LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Page 60

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

were tice

SRS ITD oe IMT ST Te

LEONEL TH

t
£

PRESIDENT’S REPORT 61

other churches. I have been encouraged by the many
instances of responsible ecumenism which I have en-
countered throughout our church body. At the de-
nominational level, we have been engaged in more
dialog and church relations meetings in recent years
than ever before. We have participated in discussions
with the American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran
Church in America. We have worked with our fellow
Lutherans in the many activities and programs of the
Lutheran Council, including a study of ways to improve
the Council’s efficiency. But our Synod’s increased in-
volvement with other Christians has not been confined
to the denominational level. For our pastors, teachers,
and congregations throughout the Synod have been more
interested and willing to engage in discussions of the
Christian faith with other Christians, and to join them
in carrying out Christian obligations whenever this can
be done without compromise of our confessional posi-
tion. While it remains true that our Synod, for reasons
of principle, remains separated from the larger ecu-
menical organizations of our day, it is no longer ac~-
curate to characterize our church body as aloof or iso-
lationistic. For we have found, especially in recent
years, that it is important for all of us to work together
to overcome the divisions and separations within Chris-
tendom. We have also learned that such divisions will
be overcome, not by overlooking them but only by a
responsible ecumenism that is characterized by faithful
witness to the Word of God.

As a church body which has begun to have more
and more contact and cooperation with other Christians
at all levels, it is imperative that in the next biennium
we give serious consideration to articulating our stance
towards other church bodies. Our attitude toward other
Christians also has a profound effect upon our sister
churches overseas. It has often appeared that we have
a kind of identity crisis when it comes to the question
of what our doctrinal stance should be in relationship
to other churches. It is my hope that this convention
will encourage our Synod at all levels to give careful
consideration to such questions during the next bien-
nium, so that as a united church which stands firmly on
God’s Word and our Lutheran Confessions we can de-
velop ways of working with other churches, without
compromising our principles, in an effort to bring our
particular witness to other Christians as a soundly or-
thodox Lutheran church.

V. We See a Church Generous with Financial
Support

Five, when we look at The Lutheran Church —Mis-
souri Synod today, we see a church body with a com-
mendable record of Christian giving and increased
financial strength. I am happy to report that the past
biennium has been marked by a steady increase in the
strength of our synodical financial position. We have
reached the point where we no longer have deficit
spending and are forced to revise our budget in mid-
year. We are actually able to think in terms of increas-
ing our budget and of making sizeable investments over-

seas, as well as at home. With the growing hope that
the 125th Anniversary Thankoffering will be a great
success, and that our people at all levels will continue
to be faithful stewards of God’s good gifts, we can
actually begin to think of getting out of debt as a church
body and beginning to expand and improve our opera-
tions and activities in the various missions and minis-
tries of our beloved church. Our overall contributions
in 1972 showed an increase of 5%, or $6.55 per com-
municant. The Lord has certainly moved the hearts of
His people. I wish time also permitted me to tell you
about some of the exciting possibilities opening up in
the area of church financing which will enable us to
do some very wonderful things in God’s kingdom. I am
proud of you, and of the other pastors and people of
our church body, for your continued support of our
church’s work through your gifts.

But when we look at our Synod’s great challenges,
we know that our financial performance will need to
be improved still more. While we did have a substantial
increase in the amount of per communicant giving, only
42¢ of this $6.55 increase actually came to the District
and Synod. Yet the Districts of the Synod are expected
to do nearly all of the home mission work, and the
Synod is expected to carry out part of the home mission
work, plus all of the foreign mission work. Therefore
we need to give continued attention to improving our
financial base, and thereby enable us to meet the many
challenges facing us in the 1970s.

VI. We See a Church Faithful to Our Doctrinal
Position

We have looked at The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod in terms of some of its most important activities
and characteristics, but we have not yet spoken about
the major factor, namely, the doctrinal position and
confession of our Synod. What most observers of The
Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod have seen through-
out our 125-year history is a church body which cares
a great deal about its doctrine. That care and concern

Vice-President Edwin Weber and President J. A. O. Preus