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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2019, Page 79

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
5.

One representative from CUEnet (Dr. Heather
Stueve).

The Colloquy Committee for Commissioned Ministry
met several times by telephone, Zoom, or email. A face-to-face
meeting was not deemed necessary during this triennium. The
normal day-to-day work of colloquy for commissioned ministry takes place at the districts, the individual institutions of the
CUS, and CUEnet, though every application for commissioned
ministry colloquy must pass through the office of the First VicePresident for his signature.
When the committee meets, it is generally to consider requests for exceptions to the general requirements to apply for
colloquy. The committee also spent considerable time reviewing
the version of the policy manual prepared in the previous triennium and making several small but necessary editorial changes.
The full policy manual may be accessed on the Synod website at
http://www.lcms.org/colloquy-ministers-of-religion-commisioned.
The Concordia University System (CUS) provides for the
preparation of candidates for certification for call and placement as Ministers of Religion—Commissioned. CUEnet is
the organization within the CUS national office authorized to
deliver instruction for colloquy. All approvals come from the
academic institution. The committee oversees the colloquy process, but most of the actual work is handled by CUEnet and the
CUS. The committee itself deals with policies as well as exceptions and difficult cases.
How many people are involved in colloquy to the commissioned minister roster through CUEnet? As of early 2019,
approximately 300 people were enrolled in CUEnet colloquy
courses. In any given month, we average between 60–70 students
taking a class. Between 90–120 teachers are interviewed each
year (not all teachers who take the course work choose to undergo the colloquy interview). Over 2,100 men and women have
completed colloquy courses through CUEnet since its inception
in 2001. Currently, there are approximately 11,000 nonrostered
teachers in our schools—early childhood, elementary, and secondary schools (about 50 percent are LCMS members). There is
therefore a great need for the efforts of CUEnet.
We are thankful for CUEnet and for the people who oversee the program and teach the courses, particularly its director, Dr. Heather Stueve, but most of all we are thankful for the
people who have been presented to the Church as commissioned
ministers, gifts of Christ, by this process. It is a pleasure to serve
the Synod by chairing this committee and working with these
people. To God be the glory!
Herbert C. Mueller Jr., First Vice-President, Chairman

Praesidium
The vice-presidents of the Synod are elected to advise
the President of the Synod, to serve as voting members of the
Council of Presidents, and to form, under the President, the
Praesidium of the Synod. The First Vice-President is nominated
by the congregations of the Synod and elected by the Synod in
convention to serve full-time as an assistant to the President.
Vice-presidents two through six are nominated within the regions of the Synod, but are elected by the whole Synod in con-

vention to serve part-time. At the present time, the Praesidium
includes the following men:
••

President Matthew C. Harrison, St. Louis, MO.

••

First Vice-President Herbert C. Mueller Jr., Waterloo, IL.

••

Second Vice-President Dr. Scott R. Murray, Houston, TX, representing the West-Southwest Region.

••

Third Vice-President Nabil S. Nour, Sioux Falls, SD,
representing the Great Plains Region.

••

Fourth Vice-President Dr. John C. Wohlrabe Jr., Milwaukee, WI, representing the Great Lakes Region.

••

Fifth Vice-President Daniel Preus, St. Louis, MO,
representing the Central Region.

••

Sixth Vice-President Christopher S. Esget, Alexandria, VA, representing the East-Southeast Region.

Upon his request or as provided by the Synod, the vicepresidents assist the President in carrying out his responsibilities
and represent him as needed. The Praesidium as such met regularly (generally in conjunction with a meeting of the Council of
Presidents) for prayer, Bible study, discussion of Synod matters,
and to give counsel on a variety of issues as requested by the
President of the Synod, district presidents, and others. The undersigned serves as secretary of the Praesidium.
During the triennium, the vice-presidents helped with the
visitation of the Concordia University System, advised the President and First Vice-President on the Koinonia Project, assisted
in making sure a representative of the Synod was present for all
of the 35 district conventions, and provided consultation to the
President regarding nominations for the Commission on Constitutional Matters.
A major effort involving the members of the Praesidium
is the ongoing visitation process mandated by 2013 Res. 7-01A.
We are engaged in the second round of visiting district presidents, district boards of directors, and circuit visitors. The President or First Vice-President, together with the regional vicepresident (where possible), have conversation with the district
president and district vice-presidents about spiritual conditions
in the district. We make presentations and have discussion with
the district boards of directors and/or circuit visitors of the district. Our purpose in visiting is to hear the leaders of the districts describe the blessings, opportunities, and challenges God
has given to each district. We also brought information from the
national office and discussed matters of mutual concern (one focus this triennium has been on communion practices). Though
they involve a significant investment of time and resources, the
visits have been universally well received and beneficial for all
concerned.
The Praesidium is responsible for a series of Bible studies prepared for circuit pastoral conferences. The theme for
2018–2019 is “Refreshing the Gifts of the Spirit for the Pastoral
Ministry,” encompassing a study of the pastoral epistles. In the
previous year, the focus was on the recent edition of Walther’s
Pastoral Theology. These studies, funded by payments made
each year by the districts, are available for free download at
http://www.lcms.org/resources/worship/biblestudies/winkel. Pastor Mark Love of Trinity Lutheran Church in Toledo, Ohio, is
the general editor.
2019 Convention Workbook