LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 159

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RESOLUTIONS 159

To Provide for Stewardship
Education and Cultivation

RESOLUTION 7-11

Overture 7-32; Report 4-08, II (CW, pp. 392, 171—172)

WuerEAsS, The value and necessity of stewardship as
a congregational program and ministry is not fully ac-
cepted by every congregation; and

Wuereas, Stewardship as a ministry is a way of
looking at life and all its resources as gifts from God to
be used in His mission; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod urge that a stewardship
committee or its equivalent be established in those con-
gregations that do not have such a functioning group (Cf.
Handbook 15.15 Congregational Boards); and be it
further

Resolved, That the congregational stewardship com-
mittees be activated to provide plans, leadership, and
funding for an ongoing ministry embracing the total
stewardship of the Christian life; and be it further

Resolved, That congregations be encouraged to invite
District stewardship leaders to meet with them to coun-
sel and aid them in planning and implementing a year-
round stewardship program; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod’s Stewardship Department,
assisted by the Board of Parish Education, intensify its
efforts to produce quality stewardship-cultivation materi-
als for congregations (e.g., Bible studies, stewardship top-
ics and sermons, materials for children and youth); and
be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod be urged to make available
sufficient funding for these intensified efforts.

Action: Adopted (9).

To Encourage Every-Member Visit
RESOLUTION 7-12
Overture 7-33; Report 4-08, II ( CW, pp. 392, 171—172)

Wuereas, The Every-Member Stewardship Visit has
proved to be an effective plan for strengthening the
members of a congregation by —

1. winning them for a deeper commitment of their
lives to Christ and His cause by strengthening the bonds
of Christian fellowship;

2. acquainting them with the God-given purposes of a
Christian congregation;

3. developing lay leadership to promote more effec-
tively “our Father’s business”;

4. cultivating the grace of proportionate giving and
encouraging the members to provide Christ-honoring
gifts adequate for the total mission both at home and
around the world; and

Wuereas, Studies (North American Inter-Church
Study) indicate that congregations which conduct tradi-
tional every-member stewardship visits each year find
that their family units give from $190 to $290 more per
year than those that do not use an EMSV: and

Wuereas, Many congregations are using abbreviated
and less effective methods of confrontation; therefore be
it

Resolved, That our congregations be encouraged to
reevaluate their past methodology and consider using the
“person to person” EMSV approach at least every other
year; and be it further

Resolved, That during the next biennium the Synod’s
Department of Stewardship encourage and assist District
Stewardship Boards to conduct area EMSV seminars to
enable them to be more effective in this approach; and be
it further

Resolved, That congregations be encouraged to allo-
cate sufficient funds and personnel to avail themselves of
the materials and training provided by the stewardship
staff of the Synod and its Districts; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod be urged to allocate suffi-
cient funds to the Board of Stewardship to make possible
the production of such materials and the conducting of
these seminars.

Action: Adopted (9)

To Encourage Use of Family
Money-Management Program
RESOLUTION 7-13
Overture-7-34; Report 4-08, II (C W, pp. 393, 171—172)

Wuereas, Family Financial (Money) Management is
designed to enable Christian people to live more mean-
ingfully and joyfully under the Gospel in managing their
tangible wealth; and

Wuereas, People of all ages are confronted with
money management; and

Wuereas, “Making ends meet” is one of the major
social problems in North America; and

WHEREAS, Personal bankruptcies in the US. are in-
creasing at a very high rate; and

Wuereas, Family financial planning is essential to
the economic survival of the family; and

Wuereas, Secular wisdom and skills in family finan-
cial planning are considered in context with Christian
value systems and family solidarity; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod urge congregations to en-
courage families and single adults of the LCMS to avail
themselves of the money-management program sponsored
by District and synodical leaders and other agencies.

Action: Adopted (9)

To Reaffirm the Synod’s
Process of Doctrinal Review
RESOLUTION 7-14

Overtures 7-18A—7-18E, 7-24—7-26, 7-30A—7-30B
(CW, pp. 389—392)
Wuereas, A primary objective of the Synod is “the

conservation and promotion of the unity of the true
faith” (Constitution, Art. III, 1); and