LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Page 295

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PARISH SERVICES AND YOUTH 295

They teach Bible class, conduct weekday schools, serve as Sun-
day school superintendents. Their children are enrolled in the
teaching agencies of the church. They sweat out budgets in a
congregational board or voters assembly.

The current staff is composed of 25 persons. Three additional
positions remain unfilled due to budget restrictions. The end
of 1972 saw the retirement of Dr. Arthur L. Miller, Executive
Secretary from 1946 to 1972. His vision and courage, his ability
to interpret history and to live in the present, his careful dis-
tinction between what can change and what must remain
constant, his conception of broad plans and his attention to
detail all were used by the Lord of the church.

In September 1972 Dr. Miller was succeeded by Melvin
M. Kieschnick as Executive Secretary.

The Division of Field Services includes: Director of Field
Services (vacant); Secretary of Elementary and Secondary
Schools—Al H. Senske, Ed. D.; Associate Secretary of Ele-
mentary and Secondary Schools—(vacant); Secretary of Sun-
day, Weekday, and Summer Schools— Rev. Dale E. Griffin,
M.S.T., M.Ed.; Secretary of Adult Education—Rev. Victor
A. Constien, M.S. T.; Director of Family Life Education —Rev.
Evan J. Temple; Project Director, Pastoral Training Program
for Family Counseling — Rev. Edwin J. Fritze, M.S. E.

Budget restrictions have prevented the Board from filling
the position of Director of Field Services. This position has been
vacant since the Milwaukee convention. Similarly fiscal limita-
tions have made it impossible to call an Associate Secretary of
Elementary and Secondary Schools.

As indicated by the name Division of Field Services, the
persons assigned to it spend a great amount of time in the field.
Their task while in the field includes listening, leading work-
shops, equipping District consultants, making conference pre-
sentations, participating in leadership training and a variety of
other service functions. In each case they come, not primarily
as pushers of synodical programs but as promoters of God’s
work, as fellow members of the body of Christ seeking both
to edify and to be edified.

The Editorial Staff comprises the largest division of the
Board of Parish Education staff. Staff editors function as a team
and often assist one another or are asked to work on projects
that are outside of their specific assignment. The following list
indicates the primary assignment and the particular task and
function that the various editors assumed in the past 2 years:
General School Materials — Henry C. Niermeier, M. Ed.; School
Religion Editor—Frederick A. Meyer, M.A.; Sunday School
Program Editor—Earl H. Gaulke, M.Div., Ph. D.; Associate
Editor of Sunday School Materials— Donald E. Hoeferkamp,
M. Div., Weekday Church School Program Editor—Paul H.
Pallmeyer, M.S.T.; Summer Church School Editor—Arlon
W. Rueter, B.S.; Associate Editor of Summer Materials — Jack
K. Muhlenbruch, M. Div., M.S.; Editorial Assistant in Arts and
Crafts Nancy Warner, B.F.A.; Associate Editor of Summer
and Weekday Materials— Mary Brummer, M. A.; Editor of Pre-
primary Materials — Daniel R. Burow, M. Div.: Associate Editor
pro tem—Jean Schneider, B. A., M.C. E.; Editor of Youth Ma-
terials-Harold W. Rast, Th.D.; Associate Editor—John E.
Schroeder, B. A., B. D.; Adult Program Editor — Robert J. Hoyer,
M. Div.; Editor of Materials for Special Classes — Frederick A.
Radtke, M. A.; Editor of Special Publications — Nancy Corbett,
B.A. (Interaction): Mervin A. Marquardt, M. Div. (My Devo-
tions); Executive Editor and division coordinator —Allan H.
Jahsmann, M. Div., Ph. D., D. Litt.

The Division of Research and Development is directed by the
Rev. Delbert O. Schulz, M. A. This division’s work is described
in the immediately preceding section of this report.

The entire church has been blessed by the supportive spirit
of Christian cooperation which has characterized the relation-
ship between Board members and staff. Board members have
taken their task seriously and they have truly attempted to be
responsive to the voice of both the Lord and His church.

Historically the staff and Board have sought to maintain
a liaison with the terminal schools of the Synod. Since 1960 this
has been sought partially through appointed representatives
from the seminaries and teachers colleges serving as Board
members. Even before 1960 professors had occasionally served
as elected Board members. This relationship has been rich and
rewarding. However, changing conditions seem to call for this
liaison and cooperation to be achieved through other channels.
Consequently, the Board is presenting a memorial to the Synod
suggesting that membership on the Board of Parish Education

be limited to nine elected members. Continued cooperation with
the church’s colleges and seminaries will be fostered through
other means.

Both the Board and staff feel very deeply that their responsi-
bility is nothing less than that they themselves be an authentic
Christian education community. Therefore regular workshops,
mutual support, in-service training, and sharing sessions are
considered vital. The high level of spiritual morale of the Board
of Parish Education and its staff is indeed reason for shouting
praise to God.

Conclusion

X. THE BOARD OF PARISH EDUCATION IS
COMMITTED TO THE LORD. HIS CHURCH,
AND HIS PURPOSES

“Ever, Only, All for Thee” is first of all a description of God's
love and actions toward His people. Only our Lord Himself was
able to perfectly live out the commitment of ever, only, all—and
He did it for us. ‘Ever, Only, All for Thee” is also the goal of
the new man in Christ. He finds his purpose in life to be total
commitment to his Savior. In that commitment he discovers that
his life must be lived out in relationship to people. The proclama-
tion of God’s being ever, only, all for us is the essential content
of all that the Board of Parish Education seeks to do in the Synod
for the people in Synod. “Ever, Only, All for Thee” is the goal
of every program, every agency, every piece of material which
the Board promotes or produces.

Your Board of Parish Education is convinced that by the
grace of God the next biennium will be full of excitement, chal-
lenges, joy. There is so much to be done. Concern for the aged
and the young, leadership training, exhilarating new possibili-
ties in Lutheran elementary and secondary schools, continued
expansion of weekday programs, new vistas in research and
development, new technology for teaching the faith, and the
age-old message of judgment and grace—all of these will be
major concerns in the next two years.

The Board of Parish Education never walks alone. It marches
with the church, with her teachers and pupils, her pastors and
education executives, her parents, and parish boards of educa-
tion. And it marches with her Lord, moving toward the day when
our hope becomes the reality of “Ever, Only, All for Thee.”

RECOMMENDATIONS
Marriage and Family Counseling Seminars
Introduction

Marriage education and counseling received the particular
attention of our Synod in its 1962 convention. The Board of
Parish Education was authorized to explore the needs and re-
sources regarding marriage education and counseling and pro-
pose to Synod a long-range approach and a program of action.

Synod’s Family Life Committee, its Director of Family Life
Education, together with an ad hoc Committee on Marriage and
Counseling, planned, conducted, and evaluated pilot workshops
with pastors and their wives from three areas of our church.

The findings indicated that there was a need to provide an
intensive effort to further equip the professional worker in the
parish in marriage education and counseling.

The Denver convention of The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod, 1969, authorized a 4-year, in-service training program
to be offered to approximately 1,000 pastors and their wives.
This program was the cooperative venture of the Wheat Ridge
Foundation, the Board for Higher Education, the Board of
Social Ministry, the Board for Missions, and the Board of Parish
Education. The Board of Parish Education, which has been
a leader in the area of family life education and a ministry to
families, was given the responsibility for the implementation
and administration of the project.

Phase One Nears Completion

The Pastoral Training in Marriage and Family Counseling
program has been in operation since March 1970 with the Rev.
Edwin Fritze serving as project director. The current program
terminates on March 1, 1974.

More Districts requested seminars than Synod authorized,
so a number of them were held jointly. The positive responses
from the participating pastors, District presidents, education