LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1981, Page 64

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64 PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS

very little tinkering is being done with the Constitution.
Bylaws can be passed and amended and rescinded by
majority vote at any convention. But the fact is that we
do need some reorganization and I hope that we can go
about the task of getting it done.

For example, it is the opinion of your President that
the three-year convention cycle is a must both at the
Synod and the District level. The idea of giving some
strength and emphasis to the Circuit is also important.

The proposals made by the Task Force regarding
restructuring of our stewardship program are well
worthy of our adoption. We have proved that we can
raise money if we go about it in a systematic and
aggressive way. We need to do this not only for special
drives but also on an ongoing basis.

The fears about centralization are simply not realis-
tic. There is no basic change relative to the relationship
between the congregations and the Synod. These struc-
tural changes that are proposed are only within the
structure of the Synod itself and among the officers and
boards of the Synod. No threat is being made to congre-
gational autonomy. Congregational autonomy does not
necessarily mean that each board in the Synod or each
District in the Synod is autonomous.

The Task Force has made a very helpful reeommen-
dation; namely, the point relative to the approval of the
President being necessary for the termination of execu-
tives. Some executives from time to time should be ter-
minated, and probably no one knows this better than
the President. But sometimes things are done in a very
unevangelical and undiplomatic way. The President, as
one who works very, very closely with all boards and
commissions and executives, as one who gets out into
the field constantly and has his finger on the pulse of
the Synod is in a good position to counsel boards
relative to thse matters, to bring about reconciliation
between board and staff, to advise on the many different
ways of dealing with problems, and thus, I believe it is
very good that the rubrics be changed to state that the
President shall be consulted, not only regarding the
engagement and calling of executives, but also with
reference to their termination.

I strongly favor the proposal relative to the Treasurer
of the Synod that he be nominated by the Board of
Directors and that he be elected by the Synod. It is very
proper that there be floor nominations permitted also.
However, I think that the Treasurer should be an elected
official, one who has been chosen by the people and thus
is accountable to the people, rather than only to the
Board of Directors. I think it gives him more stature, a
greater degree of independence, and frees him from the
charge of being the “creature” of the Board of Directors.

I strongly favor the creation of a standing Commis-
sion on Structure. While there is excellent reason to pass
nearly all of the recommendations of the Task Force, we
have to recognize the fact that time and the amount of
material could preclude this. But there is need for an
ongoing study of our structure. I think it much better
that this be done on an ongoing basis where things can
be dealt with convention after convention on a gradual

basis, rather than appointing a task force for a limited
number of years and then expecting them to do every.
thing all at once and load the convention down with an
impossible burden of decision-making.

One of my very few serious disagreements with the
Task Force has to do with the suggestion that the Board
for World Relief be put under the Board for Missions
While it is true that ministering to the suffering bodieg
of hungry and sick people is certainly part of the :
mission of the church, it is also true that itis more unde
the rubric of social ministry than it is under that of
missions. We often do emergency work among flo
victims and war victims without reference to the cree
of the people or the denomination or the presence of g
partner church in a country which has been devastated
I think our Board for World Relief has functioned ve’
effectively under the Board for Social Ministry, a
think there is no need to burden down an alrea
overworked Board for Missions and staff with ad
tional and somewhat unrelated areas of service.

The proposal to have the Commission on Chur
Literature appointed by the newly suggested Board fo
Congregational Services while having some merit, mo
properly belongs under the appointment of the Presiden
and Vice-Presidents as it presently is. Church literat
is not only a service to the parishes of the Synod, b
when one thinks of such remarkable publications.
Concordia Publishing House as the Arndt-Gingrich
Lexicon of the New Testament, and other theologic
books, the area of church literature is broader than t
parishes. Concordia Publishing House annually p
lishes a number of works which are directed primarily
pastors and in some instances to the scholars of t.
church. The President as the one who has the oversig
of all aspects of the Synod’s work, much of which
outside the parish, can be more effective in selectin;
Literature Board than those whose primary focus
purpose is in the area of parish services alone.

However, in general I think the report of the T
Force is a magnificent piece of work. The members ha!
been well chosen for their position, they are compe
and dedicated, they have met interminably, and
have produced an enormous amount of work.
adoption of the report of the Task Force will be histo
in the life of synodical administration, and I stro
endorse it, at least on a trial basis, by this conventid

Under this report I would strongly endorse
constitutional change recommended by the Task Fo
regarding the franchise. For generations teachers ha
been denied any kind of franchise in the church
believe the proposal made by the Task Force is fair a
satisfactory for all concerned.

I also endorse the proposal of the Task For
enlarge the Committee for Convention Nominatio
think we would improve morale enormously, get t
from all parts of the church, increase the number:
names that the Nominating Committee could work w!
in proposing nominees for synodical office and e
great deal of griping and complaining that now goes:
because of the fact that the Nominating Committee