LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1981, Page 215

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RESOLUTIONS 215

Resolved, That we urge the Board for Higher Educa-
tion, in consultation with the Boards of Control and the
faculties of our seminaries and teachers colleges to
initiate a required course on the Biblical principles of
Christian stewardship to include the theology of respon-
sible monetary management as well as the methods by
which congregational, District, and synodical work
programs are funded, and, if deemed necessary, to
utilize qualified stewardship personnel for these pur-
poses; and be it further

Resolved, That we encourage the attendance of
pastors and congregational stewardship leaders at
STEM (Stewardship Training Enables Mission) sem-
inars and other stewardship-training seminars in their
areas, arranged by their District/Synod stewardship
departments; and be it further

Resolved, That we encourage each congregation to
expedite an ongoing program of joyful stewardship on
the congregational, group, and personal levels; and be it
finally

Resolved, That we especially encourage a steward-
ship education and training program be introduced in
the childhood years and continued on the youth levels in
the parish. “Train up a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Prov.
22:6).

Action: Adopted (10).

To Accept Report
of Executive Planning Group

RESOLUTION 12-07A
Overture 12-03 (CW, pp. 357—363)

WHEREAS, The report of the Executive Planning
Group has been submitted as a synodical guideline for
the ongoing planning process to establish short- and
‘long-range goals for The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod; and

WHEREAS, This process will identify specific pro-
grams for the Synod in a prioritized manner to be
implemented according to available resources in the
best interest of the church and the kingdom of our Lord;
therefore be it ;

Resolved, That the convention adopt the report of the
Executive Planning Group; and be it further

Resolved, That this convention authorize a planning/
coordinating committee to assist the Synod’s Board of
Directors, Council of Presidents, and Council of Admin-
istrators in the planning process recommended in this
report; and be it further

Resolved, That the planning/coordinating com-
mittee observe the following principal components of
the following master plan:

1. It should be a guide based on the most accurate
information available;

2. Itshould be flexible, to allow change as necessary;

3. It should promote a rational flow of planning
activities through:

a. A comprehensive framework through which one
part may properly relate to all the others and the
whole;

b. A disciplined framework through which to pro-
ceed with precision and with a proper regard for
priorities; and

c. A projective framework through which to achieve
a better relationship between the goals of the
LCMS and the systems used to realize them;

4. It should invite a maximum number of elected
leaders in the congregations and Districts of the Synod
to provide responsible input into the decision-making
process;

5. It should identify the program work of the Synod
and its Districts with related planning units in order
that each such unit may develop recommendations on
program revisions and priorities in its area; and
6. It should enable the Council of Presidents, Board
of Directors, and Council of Administrators to:
a. Identify priority ministries for the Synod and its
Districts; and

b.. Suggest those specific priorities and program
changes which will help the Synod in convention
to meet the challenges of the 1980s with a prudent
use of resources and a minimum of duplication of
effort; and be it further

Resolved, That the goals and priorities be reviewed
annually; and be it further

Resolved, That beginning in the fall of 1981 the
following calendar of activities be used and/or modified
if necessary:

By September 30: North American mission exec-
utives, Synod and District, have agreed on the new
missions to be opened in North America during the
coming detailed synodical fiscal year, July 1—June 30
(e.g., by September 30, 1981, decisions are made for the
fiscal year July 1, 1982—June 30, 1983). They have
projected new missions for the following 3-year and
6-year synodical planning periods, rounding out the 10-
year plan. (The projected new missions are reviewed
annually.)

By September 30: The respective planning units of
the Synod—(1) Missions, (2) Parish Services, (3) Higher
Education, (4) Communications, (5) Program Admin-
istration, Finance, and Support Services, (6) Eccles-
iastical Administration—have reviewed the 10-year
master plan of priorities and have proposed revised
goals for the coming synodical fiscal year and the
following 3-year synodical planning periods.

By November 30: The Synod’s coordinating and
planning group has received the necessary data from
the planning groups and has proposed to the Synod’s
Board of Directors through the Council of Admin-
istrators a detailed spending budget for the next synod-
ical fiscal year together with a proposed work program
for the following three years and a statement of antic-
ipated needs and goals for the six years after that.