LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 211

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PROGRAM AND FINANCE 211

Resolved, That the Minnesota South District of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod memorialize the 2004 LCMS convention
to increase its financial support of the Synod’s two seminaries.

Minnesota South District

4-14

To Provide Support for Seminaries

WHEREAS, The Synod’s Constitution (Art. III 5) states that one
objective of our Synod is to “support synodical colleges, universi-
ties, and seminaries”; and

WHEREAS, The LCMS at its last convention authorized the “For
the Sake of the Church” initiative as a method of congregational
support of its colleges and universities in preparing teachers for
graduation and pre-seminary men for their eventual enrollment in a
seminary; and

WHEREAS, The LCMS’ two seminaries are not the recipients of
funds received by “For the Sake of the Church,” nor do they re-
ceive any subsidy from the regular Sunday offerings of the Synod’s
congregations; and

Whereas, Even though the Ohio District forwarded funds from
congregations and individuals of over $600,000 in 2002 and an av-
erage of over $400,000 over the past four years to the two U.S.
seminaries, they are still in need of more funding; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Ohio District memorialize the 2004 LCMS
convention to direct the Board of Directors to study and implement
as soon as possible the resumption of seminary funding from the
Synod’s unrestricted budget.

Ohio District

4-15

To Encourage and Provide
for Financial Support of Seminaries

Whereas, Holy Scripture tells us that among the gifts that God
has given to His church is the gift of “pastors and teachers” (Eph.
4:11); and

Whereas, The Lutheran Confessions recognize the importance
of the pastoral ministry, especially in the Augsburg Confession Art.
V and XIV; and

WHEREAS, The support of seminaries for the recruitment and
training of pastors is a key objective of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod according to Art. III of the Constitution;
and

Whereas, Throughout its 100-year history, the SELC District
has maintained a strong commitment to seminary education and
has benefited from the ministry of the seminaries by receiving can-
didates and vicars; and

WHEREAS, The seminaries are excelling in their efforts to recruit
more men to study for the Office of the Holy Ministry and are
training them to serve the church well with good and sound theol-
ogy; and

WHEREAS, The seminaries are being disadvantaged by a lack of
funds, due in part to increased enrollment and the financial situa-
tion in the Synod, which has become critical to the extent that di-
rect financial support to the two seminaries has been drastically re-
duced and, at times, virtually eliminated; and

WHEREAS, Seminarians often attend the seminary at great fi-
nancial burden and incur very large debts, thus adversely impacting
them and their families for many years; and

WHEREAS, Increased financial support for the seminaries of the
Synod would enable men to attend the seminary who otherwise
could not, thus fulfilling a great need in our Synod for pastors to
serve in many congregations; therefore be it

Resolved, That the SELC District encourage its congregations to
financially support the ministry of both seminaries of the Synod;
and be it further

Resolved, That, in order to demonstrate our commitment as a
District to the ministry of the seminaries, 10 percent of the SELC
District’s budgeted line item “Ministry of Love to The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod” be given directly to the support of the
Synod’s two seminaries, equally divided; and be it finally

Resolved, That the SELC District meeting in convention memo-
rialize the 2004 Synod convention to reaffirm its commitment to
the financial support of both seminaries of the Synod and encour-
age Districts and congregations of the Synod to do the same.

SELC District

4-16

To Increase Funding of Seminaries
through Synod Budget

WHEREAS, The Constitution of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod states as one of its objectives: “The Synod, under Scripture
and the Lutheran Confessions, shall . . . recruit and train pastors,
teachers, and other professional church workers and provide op-
portunity for their continuing growth” (Art. III 3); and

WHEREAS, Our seminaries are currently receiving minimal fund-
ing through the Synod budget for such training; and

WHEREAS, The financial independence of the seminaries may
lead to unhealthy relationships with donors and cause confusion
when it comes to the question of loyalties; therefore be it

Resolved, That the 2004 Synod convention be memorialized to di-
rect the Board of Directors and the Board for Higher Education of
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to include the seminaries in
the general budget at 5 percent of the seminaries’ operating budgets.

Montana District

4-17

To Provide Increased Financial Support
for Missions and Seminaries

WHEREAS, The task of the church is to make disciples of all na-
tions, baptizing and teaching them all that Jesus has said; and

WHEREAS, Our seminaries are involved in the preparation and
training of “disciple makers” and our foreign missionaries are the
means by which we take this message of Jesus Christ to all nations,
thereby fulfilling the Great Commission; therefore be it

Resolved, That when cuts need to be made in the budget of the
Synod, no cuts whatsoever be made in the budgets of LCMS World
Mission or in the synodical support of our seminaries; and be it fur-
ther

Resolved, That the budget cuts be made wherever necessary, es-
pecially in the area of administration and in the salaries of those in
synodical offices and in the Concordia University System and sem-
inaries, to enable the Synod to restore within the next three years all
foreign mission positions that have been eliminated in the last four
years; and be it finally

Resolved, That budget cuts be made wherever necessary in the
Synod to permit an annual “cost of living” increase in the budget of
LCMS World Mission and the support the Synod contributes to-
ward the seminaries.

Fall Pastors Conference
South Dakota District

4-18

To Increase Synod’s Support for Seminaries

Whereas, The financial support given to our two seminaries
has continued to decline over the past years; and

Whereas, The Synod no longer gives substantial financial sup-
port to our seminaries; and

Wuereas, Art. III 3 of our Synod’s Constitution states that one
of the main objectives for forming our Synod was to “Recruit and