LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1981, Page 205

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206 RESOLUTIONS

Action: Adopted (12).

(An amendment to delete the last two whereases and the
resolved and to substitute a new resolved was declined.)

To Decline to Support Documentation
for Undocumented Aliens

RESOLUTION 8-10

Overture 8-10 (CW, p. 305)

WHEREAS, On the one hand, Christ has commanded
us to love our neighbors as ourselves, and for many of us
undocumented aliens are residents of our local neighbor-
hoods; and

WHEREAS, On the other hand, to support documenta-
tion for undocumented aliens involves political deci-
sions for which the church has neither adequate know-
ledge nor divine mandate on which to makea judgment;
therefore be it

Resolved, That the members of the Synod be remind-
ed of their duty to show Christian compassion to
undocumented aliens and not to exploit them but to help
them seek legal documentation; and be it further

Resolved, That the overture to support documenta-
tion for undocumented aliens be respectfully declined.

Action: Adopted (12).

(The committee added to the first resolved the words: “but
to help them. ..””)

To Affirm Pastoral Care
to Institutionalized Persons

RESOLUTION 8-11
Overture 8-15 (CW, p. 306)

WHEREAS, Approximately 30 million persons enter
various hospitals and institutions each year; and

WHEREAS, More than four million persons are con-
fined in city and county jails each year; and

WHEREAS, Our church has traditionally provided
chaplains, deaconesses, and trained volunteers to share
the love of Christ and to provide pastoral and spiritual
concern for the patients, residents, and inmates in the
public and private institutions of America; and

WHEREAS, Many states and institutions, recognizing
the therapeutic value of pastoral-care departments,
provided funds for chaplains, but more recently, in some
areas, have decreased or eliminated the funding for
chaplaincy programs for various reasons (church/state
issues, fear of lawsuits from persons antagonistic to
religion, uncertainty of economic situation, etc.); and

WHEREAS, The Chaplaincy Services Committee of
the Board of Social Ministry and World Relief recognizes
a dangerous situation in which neither the state, the
institutions, nor the church are providing the trained
clergy to minister to the millions in our institutions;
therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri

Synod reaffirm the Scriptural mandate (Matt. 25:36;
James 5:14) 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 appropriate.

Action: Adopted (12).

(The delegates declined an amendment to urge both
seminaries to make mandatory one quarter of clinical
education and to urge all pastors to take a quarter of such
work.) :

To Assist the Poor
RESOLUTION 8-12
Overture 8-20 (CW, p. 308)

WHEREAS, Unprecedented inflation has had an ex-
tremely severe effect in the poor communities that we
seek to serve; and

WHEREAS, The poor people are the most severely hurt
and are often out of touch with helping agencies;
therefore be it

Resolved, That the local congregations be en-
couraged to avail themselves of the services of the
existing public and private agencies to alleviate these
social conditions by identifying the needs of the poor
and providing needed assistance; and be it further

Resolved, That congregations, expressing their faith
through acts of kindess, maintain an ongoing involve-
ment with these agencies to facilitate helping the people
we serve; and be it finally

Resolved, That the boards of social ministry of the
Synod and the Districts prepare materials and conduct
workshops to assist the pastors and congregational
social ministry committees in locating resources within
and outside the congregation to help the poor in obtain-
ing assistance.

Action: Adopted as amended (12).

(The amendment “be encouraged to” was adopted by
common consent.)

To Encourage Increased Support
for Social Ministry
RESOLUTION 8-13

Report 8-01 (CW, p. 301)

WHEREAS, There has recently been a serious reduc-
tion in funds for social service programs; and

WHEREAS, This situation has seriously affected
many of the programs of our own social service agencies
and institutions, depriving many people of needed
assistance; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri

Synod see the present situation as a call for greater
support and sacrificial giving to support and maintain