LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2019, Page 126

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2. INTERNATIONAL WITNESS
isolated air bases engaging airmen on faith and family as
they load fighter aircraft for combat operations; and
WHEREAS, These “pastors in uniform” provide Word and
Sacrament ministry while enduring hardship, constant
peril, and danger; and
WHEREAS, These chaplains meet the needs of military
personnel and their families stationed around the world
and provide a vital link to home; and
WHEREAS, LCMS chaplains have been recognized for their
excellence in theology and pastoral care by their peers and
frequently called to significant leadership posts within the
US Department of Defense at the Pentagon; and
WHEREAS, The LCMS Ministry to the Armed Forces (MAF)
supports almost 200 chaplains representing the church on
active duty, the reserves, the National Guard, and Civil Air
Patrol; and
WHEREAS, The LCMS MAF assists and trains
congregations through Operation Barnabas, working to
equip and encourage local LCMS members in
compassionate care and witness by training them for
outreach to all military-connected people (active, reserve,
retired, veterans, and their loved ones); and
WHEREAS, The LCMS cares deeply for those who
currently serve, for those who have donned the cloth of our
nation in uniform, and for those who served our nation and
live in our communities; therefore be it
Resolved, That the LCMS encourage the congregations of
Synod to intentionally recognize and care for current and
former military members, veterans, and family members in
their midst by joining the network of care provided through
Operation Barnabas; and be it further
Resolved, That the LCMS give thanks to God for MAF,
Operation Barnabas, and the leadership of MAF Director
Rev. Craig Muehler and Assistant Director Rev. Dr. Steven
Hokana.
Action: Adopted (8)
Res. 2-08 was read and introduced by Chaplain Steven Hokana,
assistant director of LCMS Mission to the Armed Forces, on
behalf of the committee. The resolution was adopted by a rising
voice vote. Military veterans in the assembly were asked to stand
and be recognized.

To Encourage and Support
International Theological Education
by the Synod and Our Seminaries
in Aid of World Lutheran Churches

WHEREAS, Numerous Lutheran church bodies
throughout the world are seeking closer relations with The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) (including 17
new churches being received into membership in the
International Lutheran Council in 2018); and
WHEREAS, In recent years, a number of Lutheran church
bodies throughout the world have, by God’s grace,
experienced unprecedented growth, with millions of
baptized members and prospects for much further growth
in the future; and
WHEREAS, Many world Lutheran churches, including our
long-established international partner churches, look to
the seminaries of our church to assist them with theological
education, either by sending our professors overseas to
teach or by receiving international students in our
seminaries’ pastoral formation programs or, especially,
graduate programs; and
WHEREAS, Our seminaries have already been responding
to these requests for assistance to the extent that their
limited financial resources available to support this work
allows; and
WHEREAS, God has blessed the people and congregations
of our Synod with financial resources that are truly rich and
far beyond the capacities of other world Lutheran churches;
therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod in convention endorse our
seminaries’ continued engagement in international
theological education in support of world Lutheran
churches through collaboration with the Board for
International Mission, the Chief Mission Officer, the Office
of International Mission, and the Office of Pastoral
Education; and be it further
Resolved, That the seminaries, in close coordination and
collaboration with the above-mentioned offices, be
encouraged to continue their commitment to support
world Lutheran churches by sending professors overseas to
teach, by developing online resources to support
international theological education, and by receiving
international students in their pastoral formation and
graduate programs as appropriate; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Synod and our seminaries work
together to foster financial support for the Global Seminary
Initiative to provide the financial resources necessary to
allow our seminaries to continue and extend this Godpleasing work.
Action: Adopted (8)
Without objection, the resolution was put to an immediate voice
vote and carried.

RESOLUTION 2-09
Report R1.2 (CW, 16–71); Overture 2-12 (CW, 399–400)

126 | PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2019 (67TH) LCMS CONVENTION

Resolutions