LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1995, Page 5

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PREFACE
‘Sent Forth by God’s Blessing”

From its very beginning The Lutheran Church—Mis-
souri Synod has had a double focus, that of its firm com-
mitment to the Word of God with its message of salvation
by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and its desire to
share that message. Consequently, as it approaches the

150th anniversary of its founding on April 26, 1847, it is

not surprising that the theme “Sent Forth by God’s Bless-
ing” was chosen both as the theme for the convention which
marks the preparation for celebration, as well as the an-
niversary itself. The logo reflecting the theme, found on the
cover of these Proceedings and other convention materials,
was designed by a young woman of Vietnamese origin who
had come to the United States and through the witness of a
young man, now her husband, had come to know the love of
God in Jesus Christ. The Presidential Proclamation found
elsewhere in these Proceedings identifies the years 1995-98
as “Jubilee Years of Congregational Celebration.” ‘

The 59th Regular Convention of the Synod was in itself
an anniversary celebration. It recognized the mission ef-
forts of the Synod, observing the centennial of foreign mis-
sion work in India. It recalled the beginning of ministry to
the deaf in 1894 and noted that for 75 years campus min-
istry has been an important ministry of the Synod. Added
to these was the celebration of the 150th anniversary of
Concordia Theological Seminary. Truly, the members of the
Synod have been blessed and have been sent forth by God's
blessing to be a blessing to others. As we approach the 21st
century, the crucial need to proclaim and live the Gospel is
more apparent than ever.

While it is true that much of the work of a convention
involves legislation, other aspects are equally important.
These provide opportunities for worship, fellowship, nur-
ture, and celebration as the voting delegates representing
the 6,000 plus congregations which form the Synod, the ad-
visory delegates and representatives, and guests and fellow
Christians gather together.

The 59th Regular Convention was no different as it
’ began with an inspiring worship service which included the
celebration of Holy Communion. It continued with a wor-
ship service on Sunday morning, especially recognizing
ministry to the deaf and providing an opportunity for a spe-
cial mission offering. Delegates were nurtured through spe-
cial Bible studies led by Dr. Karl Barth, director of the
150th Anniversary Celebration, and through essays. deliv-
ered by Dr. Richard Schuta, Dr. Paul Heerboth, and Rev.
Charles Smith. All of this is in keeping with the Bylaw
which states that in addition to legislation, “the national
convention of the Synod shall afford an opportunity for wor-
ship, nurture, inspiration, fellowship, and the communica-
tion of vital information.” ‘

Several new features were added at the convention

which had not been present previously. Another omnibus’
resolution, Resolution D, was added. A special standing
rule governing major resolutions provided that a decision
on a matter would be reached in no more than 90 minutes.
During the convention, an additional] standing rule, reflect-
ing the use of advanced technology, banned all electronic
communication devices from the delegate section. Quite
likely this will become a permanent addition to the stand-
ing rules for future conventions.

Without the cooperation and assistance of many individ-
uals and groups, it would have been impossible for the con-
vention to operate smoothly. Included among these are the
local convention committee, those responsible for the daily
production of Today’s Business, Dr. D. Ray Halm, assistant
secretary, whose use of computer equipment continues to
make the minutes quickly available and provides for the
more efficient consideration of proposed amendments as
well as other matters, Lynne Neuman for the convention
and meeting planning, the hard-working floor committees
and many, many others.

In order to enable readers to make fullest use of the Pro-
ceedings, the following explanation is offered.:

Some resolutions have an A or B attached to their iden-
tifying number. This means that the resolution originally
prepared by the floor committee was later revised by the
committee, usually in response to reactions received before
the opening of the convention. The number in parentheses
below each resolution indicates the. session in which final
action, if any, was taken. In some instances it. might be ad-
visable to consult the minutes of that session for additional
information. The comments in small type within parenthe-
ses below some resolutions provide still: more information’
from the records of both secretaries. and from the minutes,

References to page numbers which appear in the min-
utes are references to issues of Today’ ’s Business, a publica-
tion which contains the text of proposed resolutions pre-
pared by the floor committees. The first issue of this
publication was sent to all congregations and delegates
prior to the convention and contained practically all reso-
lutions. The daily issues distributed at the convention
brought the revised versions to the attention of the dele-
gates.

In one sense, the 1995 convention of the Synod is now
history. In another sense, however, it is still to be lived as
the resolutions adopted are implemented in the Districts,
Circuits, congregations, and at the national level of the
Synod. May the spirit of God guide all who are a part of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod as, sent forth by God’s
blessing, they focus on continuing in the Word of God’s love
and grace in Christ Jesus and the sharing of that message
of His love with the world which is in dire need of it.