LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 135

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CONGREGATIONAL SERVICES 135

WHEREAS, The people of LCMS congregations desire the best-
equipped pastorate and welcome any opportunity to provide sup-
port for that purpose; and

WHEREAS, It is a current practice in our Synod to celebrate on
specific Sundays during the church year a time to honor and ob-
serve the ministries of such specific agencies as LWML, Lutheran
Hour Ministries, etc.; and

WHEREAS, One vehicle for support of agencies of our Synod
readily available to every member of LCMS congregations is
through the weekly offering envelopes; and

WHEREAS, The boxed envelopes generally in use in the LCMS
are those distributed by Concordia Publishing House; and

WHEREAS, It is not uncommon for special envelopes for various
ministries to be inserted in these boxes distributed to members of
LCMS congregations; and

WHEREAS, There is currently no envelope specifically desig-
nated for the benefit of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and Con-
cordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne; therefore be it

Resolved, That Concordia Publishing House be directed to pro-
vide an envelope(s) designated “Seminary Sunday” in the boxes
annually distributed to LCMS congregations; and be it further

Resolved, That the Board for Higher Education in consultation
with the Commission on Worship establish a Seminary Sunday at
which time the Seminary Sunday envelopes should be employed
for gifts specified for seminary support; and be it further

Resolved, That the option be made clearly available to desig-
nate either student aid, general operations, or where needed most
on the envelopes; and be it finally

Resolved, That the funds thereby received be sent as designated
or evenly divided and distributed directly to Concordia Seminary,
St. Louis, and Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, for
the purposes designated.

St. John
Harrison, NJ

2-07

To Establish Synodwide Seminary Sunday

WHEREAS, The members of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod desire qualified and capable ministers to furnish spiritual
leadership; and

WHEREAS, Through sacrificial giving, The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod seminaries continue to prepare men for the holy
ministry; and

Wuereas, We wish to edify the congregations of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod by emphasizing the following knowl-
edge about our seminaries:

1. How they recruit and train pastoral candidates

2. The vicarage program

3. How they are financed

4. What support the congregations can provide to the seminarians
and to the seminaries (i.e., sponsoring a student, food and cloth-
ing banks, finances; etc.)

5. Facilities and programs available to provide teaching to the con-
gregations (i.e., in-house retreats, retreats at the seminary, sym-
posiums, continuing education courses, etc.)

6. Library facilities and how to access them

7. Publications and Web pages

and

WHEREAS, This information may assist the young men of the
Synod in directing them to choose a career in the holy ministry;
and

WHEREAS, We wish to acknowledge and praise the work of a
cadre of faithful, orthodox, and dedicated theologians, many of
whom are thought to be the most eminent in their fields of exper-
tise; and

WHEREAS, It has become increasing difficult to sustain the sem-
inaries without direct contributions from the congregations and in-
dividual members; and

WHEREAS, We wish to acknowledge the curriculum at the sem-
inaries as being complete for the thorough training of our pastors;
and

WHEREAS, We need to inform the members of the Synod of the
requirements of time and hard work necessary to provide for fur-
nishing men to the holy ministry for all our churches in the Synod,
both large and small, and to fill the mission positions so necessary
in the world today; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con-
vention establish an annual “Seminary Sunday”; and be it further

Resolved, That the faculties at the seminaries be sent out to our
congregations during the Seminary Sunday to provide firsthand in-
formation to the congregations; and be it further

Resolved, That this sending out of the faculty be on a rotating
basis so that as many churches as possible will have an opportu-
nity to have firsthand knowledge of our seminaries; and be it fi-
nally

Resolved, That the cost of this sending out of the faculties be
borne by the Synod.

Bethlehem
Fairborn, OH

2-08

To Address Conditions Contributing
to Church-Worker Shortages

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is in the
midst of a trend of severe church-worker shortage (ref. LCMS Re-
porter, January 2000; The Lutheran Hour broadcast, Feb. 27,
2000); and

WHEREAS, Certain studies and references have sounded the
alarm regarding various factors affecting this trend (e.g., “The
Clergy Killers” by G. Lloyd Ridiges); and

WrerEAS, Infighting within congregations takes a toll on the
parsonage and other professional church workers, resulting in a
poor witness to the congregation and its young members, and dis-
courages young people in considering professional church work as
a vocation; and

WHEREAS, Inconsistency of doctrine and practice between con-
gregations and pastors within the LCMS may cause confusion at
best and suspicion and disunity at worst; therefore be it

Resolved, That the 2000 convention of the LCMS Rocky Moun-
tain District encourage the congregations of the Synod to humble
themselves before the Lord in prayer and careful study of Holy
Scripture regarding the office of the pastoral ministry and other
professional church workers; and be it further

Resolved, That the 2000 convention of the LCMS Rocky Moun-
tain District encourage the Synod’s congregations to remain firm
in LCMS confessional heritage, be consistent in the doctrinal prac-
tice of the means of grace acting in love so that petty differences do
not become major issues, and strive through inter-congregational
communications, such as Circuit pastoral conferences and Circuit
convocations, toward a greater support on all levels of pastors and
other professional church workers; and be it further

Resolved, That the 2000 convention of the LCMS Rocky Moun-
tain District encourage the structure in place in the Synod (1.e., Cir-
cuit Counselor, District President, etc.) to prayerfully step into con-
gregational matters in a timely way, so as to defuse potentially
volatile matters, and not hold back straightforward admonition of
either pastor or congregational members who are out of line; and be
it finally

Resolved, That the 2000 convention of the LCMS Rocky Moun-
tain District urge the LCMS not to succumb to the pressures of the
world, but to seek biblical solutions to the shortage of professional
church workers.

Rocky Mountain District

2001 Convention Workbook