LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 213

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PROGRAM AND FINANCE 213

4-22

To Provide Process for Determining Seminary
Assistance Assessments

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in conven-
tion (Res. 5-02A, 1995) directed that the Board for Higher Educa-
tion and the seminaries of our Synod increase the student aid en-
dowments fund for seminarians and that it set as a goal the
“Gntegrating of funds sufficient to cover the cost of all tuition for
every student enrolled in the seminaries” who are preparing for the
pastoral ministry; and

WHEREAS, The seminaries have experienced increasing costs to
provide seminary education, while at the same time endowment in-
vestments and other income sources have not kept pace with the
cost of providing education; and

WHEREAS, The seminaries have been notifying both seminari-
ans’ home Districts and congregations of increasingly greater re-
sponsibilities on their parts toward the cost of the seminarians’ tu-
ition ($1,600 each for the home District and congregation for
2002-2003; $2,000 each for 2003-2004; and $3,000 for
2004-2005); and

” WHEREAS, The seminaries have communicated to the seminar-
ian, the seminarian’s home Districts, and the seminarian’s home
congregation that any shortfall of the District’s or home congrega-
tion’s assessments will become the responsibility of the seminar-
ian; and

WHEREAS, This current practice of the seminaries is in contra-
diction to the intent of the direction of the Synod in convention
(Res. 5-02, 1995), whose intent was to remove the burden of tu-
ition expenses from the seminarians; therefore be it

Resolved, That all tuition assistance assessments to Districts and
the seminarians’ home congregations be determined by a commit-
tee including two representatives from each of the following enti-
ties: (1) the Board for Higher Education, (2) each of the seminaries,
and (3) the Council of Presidents; and be it further

Resolved, That notification of increased assessments to semi-
narians’ home Districts and home congregations be given with suf-
ficient advance notice so that the Districts and home congregations
can incorporate such assessments into their annual budgets or work
program in a timely fashion.

Board of Directors
South Dakota District

To Commit to Financial Support
for Colleges, Universities, and Seminaries

WHEREAS, Properly trained pastors are needed to serve new and
vacant congregations; and

WHEREAS, Ordained pastors are needed for Word and Sacra-
ment ministry; and

WHEREAS, The financial burden of attending a seminary may
keep men from pursuing the pastoral ministry; and

WHEREAS, Financial constraints at the Synod level have dimin-
ished the financial support the Synod provides to the seminaries;
and

WHEREAS, Art. III of the Constitution states that one of the
Synod’s objectives is to recruit and train pastors, teachers, and
other professional church workers and provide for their continuing
growth; and

WHEREAS, Art. III of the Constitution also states that one of the
Synod’s objectives is to support synodical colleges, universities,
and seminaries; and

WHEREAS, Financial constraints require the establishment of pri-
ority spending; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod reconsider programs that usurp fi-
nancial resources that could be used to recruit and train pastors,

teachers, and other professional church workers and provide for
their continuing growth; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod make it a financial commitment to
support synodical colleges, universities, and seminaries.
Mount Calvary
Brookings, SD

4-24

To Increase Support and Staffing for Hispanic Ministry

WHEREAS, The Lord of the harvest has seen fit to increase sig-
nificantly the numbers of Hispanics in a great number of our na-
tion’s cities and communities; and

WHEREAS, Many of these Hispanics do not have a saving rela-
tionship with the Lord Jesus Christ; and

WHEREAS, Most of our congregations are ill-equipped to evan-
gelize this population effectively; and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod through its
Board for Higher Education has reduced funding for the training
of Hispanic workers; therefore be it

Resolved, That we recommit ourselves to Hispanic ministry at a
regional, District, and Synod level; and be it further
Resolved, That the Northern Illinois District petition the 2004
LCMS convention to increase support and staffing for the training
and directing of church planters, pastors, and other church work-
ers among Hispanics.
Northern Illinois District

4-25

To Restore Support of Hispanic Institute of Theology

WHEREAS, Fifty percent of the funding ($150,000) provided for
the operation of the Hispanic Institute of Theology was eliminated
by the Board for Higher Education; and

WHEREAS, The Hispanic Institute of Theology is one of the
main routes for the preparation of [Hispanic] pastors and dea-
conesses within The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod; and

WHEREAS, The Hispanic population in the United States exceeds
37 million people and our Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod lacks
workers that are able to work within this population; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con-
vention request the Board of Directors and the Board for Higher
Education to restore permanently the funds that were cut from the
budget of the Hispanic Institute of Theology.

Iglesia Luterana Nazaret, Philadelphia, PA; Faith, Cicero,
IL; Christ the Life, San Jose, CA; Principe De Paz, Lorain,
OH; Prince of Peace, Hollywood, FL; Miramar, Miramar,
FL; Christ Our King, Morgan Hill, CA; Our Redeemer,
Irving, TX; First Immanuel, San Jose, CA; St. Matthew,
Miami, FL

4-26

To Emphasize Firstfruits Proportionate Giving

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod perennially
struggles with meeting its budget; and

Whereas, District and congregational giving to the Synod bud-
get have declined in recent years; and

WHEREAS, Synod leaders are examining the requirement of the
Districts to give their “fair share” to sponsor “core services” of the
Synod offices; and

WHEREAS, Synod leaders are examining a business model that
assesses all entities of the Synod, that requires money contributed
by congregations be deposited with the Synod and then be allo-
cated to the Districts and other ministries of the Synod; and