LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Page 316

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

———

314 SOCIAL MINISTRY

tees. He has revised the “Manual for District Boards,” which D. Agency People

provides guidelines regarding the structure and functions For many people, each day of living becomes more dif-
of the boards. A workshop with board chairmen has been ficult and complex. Each day some people become less able
held annually, the objectives of which were to share in- to cope with their problems. This inability prompted the
formation, to listen to District concerns, and to plan to- birth of our Lutheran welfare agencies and institutions.
gether so that each congregation might demonstrate their Their purpose is to assist in finding solutions with individ-
faith by love. Newly appointed chairmen were invited to uals who are no longer able to cope with the many societal
Spend 2 days in St. Louis, meeting with various staff mem- Pressures. Some of the problems that bring individuals to
bers to further their Preparation for District leadership. our various agencies include unwed parenthood, family con-
Quarterly mailings of informational material went to all flict, inability to get along with others, poverty, loneliness,
members of District boards. Included were sermonic helps, aging, mental and physical handicaps, housing needs, and
Papers on various social issues, programs of various Dis- many more. No one agency is able to offer solutions to all
tricts, and suggestions for activities. problems, yet more than 100 years ago some of our mem-

A recent survey (February 1973) indicated a commit- bers had the sensitivity and foresight to create agencies
ment on the part of almost ali Districts to help develop an because they believed they were “their brother's keeper.”
awareness of Social Ministry as a vital part of the church’s They developed children’s homes, family service agencies,
task and to develop plans to equip congregations for more homes for the aged, housing services, and specialized insti-
aggressive involvement. Most of the District boards have tutions that serve the mentally retarded.
conducted workshops and periodically survey their Districts The number of our “Christian social service stations,”
to identify social needs. While the majority of District boards providing human and spiritual services, include 30 family-
feel that Social Ministry is truly “a part of” their total Service agencies, 23 homes for the aged, and three specialized
ministry, one fourth have reported that they feel Social services for retardates. Many of our agencies have branch
Ministry is “apart from” the total ministry of their District. offices thereby making these services available to more peo-
They have expressed this feeling because of the lack of ple. A number of hospitals and nursing homes related to
involvement of the District, the insufficient budget to carry congregations in their area also provide much-needed health
on a real effort, and the failure of the District to under- services. These represent the present agency resources that
stand and respond to the social needs of people in their areas. are identified with our Synod,

In this same survey, District boards listed the following Agency people who are helping people include board
matters as their top priorities: (1) Help congregations estab- members whose dedication brings a wide variety of back-
lish a Board of Social Ministry, (2) Promote Project Com- rounds in the business, education, and health fields, as well
passion, (3) Combat racism, (4) Identify social needs, as parish pastors. Professional staff who administer the pro-
(5) Engage in programs for the elderly, and (6) Promote grams, have a balance of academic degrees in the behavioral
Institutional Chaplaincy Services. sciences, and the compassion that grows out of the love of

Christ. Trained volunteers provide person-to-person help,
transportation assistance, clerical aid, and involvement in
the community.

The people who “man” these offices cannot solve all the
problems or social ills but they are able to utilize their
as well as the economic and cultural patterns of the areas knowledge, expertise, and resources to help solve some of

and the different size and makeup of congregations. These the varied spiritual, social, and economic problems that have

C. Congregation People terminal illness.

Four thousand persons in our congregations have the re- Problem-solving is also shared by our 23 homes for the
sponsibility to advance Social Ministry matters. These peo- aged and the institutions for the mentally retarded. In the
ple receive a copy of Advance Magazine each month, which broad “service spectrum” there are a variety of services.
carries information from the various program boards of our These include independent living for the elderly in the
church, including Social Ministry. “How to” suggestions as community or residential settings such as apartment living
well as resource material are offered so that the congrega- to full and comprehensive nursing care.

tion might not only be the “communion of Saints,” but also

“ ”

Many of our agencies are shifting gears as they phase out
activities which no longer are urgent, and in their place
Participate in new projects of prevention. Originally, Chris-
tian welfare was almost exclusively understood to mean
institutions for people. Today we realize that a program

rongregation to recognize the needs of people and move ing in the advocate role to insure equal justice for the poor,
toward a response of love and help the hungry, and the aged. The development of good legis-

Many members, including LWML groups, youth groups, lation which is administered equitably on the local level is
and men’s groups, are actively engaged in helping people. the concern of our agencies and staff members who function
Project Compassion, our Synod’s effort to recruit and train as helping people
10,000 volunteers to share Christ and themselves in nursing Several trends have emerged over the past few years.

omes, institutions, hospitals, and among the home-bound The change in the traditional services to unmarried parents
and distressed in the communities of our land, has received and to adoptive couples have been perhaps the most dra-
increasing acceptance by our people. More than 10,000 kits, matic. In the past few years, fewer white infants have been
and instructional material for this ministry have been pro- available for adoption Many agencies who had these as
vided. Not only has every District of our Synod been in- major features in their service program have now become
volved, but requests for our material have come from most more actively involved in minority adoptions, adoption of
major denominations and from several foreign countries, older children, and children with special problems.

Many congregations have become involved in serving The growth in services for mentally retarded is seen in
their community needs by participating in day-care pro- the development of two small institutions in Texas and
grams, health services, community relations, clubs and cen- Kentucky. The size of the institution and the proximity to
ters for the elderly, nutrition programs, efforts to expand the retardate’s family will result in a better family rela-
and improve housing conditions, and projects to combat tionship. A small residential program for the retarded is
racism and to develop community awareness. An increasing also being developed at the Lutheran Social Services of
number of parishes have been looking to District boards the South at New Orleans.
for suggestions and help. A trend that applies to all agencies — family, aging, and