LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 200

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200 PROGRAM AND FINANCE

4-06

To Restrict Use of Endowment Funds

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod should not
have the financial wherewithal to exist independently of the con-
gregations of the Synod; and

Wuereas, This also should apply to the Districts of the Synod:
and

WHEREAS, Endowment funds can provide such financial where-
withal; and

WHEREAS, The more endowment monies received the less an-
swerable they would become to the congregations of the Synod;
and

WHEREAS, Organizations with such independent sources of
funds can easily grow bureaucratically so that money given with
Missions in mind never reaches the mission field: therefore be it

Resolved, That all endowment funds of Districts and the Synod
be prohibited from being used for administrative purposes. includ-
ing the category of missions administration.

St. Peter
Swanville, MN

4-07

To Fund Staffing for Commission on Organizations

WHEREAS, Since the decade of the 1970s—which has been
called the beginning of the “modern era of cultism”—we have wit-
nessed a virtual explosion of cultic ideas, movements, and belief
systems in America (e.g., New Age): and

WHEREAS, The Synod has established the Commission on Or-
ganizations to provide information and counsel to the members of
the Synod through the preparation and gathering of new and current
resources on organizations, philosophies. and worldviews present
especially in our society and culture; and

WHEREAS, The Commission on Organizations—despite a grow-
ing need for the services it has rendered—since 1993 has been
functioning with only part-time staff services provided by the Com-
mission on Theology and Church Relations under an “Operating
Agreement” adopted by both commissions: and

WHEREAS, There is a pressing need for the expansion and up-
dating of COO files and library resources, especially materials that
present a much needed Lutheran theological perspective—however
helpful literature from other Christian anticult ministries and agen-
cies may be: and

WHEREAS, The Commission on Organizations, upon the en-
couragement of the CTCR, has unanimously urged the Synod to
provide funding for the restoration of a full-time staff position for
the COO: therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod commend the Commission on Orga-
nizations for its invaluable service to the Synod over the years, its
ongoing attempt to monitor developments in the changing and con-
fusing religious scene today, and its efforts to provide biblical and
confessionally sound evaluative materials for the pastors and
laypeople of our church: and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod thank the Commission on Theology
and Church Relations for providing staff services to the COO dur-
ing the past four years; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod make funds available for permanent
full-time staffing of the Commission on Organizations as soon as
possible.

, Commission on Organizations

4-08
To Eliminate Council on Human Resources

Rationale

The Council on Human Resources was appointed at the 1989
convention. Since that time it has continued to struggle with the
broad responsibilities assigned to it in Bylaw 3.935. In addition, it
has become clear that the council has limited ability to impact the
Human Resources policies followed throughout the Synod. Inas-
much as the current position description of the Director of Human
Resources calls for providing leadership to the Synod in areas re-
lated to human resources, it appears that the council as defined in
Bylaw 3.935 is a duplication of assigned responsibilities. The coun-
cil feels that the Synod could better be served through the appoint-
ment, on an as needed basis, of advisory groups to work with the
Director of Human Resources. Such advisory groups would pro-
vide appropriate representation and input to the director and would
also. allow for flexibility, when needed, to add to or modify the
membership for issues related to specific areas of the Synod.

Resolved, That the Council on Human Resources be eliminated;
and be it further

Resolved, That Bylaw 3.935 be deleted.

Board of Directors
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

4-09

To Provide Financial Support for Pastors Forced
from Office but Remaining on Roster

WHEREAS, There seem to be quite a number of pastors who re-
main on the clergy roster of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod after having been forced from their pastoral office, thus giv-
ing the impression that their being forced from office was done
with sufficient cause; and

WHEREAS, In being forced from office pastors lose their means
to support themselves and their families and may be forced to pay
their own benefits package for health, disability/survivor, and re-
tirement; and

Wuereas, This financial crisis may force them out of the min-
istry altogether, thus causing an even greater shortage of pastors;
and

Wuereas, One of the responsibilities and purposes of Districts
is to defend its pastors from being unjustly forced from their pas-
toral office: and

WHEREAS, Districts now have no financial incentive for defend-
ing the pastors who are serving in their jurisdiction; and

Wuereas, Districts should assume some responsibility for the
physical well-being of their pastors; therefore be it

Resolved, That Districts provide pastors who have been unjustly
forced trom office but remain on the clergy roster of Synod the
same level of compensation which their congregations had pro-
vided them before being forced from their pastoral office, doing so
until they receive another call; and be it further

Resolved, That District Presidents cannot arbitrarily remove
such deposed pastors from the clergy roster of Synod, but must
have a two-thirds majority vote in support of such action by the
pastors in the Circuit in which the deposed pastor had served.

Hope
Cloquet, MN