LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 225

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

HIGHER EDUCATION 225

5-58

To Specify Increased Funding for Seminaries

WHEREAS, Overture 5—02A was adopted by the 1995 conven-
tion; and

WHEREAS, 5-02A states:

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
renew its commitment to the education of pastors and direct the
Board for Higher Education and the seminaries to increase the
student-aid endowment fund for seminarians; and be it further
Resolved, That in doing so, it also set as a goal the ingather-
ing of funds sufficient to cover the cost of all tuition for every
student enrolled in the seminaries for the purpose of entering the
LCMS pastoral Ministry. Action: Adopted (5); and
Wuereas, As of Jan. 1, 1999, the seminaries have fully com-
plied with Overture 5-O1A by covering the cost of all tuition for
every student enrolled; and

WHEREAS, The seminaries have established endowments for stu-
dent aid and are presently ingathering funds sufficient to cover the
cost of all tuition for every seminarian; and

WHEREAS, The seminaries have had a shortfall of funds for the
years of 1999 and 2000 between the amounts held in the endow-
ments and the actual costs of tuition; and

WHEREAS, The amounts of shortfall for the two seminaries are
for CY 1999 at Ft. Wayne $2.5M and at St. Louis $3.125M and for
CY2000 at Ft. Wayne $2.6M and at St. Louis $3.25M, for a total of
$11.475M; and

WHEREAS, The two seminaries are offering student aid to cover
the cost of all tuition for CY2001 and beyond; and

WHEREAS, The two seminaries are ingathering funds to increase
the endowment funds but will not meet fully the commitments of
Overture 5—02A until CY2006; and

Wuereas, A shortfall of funds is anticipated for the next 5
years; and

WuereEas, The seminaries are fully complying with Overture
5-02A; therefore be it

Resolved, That our Synod restate its full commitment to the
training of men for the pastoral office as one of its main objectives;
and be it further

Resolved, That our Synod direct the Board of Higher Education
to pay the two seminaries for fully implementing Overture 5-02A
over a three-year period the amount of $11.475M, in the amounts
listed above; and be it further

Resolved, That our Synod direct the Board of Higher Education
to pay a yearly amount for the years CY2001 through CY2006 in
the following amounts: CY2001—$5.10M; CY2002—$4.08M;
CY 2003—$3.06M; CY2004—$2.04M; CY2005—$1.02M. The
above amounts are to be split as follows: Ft. Wayne @ 45% and
St. Louis @ 55%; and be it finally

Resolved, That the above funds are above any other funds that
the Board of Higher Education would pay to the seminaries.

Our Savior
Fullerton, CA

5-59

To Return Seminary Subsidy to 1970 Level

WHEREAS, Commencing with the earliest days of the LCMS,
Dr. C. F. W. Walther vigorously supported the education of men
to be ordained as pastors to preach the Word of God and to admin-
ister the Sacraments, and from the beginning of the Synod until ap-
proximately 1970 the LCMS fulfilled its obligation to provide for
significant financial support to the seminaries for this purpose; and

WHEREAS, Since 1970, financial support to the seminaries has
declined steadily to approximately three percent of the operating
costs thereof for the year 2000; and

WHEREAS, By reason of the reduction in subsidies to the semi-
naries, the presidents of the seminarics have found it necessary to

become fund-raisers instead of devoting their time and talents to
the administration of the seminaries with emphasis on programs to
induce men to enroll as seminarians, thereby increasing the number
of graduating pastors; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention urge the President and
Board of Directors of the Synod to restore subsidies to each of the
seminaries at the 1970 level of percentage of the total seminary
budget.

Lamb of God
Pleasant Prairie, WI

5-60

To Encourage Recruitment and Increased
Seminary Funding

WHEREAS, One of the two main purposes of the Synod when it
was organized was to train pastors for our pulpits; and

WHEREAS, This purpose is still both valid and vital; and

WHEREAS, Concordia Seminary in St. Louis and Concordia The-
ological Seminary in Fort Wayne are serving that purpose today as
they have in the past; and

WHEREAS, No other adequate source of Lutheran pastors is
available to our churches; and

WHEREAS, In foregone years the Synod provided reasonable fi-
nancial support to the two seminaries so that theological students
could receive excellent training even though they could not afford
the financial cost thereof; and

WuerEAs, The Synod has gradually reduced its financial sup-
port of the two seminaries over recent years to less than one-fourth
what it once was; and

WuerEAS, It has been proposed to cut that support further in the
next two years to the point of no specific financial support to ei-
ther seminary in the year 2003; and

WuereEAS, A recent Klaas Survey report has identified ca. 600
vacancies at this time and in the light of pending retirements and
resignations has predicted an increase of vacancies to ca. 75% of all
pulpits by the year 2016 if nothing changes; and

WHEREAS, The LCMS mandated in the prior convention that
M.Div. students at the two seminaries not have to pay tuition;
therefore be it

Resolved, That all congregations be encouraged to highlight
seminary education as a God-pleasing option for young people to
consider and to that end consider sending interested youth to the
seminary campuses at the time of their open houses for high school
students; and be it further

Resolved, That all pastors be encouraged to speak with youth in
their congregations about considering preparation for the Holy
Ministry; and be it finally

Resolved, That the LCMS reestablish annual financial support
for each seminary at the 1995 formula level.

Mount Calvary, Indianola, [A; Concordia Theological
Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN; University, Minneapolis, MN

5-61

To Reduce District and Synod Positions
to Better Fund Seminaries

Wuereas, In 1847 the LCMS was organized for the principal
purpose of establishing seminary(s) at which to train pastors; and

Whereas, From the beginning of the Synod until 1970, the
Synod fulfilled its obligation to support the seminary(s); and

Wuereas, In 1970 the Synod’s support of the seminary(s) fell
to approximately 70% of annual operating expenses; and

Wrereas, [n 2000 the Synod’s support of the seminary(s) de-
clined to 3% of operating expenses, representing .06% of the
Synod’s budget; and

2001 Convention Workbook