LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1977, Page 48

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48 MINUTES OF THE CONVENTION

member” status, Overture 4-62 (CW 161) was declined
(Res. 4-32, TB 94). Overtures 4-35A—B (CW 151) were
also declined since the dates on which the synodical
conventions are held are selected by those responsible
for planning the convention. Delegates agreed that the
complexty of convention arrangements required a
convention manager and therefore declined Overtures
4-40A—C (CW 151) by adopting Res. 4-34 (TB 94).
Because the assets of the Synod are held for the work of
God’s kingdom as this work is carried on by the Synod,
and the Synod has provided for equitable disposition of
financial matters as well as loving solutions to
problems which arise, Overture 4-81 (CW 166), calling
for a distribution of the assets of the Synod, according
to a specific formula, to congregations who resign from
it, was declined (Res. 4-31, TB 93). The delegates
changed Bylaw 10.27 of the synodical Handbook and
deleted Bylaw 10.29, thereby abolishing District sub-
committees of the Board of Managers—Pensions and
Support (Res. 4-30, TB 93).

Elections

Chairman Ziegler of the Floor Committee on
Elections reported the results of some of the unfilled
positions for boards of the Synod. The following
elections were reported:

Board of Stewardship: Charles W. Keturakat

Board of Control, Sao Leopoldo: Walter Warth

Committee for Convention Nominations: Eugene L.
Krentz, Norman T. Laesch, Ellis Nieting

Closing Devotion

After the singing of a hymn by the LEA choir, Dr.
Bernthal led the delegates in prayer as a closing
devotion for the session.

Session 14

July 21, Afternoon
Opening Devotion

Dr. August Bernthal led the delegates in the opening
devotion for the Thursday afternoon session of the
convention. After missionary John Fajen had read the
Scriptures in one of the languages of Nigeria, the
delegates joined in reading the same section in the
English language. The reading was taken from a
section of Colossians titled “The Incomparable Christ.”
Dr. Bernthal based his remarks on this section and
asked the delegates to close the devotion by joining in
the singing of the hymn “Crown Him with Many
Crowns.”

Elections

Chairman Ziegler of the Elections Committee
reported that ballots would be distributed for filling the
remaining unfilled positions for officers and boards of
the Synod. After the ballots had been distributed, he
declared the elections closed.

Minutes

The minutes of Sessions 8, 9, and 10 were approved
as presented.

Program Implementation

Chairman Paul Zimmerman of the Floor Committee
on Program Implementation introduced Res. 13-08A
(TB 241), calling for the establishment of the 1978—79
work program of the Synod. During discussion of the
resolution delegates adopted an amendment adding the
words “and that these changes shall be communicated
to the delegates to the Dallas convention” after the
word “projects” in line 42 (TB 241). They also changed
the amount recommended for the Board for Missions
for 1978 and 1979 by $200,000 annually (line 8, TB 242).
This necessitated a change in lines 28 and 29 (TB 241),
so that the figures would read $30,057,306 and $32,921,-
269 respectively. The resolution was then adopted as
amended. By accepting Res. 13-09B (TB 304) delegates
made it possible to carry out budgeted work and other
authorized work by permitting borrowing a sum equal
to five percent of the finalized budget for each year if
this action is necessary. The report of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod Foundation was accepted,
and members of the Synod were encouraged to make
themselves aware of and to utilize the LCMS Foun-
dation’s various services (Res. 13-13, TB 182). Delegates
resolved that the Synod recognize the present need of
educational institutions to raise increasingly larger
amounts of money by their own efforts and develop-
ment and asked for exploration of the coordination of
fund-raising efforts by educational institutions. They
also resolved that the Synod provide at least the
present percentage level of subsidy (including current
inflationary trends) for its educational institutions
(Res. 13-12, TB 182). At the conclusion of action by the
convention on proposals from the Floor Committee on
Program Implementation, Pastor Vetter of No. Wis., a
member of the floor committee, spoke to the delegates,
urging that “we and the Father work together” in
meeting the needs for program implementation.

Parish Services

Chairman Zeile of the Floor Committee on Parish
Services brought Res. 7-14 (TB 138) before the conven-
tion. This resolution, designating the Reporter as an
official periodical, was adopted by the delegates. In
order to allow the fiscal year of Concordia Publishing
House to coincide as closely as possible with the
Synod’s fiscal year, Bylaw 11.21 was amended so that
the fiscal year of Concordia Publishing House would
begin on the first day of January in each year (Res. 7-
16, TB 140). Resolution 7-10 (TB 136) was reintroduced
to the convention. Action on this resolution had not
been completed in a previous session. After the
delegates had declined to consider the recommendation
of paragraph f of the Convention Workbook, page 278,
as a substitute motion, they adopted the resolution as
presented by the floor committee, giving direction to the
Board of Youth Ministry with respect to All-Lutheran
Youth/Adult Gatherings.