LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1977, Page 77

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PRESIDENT’S REPORT 77

Our professors need higher salaries, and our plants need
improvement. Please give careful and wise support for
the prudent stewardship of our limited funds for this
large element in our synodical program.

The Parish

On the practical level we need to stress the renewal of
the parish, by the creation of Bible classes, prayer
groups, and evangelism teams and evangelism com-
mittees, the development of active and vital youth
organizations at the local, District, synodical level, care
for the aging in the congregation, concern about church
attendance and Communion attendance, through edify-
ing sermons, parish calls, concern about being doers of
the Word and not hearers only, and concern about every
human being in the parish as redeemed in the blood of
Christ and renewed by the Holy Spirit.

The Circuit

We need to stress the circuit. This is one area of our
structure that has been long neglected. How wonderful it
would be if in every one of the 550 circuits of the Synod
we could have rallies and meetings in which people
would talk about missions, evangelism, stewardship,
concern for the young and old and the sick and the blind,
and Christian education, all based on good, sound,
Biblical teaching. I would suggest that the two delegates
from each of our circuits go back home and urge their
Circuit Counselor to arrange for special services of
thanksgiving and praise in every congregation on the
first Sunday in November, which, if the resolution
passes, will be designated as Synodical Sunday. We
could also bring together the congregations in each
circuit on a particular day. Let them call for someone
else to do the preaching if need be, but the delegates
themselves could have a part in the divine service on
that day. We also need to give our Circuit Counselors
responsibilities and respect. Surely the concept of
neighbor congregations meeting and sharing mutual
challenges together is still workable and can also be
used as an effective way to minister and witness in a
particular geographical area. I pray that every con-
gregation will take a special offering for the work and
outreach of our Synod and raise and exceed the
$2,750,000 needed to balance our budget and raise even
more to expand the Lord’s work.

The District

On the District level we need to develop more and
more the spirit of cooperation and brotherliness. Here
too there is potential strength in unity, and much can be
accomplished in various parts of our nation if local
projects are carried out by shared responsibilities and
team efforts.

All of these and many more are blocks in the building
of a great and beautiful cathedral for the glory of God
and for the welfare of our neighbor.

It Can Be Done

Our Stewardship Board is attempting to help our
congregations in Districts and the Synod in the overall
program of raising additional funds, so that the work of

Dr. and Mrs. J. A. O. Preus

the Synod and District may go forward with joy and
success. Think for example of what it is like to be a
pastor in the India Evangelical Lutheran Church, where
a man is paid $60 a month, or one in Ghana who
receives $100 a month, or a man in Brazil trying to
work in an area and receiving a little over $200 a
month. In all of these countries inflation makes day-to-
day living a struggle for survival. In Ghana, for
example, a chicken costs $10, eggs $4.20 a dozen. We
need to give very serious thought to ways in which we
can vastly increase our stewardship program, so that
the story of Jesus Christ may be told in every corner of
the earth, in every hut, in every mansion, on every
street corner.

Long ago the apostle Paul told the congregation in
Ephesus, which was steeped in paganism, pornography,
and superstition, that they were to grow in spirit, in
faith, in hope, in love, in outreach. If Paul could speak
with such optimism and such enthusiasm to those
people of that day, surely we can encourage one another
at a time when similar problems exist; for the Holy
Spirit is ever with us. Let us urge every pastor in our
church to excite and enthuse his people, also every
official and leader in our church to reevaluate and
prioritize the important area of service to which the
Lord has called him or her and renew efforts to carry
out their assignments to the best of his or her ability.
Let the professors in all of our schools not only equip
professionals, technicians, craftsmen, but give to the
church and the world witnesses on fire for Jesus Christ
and for the extension of His kingdom.

Our Attitude

If we are to accomplish these things, there are going
to have to be some attitudinal changes. We will need to
develop in the spirit of our fathers of 400 years agoa real
desire for peace and concord. We will have to turn our
swords into plowshares and get busy with the work of
planting the seeds of God’s Word in our own hearts and
those of our families and our fellow church members. We
have to dedicate ourselves, if we are going to make
progress, to the firm assurance that we shall accomplish
great things because it is Christ who strengthens us, not
our own wisdom or cleverness. We need to remember