LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 112

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112 RESOLUTIONS

provide the sum of $15,000 to enable the Board of Social
Ministry to develop these workshops; and be it further

Resolved, That together God’s people seek to construct
and implement in congregations Christ-centered inter-
personal programs for such changes, seeking to banish
racism from the church and society; and be it finally

Resolved, That we commend the Board of Directors
for its commitment to affirmative action and acknowl-
edge its appointment of the Director of Personnel as the
Affirmative Action Officer.

Action: This resolution died since it failed to receive
action before adjournment.

(The committee replaced its tentative Res. 4-03 with Res. 4-
03A, which was debated in Session 2. The delegates substituted
“member” for “pastor” in the first resolved. Since this would
require further changes, the Secretary was asked to recast the
paragraphs of the first resolved. The convention also decided to
insert “we ask” into each of the numbered paragraphs and
approved an amendment to substitute for the last two resolveds
of Res. 4-03 the two resolves under No. 3 of Overture 4-78.
Time ran out. Discussion was resumed in Session 3. When sev-
eral other changes were offered as amendments to various por-
tions of the resolution, including that section for which reword-
ing had not yet been submitted, the convention referred this
resolution back to the committee for editing and reconsideration.
Although this reedited version appeared in Today’s Business
as Res. 4-03B, it failed to receive action before adjournment.)

To Decline to Make It
Mandatory to Specify Reasons for
the Termination of Personnel

RESOLUTION 4-04
Overtures 4-56A—4-58, 6-121 (CW, pp. 195, 353)

Preamble

Your committee observes some degree of misunder-
standing and confusion in the overtures before us for
action by the convention. It will clarify the matter some-
what if, in approaching these overtures, it is kept in
mind that Bylaws 6.53 e and 2.12 ¢ address themselves to
not renewing an employment contract for nontenured
personnel with the Synod; and Bylaws 2.12 b,6.77b & C,
and 6.79 refer to an individual who either has tenure or
who still has a period of time to serve under a contract
with a specific term.

Your committee believes that the Bylaws are ade-
quate and Christian in their provisions and procedures
when they address themselves to the removal from office
for cause of tenured personnel. .

Your committee believes the Bylaws are adequate
and Christian in their provisions and procedures when
they address themselves to the removal from office for
cause of nontenured personnel during the period of the
contract.

As a committee we would recommend the adoption of
the following as a statement for further clarification:

WHEREAS, It is possible, while not required, for an
explanation and reason to be given for the nonrenewal of
contract of a nontenured individual by the responsible
officer or board; and

WHEREAS, It is the opinion of the Synod’s legal coun-
sel that making it mandatory to provide explanations

and reasons for the nonrenewal of nontenure contracts
could involve a substantial risk of litigation; and

Wuereas, Quasi-tenure could be implied, unless a
very extensive system were worked out to prevent this, if
an individual could rebut the nonrenewal of a nontenure
contract; therefore be it

Resolved, That Overtures 4-56A, 4-56B, 4-57, 4-58
and 6-121 be respectfully declined.

Action: Adopted (8).

To Authorize Deficit Spending
for Current Expenses in 1975

RESOLUTION 4-05
Overture 4-50 (CW, p. 193)

WuereEas, The New Testament commission of our
Lord is to go out and preach and teach the Gospel to
everyone in the world; and

Wuereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
has accepted this challenge in its constitutional objec-
tives; and

WHEREAS, The 1975 commitments of our Districts and
predictions of our sundry resources totaling $24,300,000
seem to be inadequate to cover 1975 basic needs to carry
out the ongoing program of the Synod and are certainly
not the expression of our Synod’s worldwide outreach;
and

WuHerEas, Our Lord has provided us with the finan-
cial resources to meet all His challenges; and

Wuereas, The Synod remains our basic viable means
of carrying out the Great Commission by both proclama-
tion and demonstration; and

WuerEAs, The Fiscal Review Commission adopted a
$26,000,000 budget for 1975, allocating the additional
$1,700,000 as follows: $250,000 for programing exclu-
sive of Board for Higher Education and Missions,
$250,000 for Board for Higher Education, $250,000 for
Missions, $200,000 for contingency and miscellaneous,
and $750,000 for cost-of-living and merit salary in-
creases for workers retroactive to Feb. 1, 1975; and

Wuereas, Steps are being taken to maximize the
synodical income from the Districts; and

WuHeERrEas, The Stewardship Department has prepared
materials and implementation for special offerings for
synodical purposes, including other special programs;
and

WHEREAS, The Synod’s Fiscal Review Commission
instructed the Synod’s Board of Directors to operate on a
$26,000,000 budget level until July 31, 1975, to report to
the Anaheim convention on the level of 1975 giving, and
to recommend accordingly the spending level for the
balance of the fiscal year; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention at Anaheim
authorize deficit spending, if necessary, to attain the
$26,000,000 budget level, but not to exceed $500,000, the
deficit to be amortized 20% per year, for current expenses
during 1975 to meet the requirements of this budget as