LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1977, Page 49

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MINUTES OF THE CONVENTION 49

Recognition

At this point the convention paused in its
deliberations to recognize the retiring officers of the
Synod and members of the Board of Directors. Among
those recognized were Dr. Milton Carpenter, Dr.
Theodore Nickel, Dr. Harry Barr, Dr. G. E. Nitz, Dr.
Alvin W. Mueller, Mr. Walter Hinck, Dr. August
Bernthal, and Mr. Walter Steinberg. Mrs. Milton
Carpenter was also recognized and presented with a
corsage by Mrs. Herbert Mueller, wife of the Secretary
of the Synod. President Preus presented Dr. Milton
Carpenter with a gift portraying the Cross of Iona, one
of the earliest of the Christian era. The wood on which
the cross is placed is from the doorposts of the Board of
Directors’ room in the old Lutheran Building at 210 N.
Broadway, St. Louis. After the delegates had adopted
Res. 13-11A (TB 249), recognizing and thanking Dr.
Milton Carpenter for his services as Treasurer of the
Synod, Dr. Carpenter addressed the delegates briefly,
thanking them for the privilege of serving the Synod
and stating that they could give him another gift by
making the work program which they had adopted a
reality. President Preus then asked the delegates to join
him in expressing their thanks to retiring Vice-
Presidents Dr. August Bernthal and Dr. Theodore
Nickel. The convention gladly agreed with this request.

Presentation

A Lutheran Laymen’s League representative from
the Texas District presented President Gedrat of the
Brazil District with a check for $5,000 as a first portion
of the project to bring the program “This Is the Life” to
Brazil. The funds will be used to dub Portuguese into
the “This Is the Life” films already produced.

Parish Services

The delegates agreed that the Synod should again
participate in the LCUSA Office of Governmental
Affairs and that in this participation provision should
be made for preservation of the position of the Synod in
both doctrine and practice (Res. 7-15, TB 139).
Authorization was given for an annual appropriation of
$25,000 in addition to the amount set aside as the
Scholarly Research Fund for the development and
publishing of materials deemed necessary for the church
by the Commission on Church Literature (Res. 7-23, TB
143). In adopting Res. 7-11 (TB 137) delegates called for
augmenting Bible study opportunities and directed the
Board of Parish Education and Concordia Publishing
House to provide additional Bible study materials which
reflect our Lutheran confessional stance with emphasis
on the needs of contemporary society. They asked that
this be done for all age groups and that the Board of
Parish Education be granted sufficient staff to produce
these materials at a reasonable cost to local con-
gregations. The convention approved the extension of
the Marriage Enrichment Program under the ad-
ministration of the Field Services Division of the Board
of Parish Education for 4 years (Res. 7-12, TB 137).
Congregations were requested, singly or in association
with other parishes, to explore the feasibility of
initiating or of expanding and strengthening their

programs of full-time Lutheran education, not in
opposition to public education but as unique alter-
natives that promote the Christian faith (Res. 7-18, TB
140—141). After amending Res. 7-19 (TB 141) with two
final resolves stating: “Resolved, That Concordia
Publishing House be requested to attempt to obtain
plates for Culto Cristiano, the Spanish Lutheran
hymnal, for the purposes of reprinting and distribution;
and be it further Resolved, That Concordia Publishing
House be requested to reprint Luther’s Small Catechism
in Spanish,” the delegates adopted it, asking that all
agencies involved in the production, printing, and
distribution of religious educational materials be urged
to provide materials that are appropriate to and effective
with individuals with differing cultural and ethnic
backgrounds. The American Bible Society was com-
mended for its work, and congregations of the Synod
were urged to become acquainted with the work of this
group and other Bible societies and to support it with
their prayers and gifts (Res. 7-20, TB 141). Concerned
parents who are members of the Synod were urged to
examine courses and textbooks which are used in the
public schools and to protest against public school
systems which use school time to inculcate only one side
of religious theories, beliefs, or value systems in
opposition to Biblical revelation (Res. 7-21, TB 142). The
Board of Parish Education was directed to continue to
provide encouragement, information, and guidelines for
the development of policies and procedures that are
nondiscriminatory according to sex and are in keeping
with Christian principles and legal requirements, and
congregations were urged to take immediate action to
determine and eliminate any sex discrimination which
may now exist (Res. 7-22, TB 142). The delegates asked
all who instructed confirmands to give as thorough
instruction as possible in the Six Chief Parts of
Christian doctrine as presented in Luther’s Small
Catechism (Res. 7-24, TB 143). They commended
congregations who are engaged in local radio ministry
and encouraged others to seek opportunities to initiate
and expand such local radio ministries (Res. 7-25, TB
143). Since the Concordia Publishing House Board of
Directors receives monthly fiscal and other reports from
its management, and the Board of Directors of the
Synod receives regular reports from the CPH Board of
Directors, the delegates agreed that an independent
study of Concordia Publishing House is not warranted
and agreed with the floor committee to decline Overtures
7-41A—B (CW 293—294). They did this by adopting Res.
7-21 (TB 144). They also agreed to decline overtures
calling for the recommendation of Missouri in Perspec-
tive and the acknowledgment of services rendered by
Christian News (Res. 7-28, TB 144). The convention,
however, declined Res. 7-26A (TB 302) with respect to
Valparaiso University. Chairman Zeile then stated that
this completed the work of the Floor Committee on
Parish Services.

Elections

Chairman Ziegler, speaking for the Floor Committee
on Elections, reported the results of balloting for some
of the offices and boards of the Synod which were still