LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 233

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HUMAN CARE

and to promote awareness of and a response to legislative issues in
conformity with our confession of faith; and be it further

Resolved, That the LCMS provide guidelines for these commit-
tees to allow them to serve as a resource for the pastors and the
congregations; and be it further

Resolved, That the LCMS assist churches wishing to form such
committees that it establish a network to support these committees
and that it provide a means of communication among them; and be
it further

Resolved, That the LCMS continue to support the Office of
Government Information so that it can continue to distribute the
excellent information it has been providing; and be it further

Resolved, That church professionals through our seminaries,
universities, and continuing-education programs become better in-
formed on social and political issues to provide leadership in Chris-
tian citizenship responsibilities for their congregations; and be it fi-
nally

Resolved, That we continue to support organizations address-
ing legislative issues in conformity with our confession of faith.

St. Lorenz, Frankenmuth, MI; Board of Directors,
Michigan District

6-24

To Encourage Continued Emphasis
on Prison and Jail Ministry

WHEREAS, Crime is one of the chief problems of our present-
day society; crime disrupts God’s peace in Christ Jesus, the Prince
of peace; and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, empowered
by the Holy Spirit in Word and Sacrament, is in a vital position to
offer Law and Gospel ministry to people affected by crime so that
they may share in reconciliation and the abundant life; and

WHEREAS, The 1995 convention of our Synod voted to empha-
size prison ministry with the result that the Board of Human Care
Ministry empowered its specialized pastoral care director, Dorothy
Prybylski, to enhance Synod prison ministry endeavors and estab-
lished a prison ministry Justice Task Force which outlined goals
for emphasizing prison ministry; and

WuerEAS, Task force goals include: motivate the church to
seize Gospel opportunities and responsibilities to the imprisoned,
ex-offenders, their families, and to victims of crime. To enable ef-
forts to recruit and train persons for ministry with the above. In ad-
dition, a lending library and training materials have been made
available through the Human Care Ministries Specialized Pastoral
Care Department; therefore be it

Resolved, That we, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod,
continue to encourage an increased endeavor to share the Gospel
of Jesus Christ with prisoners, ex-offenders, families of prisoners,
prison staff, and with victims of crime by enabling congregations to
implement relevant programs; and be it further

Resolved, That each District be encouraged to earnestly seek in-
formation concerning the feasibility of beginning, or enhancing,
prison ministry within its own region; and be it further

Resolved, That each District be encouraged to appoint a volun-
teer coordinator of prison ministries for the purpose of organiza-
tional endeavors and in the recruitment and training of clergy and
lay volunteers; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod in the year 2000, prior to its next con-
vention, sponsor a training and equipping retreat for the appointed
volunteer District coordinators and that each District be encour-
aged at its own expense to send one or more clergy, or lay volun-
teers, to this retreat; and be it finally

Resolved, That convention delegates be encouraged to go back
to their Districts and urge prayer and remembrance of prisoners,
ex-prisoners, their families, prison staff, and victims of crime.

Midstate Circuit Forum
Southern Illinois District

233

6-25

To Seriously Review Tom Bird Case

WHEREAS, Tom Bird, a former pastor in the LCMS, has now
been incarcerated over 13 years following convictions in Lyon
County, Kans., of the crimes of solicitation of murder and first-
degree murder; and

WHEREAS, The very dubious “evidence” that convicted Tom
Bird has been steadily weakened and eroded by subsequent dis-
coveries of material facts; and

Wuereas, All Tom Bird’s appeals for a new trial have so far
“been rejected by the courts of Kansas, through which he must go
before taking his case to Federal appeals courts; and

WHEREAS, Tom Bird has consistently asserted his innocence of
any crime in these matters while rigorously maintaining his in-
tegrity in continuing to serve as a minister to Him who is Truth;
and

WHEREAS, Many who have taken the trouble to look into Tom
Bird’s case have become convinced that his convictions and incar-
ceration are great miscarriages of justice; and

WHEREAS, Support for Tom Bird’s cause has largely come from
scattered individuals whose personal scrutiny of the facts of his
case has convinced them of his innocence; and

WHEREAS, The Synod institutionally has generally shied away
from any involvement in this matter; and

WHEREAS, Such disinclination to become involved suggests ei-
ther an indifference to a brother in need or an implied belief in the
infallibility of the Kansas criminal justice system; and

WHEREAS, This perceived neglect could be easily remedied by
an independent review of Tom Bird’s case by a small committee
of persons with legal qualifications; therefore be it

Resolved, That this Synod ask its President to seek the help of a
number of professionally qualified individuals in making a serious
and thorough review of the Tom Bird case; and be it further

Resolved, That such a committee report back to the President
and the Synod within a year of the commencement of their study;
and be it further

Resolved, That if significant grounds for doubting the justice of
Tom Bird’s two felony convictions are found, they will encourage
fellow members of the Synod to materially and prayerfully support
Tom Bird’s quest for justice; and be it finally

Resolved, That all be urged to seek the Spirit’s guidance that
we never, for any squeamishness at the specter, fail to respond ap-
propriately to a brother in need.

Christ, Augusta, MO; Washington Circuit, Missouri District

6-26

To Pray for Justice for Tom Bird

WuereEaS, Tom Bird, a Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod pas-
tor, who was convicted of murdering his wife, Sandy, in 1983, and
charged with murdering Martin Anderson, the husband of his sec-
retary, has now been in prison almost 14 years; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Earl Bielefeld, the pastor of Christ Lutheran
Church, Augusta, Missouri, who regularly visited Tom Bird and
has carefully studied the facts of the case and other LCMS pastors
who have studied the record, are thoroughly convinced that Tom
did not murder his wife, Sandy; and

WHEREAS, Sandy Bird’s death was originally ruled an accident;
and

WHEREAS, Sandy Bird at a meeting with some friends during a
church convention told them that she was going to commit suicide
at a bridge where there was a curve in the road. The bridge fits the
description of the bridge where Sandy was killed; and

WHEREAS, The editor of Christian News, who spent more than
100 hours studying the case, visited the murder site, the courtroom
where the trial took place, and interviewed Tom Bird in prison, has