LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Page 302

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302 PARISH SERVICES AND YOUTH

Ministry believes that, if we work together on these needs
in the immediate future, the ministry with youth in our
church will be a living sign of God’s presence, a demonstra-
tion of hope, and a signal of promise.

Boarp oF YOUTH MINISTRY

M. J. Stelmachowicz, Chairman

Ben Eggers, Executive Secretary

Commission for Services to the
Mentally Retarded

The Commission for Services to the Mentally Retarded is
“to continue its devotion to its increasing task” (Milwaukee
convention Proceedings, 1971). The increasing task includes
changes in community concepts regarding residential living
and placement, more adequate programming and services for
the retarded and their families, and the continuing need for
instructional materials. Financial limitations are felt, of
course, but the Commission has forthrightly endeavored to
fulfill the duties and functions as set forth by the church in
the synodical Handbook (pp. 160, 161).

Media Outreach

The Commission can now release the television program,
“What's Best for Davey?” a 16 mm, color, episode from
This Is the Life. Ten reels are on hand for distribution to
our parishes.

The sound filmstrip, in color, Christian Education of the
Mentally Retarded, is available from each District office for
parish use and is available also for rent or sale from Con-
cordia Publishing House. It is an up-dated teacher in-
service training tool.

The Star continues as the publication of the Commission
relative to news, instruction, and ideas about Christian train-
ing of the retarded. Pastors are kept informed through the
use of the postcard, Take Five for Mental Retardation, and
teachers are kept personally in touch with the Commission
via the Jet-Exchange. The Advance magazine has been
utilized with published articles to inform our constituency.
The tract, We Have a Retarded Child, is in its second print-
ing as a handy means used by pastors, teachers, and friends
to counsel families with retarded persons.

Our display boards are constantly used at meetings and
conventions. They are available for parish use also upon
request.

The Executive Secretary was interviewed on KFUO radio
and has promoted the church's concern as a member of the
St. Louis Special Lutheran School Board.

Materials Production

Previous conventions have been alerted to the Commis-
sion’s increased involvement in church school instructional
materials production through its Committee on Religious
Education. Series III of Bible Lessons for Special Classes
is in production and as of this convention has four Sets of
the projected eight Sets ready for market. Moreover, a pilot-
project for vacation Bible school is now ready for use this
summer. With the cooperation of Concordia Publishing
House we are making this material widely available in order
to determine the potential for greater use of such classes as
mission and evangelism outreaches to the unchurched among
the retarded families of the community.

Teacher-Training Institutes

Since its establishment, the Commission has conducted
Institutes and training programs at 35 locations across the
country. Professional Lutheran educators have been en-
gaged to help conduct six workshops sponsored by congre-
gations and agencies during these 2 years. As a result of
these Institutes, the Commission has realized an increase in
the number of religious education classes that have been
established and are currently operating throughout the
country. Moreover, we now conduct the annual survey of
existing Sunday school classes for the mentally retarded.
The number of classes as well as the number of persons
served has grown steadily since 1963 when reliable data was
first collected. There are now 330 classes in operation serv-
ing 2,000 pupils. By holding such meetings the Commission

has its greatest success meeting the local church members.
This needs expansion.

Seminary and College Programs

Involvement of seminary students with programs for the
retarded in the community continues. The design is to
acquaint the ministerial candidates about retardation and
related family adjustments before they accept their first
parish. Increased interest on Concordia campuses in teach-
ing the retarded has resulted in a coordinating committee
meeting of representatives from the colleges and the Board
for Higher Education in order to be jointly informed of the
potential for curriculum needs and the placement of grad-
uates. More intensive ministry to our parishes raises the
possibility of training Directors of Exceptional Education
(DEE) on one or more of our campuses. Moreover, needs
do grow for teachers at our residential centers and at Lu-
theran special schools in St. Louis and Milwaukee.

Residential Care Facilities

New facilities for a caring ministry are part of our parish
concern with the establishment of Good Shepherd Home at
Cornelius, Oreg., near Portland and Good Samaritan Home
at Cypress, Tex., near Houston. In the light of changing
concepts toward greater community involvement in residen-
tial living units caution is suggested for our Districts,
churches, and members to be aware of this change relative
to Lutheran placement too. Such involvement implies
greater acceptance and involvement in our worship services
and other church activities.

New Horizons

The Milwaukee convention urged . . the Board of
Directors ... to remain aware of developments in the work
of the Commission and concerned about the financial sup-
port of this ministry.”

Consequently, we are now launched on a new venture
of fund-raising. This new responsibility has been given to
the Commission by the Board of Directors at its March 1973
meeting, not as a means of reducing or eliminating the
church’s overriding concern for the retarded from the annual
budget. but to seek additional funds to supplement the
programmatic objectives of the Commission. The charge was
“to develop a promotional package to seek funds” and an
increase in the 1973 budget was voted to accomplish that.
The Convention Work-Study committee will see reflected
in the 1974 proposed budget the aspirations of the Commis-
sion and its hopes for success in raising funds for program
expansion.

Our own members can make note of this opportunity for
sharing financially in this ministry by acquainting fellow
parishioners, schools, auxiliaries, and church service agen-
cies to write the Commission of proposed projects to sponsor.

At the same time in the interest of economy and to con-
solidate publication, The Star will become the one paper to
be published by the Commission. Take Five and the Jet-
Exchange will be incorporated into The Star. Other official
church publications will be utilized as necessary for general
promotion of the Commission’s work.

God blesses our church in ministry to the retarded and
their families. Pray for continued strength of purpose that
the power of the Holy Spirit move the Commission and the
church in general to wider outreach to our parishes and to
each retarded person.

Members are: Chairman Rev. Hans Voss, Professor Leah
Serck, secretary, Chaplain Harry Timm, Teacher Paul Hill-
mann, Layman Victor Bunge, Executive Secretary Marshall
R. Nelson.

COMMISSION FOR SERVICES TO THE MENTALLY RETARDED
Marshall R. Nelson, Executive Secretary

7-04
Report of Council of Administrators
on Milwaukee Resolution 7-15
(Walther League)

In Resolution 7-15 the Milwaukee convention resolved:
“That the Council of Administrators be instructed to define
the role and relationship of the Walther League to the Synod