, Sweden, by Dr. William Buege: on program-
planning budgeting systems by Mr. Carl Muhlenbruch;
on fund raising by Dr. Erwin Kurth.

H. The board also met regularly as the membership
of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod Foundation:
received gratefully the offer of the LLL to participate
in the sponsoring of “This Is the Life”: authorized sev-
eral educational institutions to apply for government
loans for the construction of student residence halls:
designated various organizations as affiliate agencies for
Concordia Plan purposes: liberalized on several occa-
sions the benefits of the Concordia Welfare Plan: suc-
ceeded in introducing uniform accounting systems into
most of the Districts of the Synod: contributed $5,000 to
the American Bible Society for the printing of the Scrip-
tures in Romania behind the Iron Curtain: continued
participation in the Chicago human relations pilot proj-
ect: approved new staff categories and salary ranges;
authorized the Church Extension Fund to borrow up to
$350.000 to meet current commitments to the Alberta
and British Columbia, Atlantic. Northwest. Southern,
and Southern California Districts: made a grant of
$5,000 to the Christian Medical Council of the World
Council of Churches for its assistance in the medical
mission program; approved the temporary assignment
of Dr. W. F. Bulle to administer war relief in both Ni-
geria and Biafra; authorized Synodwide solicitations for
housing concerns (Keys for Christ) and for construction