LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 76

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

76

REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT
valid and proper, I have asked seven national Synod leaders to
confer together to review the procedure followed by district
boards of directors and the president of the Synod regarding
circuit electoral delegate exceptions to the 2007 convention.
Their report is due to be completed by May 15 and will be sent
to all voting delegates.

Their report is now complete, has been sent to all voting
delegates, and is attached as Appendix I to this Report of
the President. Summarily, the report stated that no evidence was found of collaboration between the office of the
President of the Synod and the presidents and boards of directors of the districts regarding the seating of delegates to
the 2007 convention and that the 65 electoral circuit exceptions granted for the 2007 convention of the Synod were
granted according to the provisions of Bylaw 3.1.2. The
committee also “recognizes that a comprehensive study of
concerns associated with the Synod’s delegate representation process is needed” and is aware that the topic of fair
representation at national conventions is included in the
overall study currently underway by the Blue Ribbon Task
Force on Synod Structure and Governance.
The bottom line is that convention delegates and the
Synod itself can rest assured that there was nothing improper
or inappropriate that occurred in the process of requesting or
granting approval of bylaw-allowed exceptions for circuit electoral delegates. All voting delegates to every Synod convention, including the 2007 convention, have been legitimately
and properly elected and certified in accordance with the
covenants of love by which we have all agreed to abide.
The concluding paragraph of my special report regarding
the lawsuit (written March 10, 2007) states,
At the time of writing of this report, some of the original
participants and plaintiffs in the lawsuit are engaged in an effort to communicate to delegates to this convention concerning topics in the lawsuit in a way that misrepresents the truth
and casts aspersions on the integrity and motives of district
boards of directors and officers of the Synod. I truly hope and
fervently pray that God’s Spirit will touch the hearts of those
involved in this endeavor, that all would work and walk together in a way that builds harmony and peace in our Synod,
not divisiveness and contention.

That remains my hope and prayer.

Suggestions for Floor Committee
Consideration
As has been the custom for many years, I believe it is
appropriate to offer general recommendations for floor committee consideration. This has been the precedent set by
Synod presidents in the past. I follow this precedent with
the assurance of my absolute trust and complete confidence
in you, the leaders and members of the floor committees entrusted with the responsibility of forming and fashioning
the resolutions to be presented to the convention of our
Synod in the weeks ahead.
Here are a few general comments and recommendations
for your consideration as you undertake this significant responsibility.

Floor Committee 1—Missions
Many in our Synod share with me a deep concern about
the decline in baptized membership of the congregations of
2007 Convention Proceedings

the Synod over the past 35 or more years. This trend sounds
an alarm of the corresponding plight of many, many people
who are dying every day without saving faith in Jesus Christ
as Savior and Lord. Simultaneously, it remains God’s desire
for “all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
The clearly stated mission of the LCMS, “vigorously to make
known the love of Christ,” is intent on God’s purpose. It is the
heartbeat of our existence and gives direction for our life as a
church body. The formidable fiscal, spiritual, and human resources of our Synod must be focused on God’s mission as we
address the regrettable and unacceptable decline in baptized
members in the congregations of our Synod—for this decline
is a manifestation of more people leaving the Synod through
death or defection than those who join our congregations
through infant and adult Baptisms, adult confirmations, and
professions of faith. Most important is our concern about the
horrifying dilemma that some of the people who leave our
congregations represent souls lost for all eternity. So we faithfully pursue the many opportunities for mission that exist in
our country and world that we “might win some” for Christ.
Numerous individuals, congregations, districts, entities,
institutions, auxiliaries, recognized service organizations, and
mission societies of the Synod are involved in intentional mission efforts of many kinds, including global mission endeavors, some but not all in partnership with LCMS World Mission. Many are experiencing direct, hands-on mission
involvement, primarily through short-term mission events,
both locally and globally.
My counsel is for Floor Committee 1 to consider resolutions that would
• affirm the priority of mission involvement in coordination with LCMS World Mission;
• explore ways and means of expanding our worldwide
mission impact in fiscally prudent and biblically acceptable avenues;
• encourage mission planting in the United States by
“covenant congregations” in collaboration with district
mission leaders;
• encourage the objectives of congregation revitalization
toward the goal of every LCMS congregation as a “mission outpost”; and
• affirm the role of the priesthood of all believers in partnership with pastors and other church leaders in the
mission of our Synod.

Floor Committee 2—District
and Congregational Services
A primary focus of Committee 2 will most likely be provision of proper and adequate resources to congregations and
professional church workers of the LCMS by the national
Synod and its districts. Close and careful coordination of
work currently accomplished at the district and national
Synod level is necessary for faithful stewardship of the precious resources entrusted to our care. Many of our pastors
and educators are inadequately compensated, some living
at or near poverty levels. They serve in the midst of people
who are richly blessed and, under most circumstances, are
eager to be of service and in mission with their people in
meaningful ways.