LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 145

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HUMAN CARE
WHEREAS, Immigration reform may open opportunities
for our LCMS congregations, in partnership with Lutheran
Immigration and Refugee Services affiliate agencies, to assist undocumented immigrants to become residents and citizens; and
WHEREAS, Legal documentation will open opportunities
for immigrants and their families now living in our communities to enhance their God-given dignity and self-respect, becoming increasingly productive and vital participants in our American society and LCMS congregations;
therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod in convention:
1. Thank President Gerald Kieschnick and Rev. Matthew
Harrison for their joint statement urging the church’s
compassionate mercy on documented and undocumented
immigrants.
2. Encourage our LCMS members to pray for the resolution of this issue facing our nation and local congregations, and as conscience and faith conviction leads them,
to contact their congressmen and senators encouraging
them to address this issue with compassionate mercy.
3. Encourage the Board for Human Care Ministries to assist congregations by providing information regarding
legal and counseling services possibly needed by undocumented immigrants responding to legislation enabling
them to become residents and citizens.

Action: Adopted (10)
(During discussion, the committee agreed to change #3 of the
resolve to read: 3. Encourage Board for Human Care Ministries to
provide legal and counseling services to undocumented immigrants responding to legislation enabling them to become residents
and citizens. After a motion was introduced to amend the resolution by striking #3 in the resolve, new wording was again proposed: 3. Encourage the Board for Human Care Ministries to assist congregations by providing information regarding legal and
counseling services possibly needed by undocumented immigrants
responding to legislation enabling them to become residents and
citizens. After the motion to delete #3 failed, the resolution with
the newest wording for #3 was adopted [Yes: 744; No: 204].)

To Develop Domestic and Child Abuse
Education Materials and Programs
RESOLUTION 6-06
Overture L6-07 (TB, pp. 47–48)
WHEREAS, Domestic violence in this country has reached
epidemic proportions, with 31 percent of women experiencing physical assault from a partner 1 and 40 percent of
teenage girls age 14–17 report knowing someone their age
who has been hit or beaten by a boyfriend 2 ; and
WHEREAS, In 1992, Synod President Dr. Alvin Barry recognized the gravity of this issue and convened the President’s Commission on Women to look into the problem of
domestic violence in the church; and
WHEREAS, Although in 2001 this commission produced
and distributed to pastors two booklets entitled, Never Will
I Leave You; A Pastor’s Handbook on Domestic Violence and
Has God Abandoned Me?; A Christian Woman’s Guide to
Domestic Violence, these booklets are no longer in print;
and
WHEREAS, Child abuse in this country has also reached
epidemic proportions, with 2.5 million cases of child abuse
reported each year 3 and the actual incidence estimated at

145

three times that amount 4, with one in three girls and one in
seven boys sexually abused prior to the age of 18 5; and
WHEREAS, Due to advances in technology via the Internet, pornography is more readily available than ever before
and pedophilia attempts are escalating at an alarming rate;
and
WHEREAS, Clergy sexual misconduct constitutes a portion of the abuse problem and each congregation has a responsibility to monitor these situations and to protect
parishioners from this type of misconduct; and
WHEREAS, Domestic violence is primarily perpetrated
against females 6, child abuse affects both males and females equally, so that in all cases, churches need to equip
themselves to deal with both female and male victims and
perpetrators; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod direct the Board for Human
Care Ministries to appoint a committee to examine these
issues and provide materials and trained individuals to assist districts, congregations, and schools in addressing
abuse and ministering to the spiritual needs of those struggling with the effects of abuse; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod make these same materials
and training available to seminary and professional church
worker students; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Board for Human Care Ministries, in
consultation with the Commission on Theology and Church
Relations (CTCR), examine these issues and comment
specifically on the topics of forgiveness, repentance, and
reconciliation in the context of abuse situations.
Notes
1. The Commonwealth Fund, “Health Concerns across a
Woman’s Lifespan: 1998 Survey of Women’s Health”,
May 1999.
2. Children Now/Kaiser Permanente poll, December
1995.
3. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
Administration on Children, Youth and Families,
“Child Maltreatment 2001” (Washington, DC: U.S.
Government Printing Office, 2003). Online summary
of findings:
www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/publications/cm01/outco
ver.htm.
4. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect. “Third
National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect:
Final Report (NIS-3)” (Washington, DC.: Government
Printing Office, September 1996).
5. From the Faith Trust Institute Web site: www.faith
trustinstitute.org/indcx.php?p=Q_%26_A&s=49.
6. Bureau of Justice Statistics Selected Findings:
“Violence between Intimates” (NCJ-149259),
November 1994, and “A Report of the Violence against
Women Research Strategic Planning Workshop”
sponsored by the National Institute of Justice in
cooperation with the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, 1995.
2007 Convention Proceedings