LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1995, Page 53

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To Thank God for Those Responding
to Oklahoma City Bombing

7 WHEREAS, There are many tragedies in the present
world because of sin; and

WHEREAS, The bombing in Oklahoma City was a mani-
festation of sinful man’s sin against man; and

WHEREAS, It affected many of our brothers and sisters in
Christ directly and indirectly, locally and nationally; and

WHEREAS, God was faithful to His promise to give the
gifts to share with those in need; and

WHEREAS, He used Lutheran Social Services, Inter-
Lutheran Disaster Response, LCMS World Relief, the LLL,
AAL, Lutheran Brotherhood, many congregations, and in-
dividuals in a mighty, positive witness; therefore be it

Resolved, That this assembly give thanks to God in
prayer for the quick effective responses of Bernice
Karstensen, Director of ILDR and Elaine Richter, Director
of LCMS World Relief, and to other individuals directly in-
volved in the relief effort; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Synod write a letter
of thanks and commendation to Lutheran Social Services,
ILDR, LCMS World Relief, LLL, AAL, and Lutheran Broth-
erhood; and be it finally

Resolved, That the letter of Paul Hartman in the July
1995 Reporter, page 11, be entered into the Proceedings of
this convention as a witness of God sending us forth by His

blessing to be a blessing.

Action: Adopted (11).

(I was so disappointed in the article about the Oklahoma City
disaster in the May Reporter. The article failed to give an accurate
picture of the response of Oklahoma LCMS pastors and churches.
It did not reflect the efforts made by these people in the name of
Christ and the church to those affected by the bombing, nor did it
reflect the tremendous help provided by agencies such as Lutheran

’ Social Services (LSS), Inter-Lutheran Disaster Response (ILDR),

LCMS World Relief, the International Lutheran Laymen’s League,
Aid Association for Lutherans, and Lutheran Brotherhood.

The very day of the bombing, LSS Director and ILDR Chair-
person Bernice Karstensen was coordinating with Pastor Tim
Steenbock of Immanuel, Oklahoma City, arranging a meeting with
area LCMS pastors to discuss plans and approaches for offering
assistance. The very next morning, and again for the next two
Mondays, area Lutheran pastors met with LSS and ILDR repre-
sentatives to help organize our response and to offer guidance and
support.

Within 48 hours, local LLL leaders had arranged for five phone
lines and the Living.4 Tomorrow Center staffed with volunteers
from area churches. Two Lutheran Hour Ministry booklets were
available April 21 for mailing to callers seeking answers and com-
fort from God’s Word. LSS also provided a trained volunteer ther-
apist each day at the crisis phone center.

Aid Association for Lutherans and Lutheran Brotherhood
arranged to match funds collected for the victims. LCMS World Re-
lief provided funding to local agencies and victims, and Director
Elaine Richter was in Oklahoma City the day following the bomb-
ing to direct and support the local efforts.

MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTIONS
AND RESOLUTIONS OF THANKS

Many congregations throughout our Synod telephoned Okla-
homa congregations, seeking ways to show Christian concern for the
victims and survivors, as well as for the pastors and congregations
who were having to deal with the wide variety of emotions and re-
actions to this tragedy. Several OKC congregations arranged for all
members to be phoned to remind them of the assurance and com-
fort of their caring Savior and His family.

I was so proud to be a part of such a devoted, caring church body.
LCMS members can be thankful that our Synod has had the fore-
sight to support agencies and trained professionals who can provide
assistance to the church in its-desire to respond to people in crisis
with the caring love of Christ.

Rev. Paul A. Hartman, Moore, OK)

To Express Gratitude for Support
of Mrs. Barry

WHEREAS, A wife of noble character is “worth more than
rubies”; and

WHEREAS, Our Synod has been blessed with a President’s
wife who has given her support of the President, even in the

’ midst of her trials; and

53

WHEREAS, It is appropriate for us to express our appreci-
ation; therefore be it

Resolved, That the 59th Regular Convention of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod thank Mrs. Barry for her
faithfulness; and be it further

Resolved, That we send two dozen long-stem roses to Mrs.
Barry with a message of our love; and be it finally

Resolved, That we keep the Barrys in our prayers as we
return to our homes and congregations.

Action: Adopted (11).

To Encourage Congregations to Invest
Worker Benefit Plan Rebate in Full-Time
Ministry Student Aid Endowment

WHEREAS, Many pastors are graduating from our semi-
naries with debts related to their schooling cost that are ex-

tremely burdensome and difficult to repay on a pastor's

salary; and

WHEREAS, This 59th Regular Convention of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod has resolved in Res. 5-02A to set a
goal for the ingathering of money to fund a full-time min-
istry student aid endowment sufficient to cover the cost of
all seminary tuition; and

WHEREAS, The Board of Managers—Worker Benefit Plans
in its report to the convention floor indicated an approximate
“Experience Rebate” value of about $6 million of Concordia
Health Plan premiums which in 1995 has and is being real-
ized as amounts left in the budgets of the congregations and
other entities of Synod; therefore be it

Resolved, That the President of the Synod write each con-
gregation receiving such a rebate a letter explaining the
need for funding the above-referenced endowment and en-
courage these congregations to invest all of or a major por-
tion of their rebate in said endowment. ;

Action: Adopted (11).