LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1981, Page 49

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MINUTES OF THE CONVENTION 49

Point of Privilege

Responding to a point of privilege, one of the dele-
gates introduced a resolution which stated that:

WHEREAS, Dr. Preus set a commendable example in his
President’s Report—Part II with his words, ‘I sincerely
apologize to all in the church who have in any way been
wounded or hurt by anything I have ever said and done,’
and‘...1 ask God’s forgiveness and yours’; and

WuerEas, Dr. Bohimann, setting the tone for his pres-
idency, has pledged pastoral concern for all in the Synod;
and

WHEREAS, There are people within and outside The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod who still carry hurts as
a result of the recent controversy; and

WHEREAS, In Jesus Christ there is reconciliation be-
- tween God and people and also between people and people;
- and

WuEREAS, Reconciliation begins with forgiveness and
_ forgiveness with confession; therefore be it

Resolved, That the convention of The Lutheran Church—
‘Missouri Synod express regret for mistakes made and
- people hurt during the years of controversy, and be it
further
, Resolved, That we ask forgiveness from God and from
people hurt by past actions.

The delegates agreed to this action by adopting the
resolution. The Chairman agreed with the appropriate-
ness of this action which had been taken.

Special and Sundry Matters

As its first action Chairman Richard Meyer of the
Floor Committee on Sundry Matters, acting for the
committee, introduced Res. 9-01 (TB 153), which called
for the opening of every ministry to Black professional
church workers. The delegates adopted this resolution,
whereby affirming the Scriptural principle that race or
color must not restrict a trained pastor’s field of service
and resolving that the Synod move with haste to
implement Res. 2-20 of the 1962 Cleveland convention
that Black professional church workers be placed in all
of the ministries of the Synod including Higher Educa-
tion and various executive positions in the District and
the Synod during the next 10 years. By adopting Res.
9-02 (TB 154) encouragement was given for the support
and effective ministry to military personnel. The con-
vention pledged its support to the ministries ‘of the
Armed Forces Commission and encouraged congrega-
tions to utilize fully the services of the Armed Forces
Commission in providing ministry to the military mem-
bers of the Synod wherever they may be stationed.

The President of the Synod was directed to appointa
representative committee to plan a God-pleasing cele-
bration and observance of the 500th Anniversary of the
birth of Martin Luther (Res. 9-03, 7B 154). The adoption
of the resolution also included an expression of thanks
to God for the many blessings bestowed upon the Synod
through the gift of Martin Luther.

The report of the Commission of Adjudication was
received by the convention through the adoption of Res.
9:05 (TB 155). In a final action the floor committee
presented Res.. 9-04A (TB 307), recognizing various
District anniversaries.

With the adoption of this resolution the work of the
Floor Committee on Special and Sundry Matters was
declared completed. The Chairman expressed his
thanks both to this committee and to the Program
Implementation Committee for their work.

Social Ministry

Chairman Barth of the Floor Committee on Social
Ministry introduced Res. 8-01 (7B 145), which was
adopted by the delegates after brief discussion. This
resolution commended the governments of the United
States and Canada for their involvement in resettlement
efforts for refugees from around the world and en-
couraged the members of congregations in the Synod to
become sponsors of refugee persons through the pro-
grams of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service.
Res. 8-06 (TB 147), encouraging congregations and
Districts of the Synod to work for fair housing, was also
adopted. Prior to the introduction of this resolution the
words “and aliens” had been added after the word
“Americans” in line 62 (TB 147). During the discussion
of Res. 8-07, which affirmed earlier statements made by
the Synod against racism and violence and called upon
congregations of the the Synod to reaffirm clearly their
affirmation of human life and dignity for all persons
and all races, an amendment was introduced asking
that the words “every 13 seconds a handgun is sold in
the U.S.A.” in line 19 (TB 148) be deleted. The delegates
declined to take this action and adopted the resolution
as presented. A resolution calling for ministry to all
disabled persons and their families was also accepted
(Res. 8-08, TB 148). Res. 8-09 (TB 149) was next intro-
duced. This resolution directed the Board of Social
Ministry and World Relief to study the recommenda-
tions of the White House Conference on the Family and
the White House Conference on Aging to determine the
relevance in applicability of their findings and to report
to the Board of Directors with proposals that implement
such recommendations as are feasible and relevant to
the constituency of the Synod. An amendment which
would have deleted the third and fourth whereases and
replaced the final resolved was declined by the dele-
gates. The resolution was then adopted as presented by
the floor committee. While the convention declined to
support an overture which called for the support of
documentation for undocumented aliens, it did resolve
that the members of the Synod be reminded of their
duties to show Christian compassion to undocumented
aliens and not to exploit them, as well as to help them
seek legal documentation. This action was taken by the
adoption of Res. 8-10 (7B 149) after the floor committee
had added the words “but to help them seek legal
documentation” after the word “them” in line 48 (TB
149). By adopting Res. 8-11 (TB 150) the Synod re-
affirmed the Scriptural mandate to provide programs of
pastoral care by encouraging boards of social ministry
of Districts and clusters of local congregations to take
steps to assure that present chaplaincy programs be
maintained, new ones established, and those that have
been discontinued or decreased reinstated where appro-
priate. During the discussion the delegates declined an