LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Page 298

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298 PARISH SERVICES AND YOUTH

curricular materials not developed or reviewed by the Synod
only when adequate concern and safeguards are provided.

Recommendation 9: To Study First Communion and
Confirmation Practices

WHEREAS, The 1971 convention of Synod urged congrega-
tions to evaluate their confirmation and first Communion prac-
tices with a view toward improving these practices: and

WHEREAS, It seems that very few congregations of the Synod
have evaluated their confirmation and first Communion prac-
tices in the past biennium: and

WHEREAS, Materials for transition in these practices are now
available and the BPE reaffirms its Milwaukee recommenda-
tions in regard to these practices: therefore be it

Resolved. That the convention urge all congregations of the
Synod to study their present practice of confirmation and first
Communion if they have not yet done so, and to implement such
changes in these practices as will enrich the spiritual growth of
their children in these crucial years.

Recommendation 10: To Improve Training of Volunteer
Church School Teachers

WHEREAS, The Christian education of the people of God is
a serious responsibility the Lord has given His church (e. g.,
Matt. 28:20): and

WHEREAS. The educational ministry of our churches requires
also the dedicated service of volunteer teachers enlisted from
the laity of the church: and

WHEREAS. Volunteer teachers need in-service teacher edu-
cation to enable them to mature in their personal faith, to grow
as Christian persons, to further their understanding of Holy
Scriptures and Lutheran theology, to understand better their
students and their world, and to improve their skills in com-
municating the Gospel: and

WHEREAS, Research has shown that the magazine Interaction
is useful as a resource for teachers: that each issue is shared
with three others: that users spend more than one hour studying
each copy: yet only '3 of the congregations of Synod provide
their teachers with this resource: therefore be it

Resolved. That Synod in convention assembled in New
Orleans, July 6—13, 1973, express its gratitude to God for the
dedicated service of its volunteer church school teachers, and
that this gratitude also be conveyed to the teachers participating
in the Fifth North American Lutheran Church School Conven-
tion, St. Paul, Minn., July 27-29, 1973: and be it further

Resolved. That the Synod encourage all congregations to
provide volunteer church school workers with adequate, sys-
tematic in-service teacher education experiences for their
ministry in the church: and be it further

Resolved. That the Synod encourage congregations of the
Synod to join sister congregations in such inter-parish volunteer
teacher training events as circuit or area institutes, District and
synodical church school conventions and similar teacher educa-
tion events: and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod encourage all congregations to
make available to every volunteer church school teacher a
subscription to Interaction. the official teacher training period-
ical of the Synod’s Board of Parish Education.

Recommendation 11: To Increase the Number and Improve
the Quality of Christian Education Programs

WHEREAS, The Study of Generations (a study of Lutherans in
the U.S., a 400-page report was supplied gratis to every parish
pastor in the Synod by Lutheran Brotherhood) has demon-
strated that Bible knowledge tends to correlate positively with
a Gospel oriented life-style: and

WHEREAS, The study also has shown that Christian education
is effective if engaged in over longer periods of time, but may
be ineffective or even negative if the time is short; therefore be it

Resolved. That the Synod urge its constituent congregations
to commit themselves and their resources to provide more
Christian education possibilities (agencies and settings); and be
it further

Resolved, That they also commit themselves to provide the
best possible curriculum programs for their members to use in
these settings; and be it finally

Resolved. That they recognize that there is no graduation
in a lifelong study of the Word for Christian growth.

BOARD OF PARISH EDUCATION
Melvin Kieschnick, Executive Secretary

Report of Board of Youth Ministry
WHERE IS IT ALL GOING?

God’s people are a living signal of hope. They live out
of the faith that God has brought healing and life to all
people through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.
Because of that hope they want to move out in love and
forgiveness to others. This we call ministry.

The Holy Spirit empowers, guides, and frees the people
of God to be effective in their ministry. If the church places
a higher premium on its own efforts than on the work of
the Holy Spirit, it ceases to be Christ's church. Thus, the
Holy Spirit, working through Word and Sacrament to create
and sustain Christ’s church, also generates the power for
the mission and ministry of the Board of Youth Ministry.

It is essential that the patterns and structures we use
in the church free people for ministry. We must seek ways
to encourage and revitalize one another in our ministry. This
is the purpose of the structures we establish. All organiza-
tions in the church should exist to enable people to live as
signals of hope, serving one another in love.

The parish is the locus of youth ministry. It is here that
young people live and search for meaningful, Spirit-directed
styles for living. In the local parish people are willing to
become involved in a care-ministry to each other, and it
is the local community that provides the arena for a care-
ministry to others. It is in day-to-day life and worship that
people (especially young people) search and struggle to
know who they are—what it means to be the loved and
forgiven people of God.

Persons involved in ministry need the support of fellow
Christians. One of the basic roles of the local congregation
is developing support systems among its members. Young
people must be deliberately included in these support sys-
tems. All the structures, policies, publications, and pro-
cedures of the Synod, District, and circuit have the primary
task of providing support to individuals engaged in unique
and diverse ministries carried out privately and collectively
in the parishes.

The ministry of the church of Christ is the activity.
Young people, together with the rest of the congregation,
are those involved in doing it. The mission of God, as
today’s church understands it, provides the direction. The
Holy Spirit empowers and guides it all.

YOUTH MINISTRY — A SIGN OF PROMISE/A SIGN
OF HOPE?

A single ray of light from the sun breaks up into a band
of widely diverse color. This is God’s-ancient sign of prom-
ise and hope — the rainbow.

God’s people in ministry are a living sign of promise and
hope. Unified in the Son, the ministry is seen as a wide
range of opportunities, each with its own color and hue.
There is a spectrum of gifts and a spectrum of needs. So
there is a spectrum—a_ rainbow —- of ministry. Ministry
cannot be one dimensional — it involves word (Word),
deeds, worship, play, and friendship. Nor can it be one direc-
tional — it means doing things for others and allowing others
to do things for you. It means speaking and listening, ac-
cepting people as they are, and influencing them to become
what God would have them be.

In a world that is “fragmented” and “polarized” Christian
people stand apart as “unified” — they are one in Him who
is the Light. It is a unity in diversity. Just as Christian unity
is unmistakable, so the diversity among Christian people is
unmistakable. The diversity among Lutheran young people
has been highlighted by recent research reported in A Study
of Generations. Certainly young Christians cannot be lumped