LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 141

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MISSIONS 14]

Resolved, That our Armed Forces Commission and Synod offi-
cials be commended for providing opportunities for continued ed-
ucation and support for chaplains with annual regional Lutheran
Chaplains Conferences; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Pacific Southwest District recommend that
the LCMS Armed Forces Commission reconsider a return to the
previous, long-standing practice of having LCMS chaplains them-
selves be involved in reciprocal ministry of Word and Sacrament
with other Lutherans, so that LCMS and ELCA chaplains at con-
ferences gather round Word and Sacrament just as LCMS and
ELCA military people benefit from a shared ministry in other cir-
cumstances and military locations.

Pacific Southwest District; St. Paul, Saratoga Springs, } NY;
Resurrection, Coronado, CA

1-30

To Encourage. Continued Emphasis
on Prison and Jail Ministry

Whereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod seeks to be
faithful to our Lord’s Great Commission to His church to go into
all the world with the Good News of Jesus Christ and thus has
adopted Ablaze!, the endeavor to reach 100 million people with the
Gospel by the year 2017; and

WHEREAS, Prison and jail ministry is a mission reaching out to
people, including those of all races, colors, backgrounds, and ages,
within the current prison and jail population in the United States,
which is at a record high of 2 million persons; and

. WHEREAS, The 1998 Synod convention resolved that funding
for a Synodwide Prison and Jail Ministry Training Retreat be ap-
plied for by way of grant requests under the auspices of the Board
for Human Care Ministries; and

Whereas, The 2001 Synod convention again resolved that
funding for a Synodwide Prison and Jail Ministry Training Retreat
be applied for, with only two dissenting votes, which was the sec-
ond-largest number of votes approving a resolution in the history of
our Synod; and

Whereas, Necessary funding of the training retreat for clergy
and lay volunteers interested in all types of prison and jail min-
istries is in continued need of support; and

WHEREAS, Efforts are under way to develop and foster interest
and support for prison and jail ministry within all of the Districts of
our Synod in order to make possible a scheduled Synodwide train-
ing retreat to be held in the fall of 2004; therefore be it

Resolved, That the convention delegates and guests are urged
to strive to foster interest and support for the planning of a Synod-
wide Prison and Jail Ministry Training Retreat within their home
Districts by way of prayer and personal encouragement; and be it
further

Resolved, That this 2004 convention of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod give thanks to our One God, Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit for the faithful Gospel outreach within prison and jail min-
istry by our Synod, Districts, congregations, and individual mem-
bers; and be it finally

Resolved, That this convention of The Lutheran Church—Mis-
souri Synod rise for a prayer of thanksgiving, led by a representa-
tive of LCMS World Relief and of the Board for Human Care Min-
istries, for God’s blessings in the sharing of the Good News of
Jesus Christ within prison and jail ministry and then sing together
the doxology “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow.”

Board of Directors
Southern Illinois District

1-31

To Set Aside Special Day of Prayer and Repentance

WHEREAS, America is quickly sliding down the hill to immoral-
ity; and

WHEREAS, There are powerful organizations in America trying
to eliminate Christianity from our country; and

WHEREAS, These organizations wish to be rid of all Christians
and what they stand for; and

WHEREAS, We as Christians should throw off our laziness and
apathy, and become real soldiers for Jesus Christ, following the ex-
ample of the early Christians by turning the world upside down for
Christ; therefore be it

Resolved, That a group of people, chosen by the President of
the Synod, plan and set aside a special day of prayer and repen-
tance when all the members of the LCMS (and other Christians in
the country who wish to join us) take a few minutes, wherever they
are, to pray to Almighty God that our country might again become
a Christian nation, and that we, as Christians, might use all our tal-
ents and energies in spreading the Gospel. The day and time set
aside for this could be, for example, the first Wednesday of October
(October 6), 2004, at 2:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. How exciting
it would be to know that at that exact time every Lutheran and
Christian in America would be praying that God would be with our
nation and would help each of us to be better witnesses of the
Gospel. (Church bells could also be rung at that hour all across our
land—from sea to shining sea.)

Trinity
Westville, IN

1-32

To Commend and Encourage Support
for Lutheran Heritage Foundation

WuereAaS, The Lutheran Heritage Foundation, a Recognized
Service Organization (RSO), has been tasked by The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod with the tremendous responsibility of
putting the Word of God and other confessional Lutheran materials
into the language of the peoples of the world among whom The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is involved in missionary out-
teach; and

WHEREAS, The need for the Gospel and orthodox Lutheran
teaching materials is always a necessity; and

WHEREAS, Many of our congregations are asked to support the
work of non-Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod—mission endeav-
ors, such as the Gideons and others; and

WHEREAS, The cost (financial as well as nonfinancial) to con-
tinue to make orthodox Lutheran resources available to the peoples
of the world is enormous; and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Heritage Foundation provides ordained
pastoral representatives who are willing and able to preach and lead
Bible study and tell about the work of the Lutheran Heritage Foun-
dation in our congregations and at our Circuit and District events;
therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod con-
vention encourage each of her member congregations to schedule a
Lutheran Heritage Foundation event on a timely basis; and be it
further

Resolved, That each congregation likewise be encouraged to
prayerfully support the work of the Lutheran Heritage Foundation,
and be it finally

Resolved, That each congregation be encouraged to financially
support the work of the Lutheran Heritage Foundation before it fi-
nancially supports the work of the Gideons and other non-RSOs
and non-Synod entities in their work for missions at large.

Crookston Circuit Forum
Minnesota North District