LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 31

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delegates and representatives received a copy. Bender noted
the fundamental catechism texts—Commandments, Creed,
Lord’s Prayer, Baptism, Confession and Forgiveness,
Reception of the Supper—as the “ABCs” of the catholic faith,
universal to Christians. Luther in his explanations expounds
these texts as sermons on Christ, the love of God, the center
of redemption, the blood of Jesus. These primary texts and
Luther’s lovely secondary explanations can be learned by
heart by children of the youngest ages, who love to learn by
heart and whose minds are sponges. Beyond Luther’s
explanation, the 2017 volume contains an abundance of
material based, via a number of editions, on Heinrich
Schwan’s Catechism, to resource pastors and in laity giving
contemporary expression to the faith and addressing the
pressing challenges of each time, including ours. Bender
explained the use of the Catechism as a handbook and
prayerbook of the Christian life, with the primary and
secondary texts forming a foundation for a deeper
exploration of the Bible and application in the rest of the
book. Luther’s explanations unfold God’s good gifts and
how God means to protect them. With Luther’s help, for
example in unfolding the Fourth Commandment, we can
hold out to the world what a marvelous thing it is to be a
Christian, what a good life it is to be a man or a little girl, the
goodness of marriage and family. Bender explored some
“wonderful connections” in Luther’s explanations among
the various primary texts and applications thereof for the
life of faith, to be continued in his next presentation.

Christian Preus, to present the slates for election of Secretary
and Board of Directors and to receive floor nominations for
these positions. Chairman Preus noted the Bylaw charge of
his committee and that the members of his committee,
elected by 17 districts this triennium, are listed in the
Convention Workbook. He briefly explained the committee’s
work and the committee’s report in the Biographical Synopses
and Statements of Nominees (BSSN) and called attention to
and presented the slate of candidates for Secretary (BSSN, p.
40), as determined by the committee. After further
explanation from Chairman Preus, President Harrison
opened the floor for nominations, none of which were
offered. The chair declared nominations for Secretary
closed.

Greetings—Lutheran Church Extension Fund—Missouri Synod

After a video highlighting generational mission work of
the Synod, the chair welcomed President Geraldo W. Schüler
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil (IELB), who
addressed the convention in Portuguese with a running
translation. He explained the beginnings of the IELB in
mission work of the LCMS at the opening of the twentieth
century, which has led to a mature church body sharing the
same grace and walking in the same faith toward eternal life,
giving hope and preaching the Gospel in 1,501
congregations. IELB also shares 70 pastors with partners
abroad—including with the LCMS through the Alliance
Project. In this, IELB participates in gratitude for all she
received from the LCMS, especially between 1900 and 1990s,
and to carry out her permanent motto: “Christ for all!” One
more objective has been added to the partnership: to share
with partner churches experiences from her own expansive
and diverse mission field, maintaining the Lutheran
confession and meeting the people’s needs. He recalled his
father’s horseback trip to find a Lutheran pastor to baptize
his children and the eagerness of many—even walking tens
of miles—to receive the pure Gospel, the precious theology
of the cross, in which our fathers have died in peace and new
generations should have the same opportunity. “A church,”
he commented, “is not born large but it has a great and
gracious God who blesses the faithful work.” He thanked the
LCMS for everything the LCMS has done and promised the
LCMS could count on IELB’s partnership. He presented
President Harrison with a plaque of gratitude for 175 years of

The chair invited the Rev. Bart Day, president and chief
executive officer of the Lutheran Church Extension Fund
(LCEF), to bring his greetings to the convention on behalf of
the synodwide corporate entity. After a brief video
displaying ministry facilities developed, improved, and
repaired using LCEF investments—work in which LCEF is
“part of the Church’s proclaiming Christ,” Day highlighted
Christ crucified as the “glorious message of the Gospel … the
message the world needs—the message we must ensure the
Church has every opportunity to share broadly and
generously.” He noted that LCEF investments support the
work of thousands of rostered workers, congregations,
schools, and other organizations through low-cost loans
that make resources available for the Church now and into
the future. Day noted an exceptional year for LCEF’s loan
origination, with a strong pipeline for the future after the
end of the pandemic. Thanks be to God! Day invited
investment in the Church Worker Loan Pool, a new initiative
for LCEF—investors will make less, but will do so
intentionally to support a pool of preferred-rate loans “so
that LCMS rostered church workers can have more.”
Committee 14: Convention Nominations – Floor Nominations
for Secretary and Synod Board of Directors
President Harrison, noting updates to election material
in the daily Today’s Business, called to the podium the
chairman of the Committee for Convention Nominations,
Minutes

Chairman Preus next called attention to and presented
the slates for Board of Directors (BSSN, pp. 41–45) and
President Harrison opened the floor for nominations.
It was moved and adopted by voice vote to add Gerhard
H. Mundinger, Jr. (Michigan City, Ind.; Indiana District) to
the slate for the lay at-large position on the Board of
Directors (BSSN, pp. 44–45).
Interest in floor nominations for these offices having
been exhausted, the chair declared nominations for Synod
Board of Directors closed.
Presentation: International Missions—From Generation to
Generation

PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2023 (68TH) LCMS CONVENTION | 31