LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 142

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142

RESOLUTIONS

Resolved, That Synod maintain the LCMS Sanctity of
Human Life Committee and LCMS Life Ministries regardless of the outcome of Synod restructuring; and be it finally
Resolved, That a conference be convened by the LCMS
Sanctity of Human Life Committee that will provide encouragement to all LCMS members currently involved in elective
and legislative processes and help them to be more vocal about
pro-life issues, and that will equip and encourage more LCMS
members to become involved in the governmental process of
our country .
Action: Adopted (9)
(Res . 6-02A was adopted as presented without debate [Yes:
1,010; No: 64] .)

To Combat Malaria
RESOLUTION 6-04A
Overture 6-01 (CW, p. 207)
Whereas, Nearly one-half of the world’s population is at
risk of contracting malaria; and
Whereas, Malaria affects 500 million people a year and
kills one million of them; and
Whereas, This death rate translates into 2,880 deaths a
day, 120 deaths an hour, or one death every 30 seconds; and
Whereas, The vast majority of those affected by malaria
are children in Africa; and
Whereas, Malaria is a largely preventable and treatable
disease worsened by poverty; and
Whereas, Many of the world’s wealthiest nations, including the United States, are largely unaware of the crisis of
malaria; and
Whereas, The Lutheran Malaria Initiative (LMI) is an
unprecedented collaborative effort to mobilize the nearly eight
million Lutherans in the United States to join in the battle
against malaria; and
Whereas, U .S . Lutherans have been called by Christ to
look after the needs of the “least of these” (Matt . 25:31–46)
through “cooperation in externals”; and
Whereas, The preventable deaths of one million people a
year call out for a compassionate response; and
Whereas, Lutheran World Relief (LWR), the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), and The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), with financial support
from the United Nations Foundation (UNF), have been invited
to participate in the initiative; and
Whereas, LMI’s goal is to combat malaria through intensified and comprehensive efforts in education, prevention,
advocacy, and mobilization of resources; and
Whereas, The LCMS Board of Directors has endorsed a
LCMS/LWR joint proposal to the UN Foundation, including
a grant request of $3 .9 million to be made by these two entities to the foundation; and
Whereas, The Synod and Lutheran World Relief are
developing a collaborative and coordinative memorandum of
2010 Convention Proceedings

understanding regarding appropriate policies for working in
concert to raise $45 million to combat malaria and to build
support among their respective constituencies for the initiative; and
Whereas, Funds raised by the LCMS for LMI will be
channeled through existing partner churches and organizations in African countries where malaria is most prevalent,
as the Synod cooperates with and helps to empower, engage,
uplift, and support its partners in the battle to prevent and treat
malaria; and
Whereas, The LCMS Michigan District schools devoted
their February “Hearts for Jesus” campaign to educating children about malaria and committed their chapel offerings to
LMI; and
Whereas, Concordia Publishing House has expressed an
interest in creating Vacation Bible School study materials
around LMI; and
Whereas, The LMI initiative affords the LCMS a unique
opportunity to increase the capacity of its partner churches to
save lives and share the Gospel; therefore be it
Resolved, That the LCMS be prayerfully committed to the
LMI goals of education, advocacy, and fund-raising to prevent
and contain malaria; and be it further
Resolved, That the LCMS through its agencies, congregations, schools, universities, and seminaries support LMI; and
be it further
Resolved, That the President of the Synod be responsible for
the implementation of this resolution; and be it finally
Resolved, That the LCMS join LMI in this life-saving effort
beginning in 2010 .
Action: Adopted (9)
(During discussion, a delegate requested that consideration of
this resolution be postponed to allow time for Res . 3-03 to first be
considered by the convention . After the request failed [Yes: 383;
No: 653], the committee chairman invited comments from Matthew Harrison and Evangelical Lutheran Church of Kenya President Obare . After a proposed amendment to change “Chief Mission
Officer” to “President of the Synod” in the third resolve was accepted by the committee as a friendly amendment, Res . 6-04A was
adopted as changed [Yes: 1,080; No: 33] .)

To Encourage Continued Emphasis
on Prison and Jail Ministry
RESOLUTION 6-05
Report 6-01 (CW, pp. 102–112)
Whereas, The importance of ministering to those who are
in prison has been stressed by our Lord Jesus in Matthew 25:36
(“I was in prison and you visited me”) and by the example of
the early church as reflected in Hebrews 10:34 (“For you had
compassion for those who were in prison”); and
Whereas, The 1998 LCMS convention resolved that the
Synod in the year 2000, prior to its next convention, sponsor
a prison and jail ministry training and equipping retreat for
clergy and lay volunteers; and