LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 133

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Resolved, That congregations be encouraged to make use of the
re:Vitality program and its resources as these are made available;
and be it further
Resolved, That districts identify personnel to the ONM who
may be equipped to serve as coordinators, facilitators, coaches,
and trainers in support of the re:Vitality program within their districts; and be it further
Resolved, That the ONM assess and report on re:Vitality over the
triennium to the 2019 LCMS convention; and be it finally
Resolved, That this convention authorize Synod-wide offerings
for the purpose of creating and distributing print, digital, and other
resources for the re:Vitality revitalization program and making
those resources available to congregations through their districts
at little to no cost to the congregations.
Action: Adopted (9)

Action: Adopted (9)
(During brief discussion, the committee agreed to the addition
of “LCMS” in the second-last resolve paragraph after the word
“other.” The assembly then ended debate [Yes: 727; No: 32] and
Res. 1-04 was adopted as changed [Yes: 765; No: 14].)

To Give Thanks and Praise to God for 40th
Anniversary of Hmong Ministry
and Encourage Synod Support
RESOLUTION 1-05
Reports R15, R20, R39, R43, R48–49 (CW, pp. 86, 93, 112, 116,
120)

(After its introduction by the committee, the chair hearing no
objection called for the vote, and Res. 1-03 was adopted as presented [Yes: 756; No: 24].)

Whereas, “For the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and
will again choose Israel, and will set them in their own land, and
sojourners will join them and will attach themselves to the house
of Jacob” (Is. 14:1); and

To Encourage Immigrant
and Refugee Outreach

Whereas, Even as our Lord has taught His Church to “love
your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 19:19), the mission of welcoming the stranger (Matt. 25:36) caught fire in the hearts of Lutherans 40 years ago for the Southeast Asian people who had lost their
homeland through war; and

RESOLUTION 1-04

Whereas, Holy Scripture tells us, “God desires all people to be
saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4); and

Whereas, Beginning in 1976 through the ministry of the
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), many LCMS
congregations across the country sponsored many Hmong and
other Southeast Asian families to resettle them in America as the
result of the Vietnam War; and

Whereas, Refugees, immigrants, and people from many cultures are in our schools and in our neighborhoods; and

Whereas, Gospel seeds have been planted through these refugee resettlement efforts of our LCMS congregations; and

Whereas, Many congregations need special assistance to reach
out to people in the changing communities around their churches;
therefore be it

Whereas, The Hmong ministry in the LCMS has grown into
at least 20 Word and Sacrament ministries across the Synod with
1,500 baptized members; and

Resolved, That the Synod continue to encourage and support
districts and congregations with immigrant and refugee outreach
by developing language-specific resources and programs; and be
it further

Whereas, The LCMS has ordained 20 Hmong pastors, with an
additional seven men ready to be ordained; and

Overtures 1-01, 1-07 (CW, pp. 309, 311)

Resolved, That congregations be encouraged to witness to immigrants and refugees; and be it further
Resolved, That congregations be encouraged to make such outreach a high priority in all activities; and be it further
Resolved, That congregations serving diverse or changing communities be encouraged to integrate new members into leadership
positions to foster ownership in the congregation; and be it further

Whereas, The history of the Hmong mission in the LCMS has
been well documented, commended, and archived by Concordia
Historical Institute; and
Whereas, Only 13 percent of the Hmong population worldwide claim to profess Christ; therefore be it
Resolved, That the 2016 LCMS convention give thanks and praise
to God for 40 years of Hmong ministry in the LCMS; and be it further

Resolved, That congregations be encouraged to seek partnerships
with other LCMS congregations; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod continue to encourage and support
districts and congregations with Hmong ministry outreach; and
be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod work through districts to locate at least
twelve locations over the next triennium to send national missionaries where there is a significant immigrant and refugee population.

Resolved, That the Synod address the need for trained servants
of the Word to the Hmong people worldwide by encouraging and

“1. National Witness”

U P O N T H I S R O C K • Resolutions

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