LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 17

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_______ 7a

MISSIONS 17

Regrettably, the Hong Kong mission in the last year experl-
enced a split. The board is giving attention to this in the hope
that a reconciliation may be effected.

The seminary in Hong Kong has a notable program of train-
ing men and women for various services in the church. Those
who wish to be pastors must be capable of earning a living in
a “secular” job, so that the congregations may become self-
supporting.

The Hong Kong International School, a separate project in
this Crown Colony, is serving about 1,200 children and young
people from kindergarten through grade 12. The Church of All
Nations — Lutheran, which has its worship center in the school,
continues to serve people from many nationalities with worship
services in English.

India

The India Evangelical Lutheran Church (organized 1958) is
a union of three synods in the South India states of Kerala,
Madras, and Mysore and in Bombay.

The wide geographic separation of congregations provides
scope for evangelism and expansion, and a growth of 2,500 mem-
bers is a goal set for 1975. The church's plans include evangelism
projects, literature programs, medical and health ministries,
social welfare programs, seminary and teacher training, lay
training, and other educational programs.

In 1974 the missionary staff consisted of 19 missionary units
engaged in virtually every phase of work of the church including
special outreach in the radio, film, and rally programs of the
Christian Arts and Communications Service, the Henry Martin
Institute of Islamic Studies, and the Inter-Church Service
Agency.

Japan

The Japan Lutheran Church was organized in 1968, 20 years
after the beginning of LCMS mission work in Japan. Its two
larger high schools at Hanno and Urawa are well known. A
theological training program is centered in Tokyo. A very strong
radio mission that includes correspondence courses is financed
and operated by the International Lutheran Laymen’s League.

The church's goals for 1975 include: implementation of anew
clergy assignment system, encouraging congregations too small
or weak to qualify singly for assignment of a clergyman to set up
dual parish arrangements, merge with their neighbors, or get on
a mutual help basis with a stronger neighbor: removal of all
remaining missionaries from direct single-parish pastoral
duties and establishment of a system of zone or block cooperat-
ing missionaries: promotion of mission study teams under the
direction of the General Secretary for Missions, particularly
with regard to further developing the talents of pastors in
leadership and motivation for evangelism: strengthening of
theological education, with allocation of personnel and financial
resources, quality improvement, and closer cooperation be-
tween the churches and the theological training program.

Korea

The Lutheran Church in Korea was organized in 1971, some
13 years after the first missionaries arrived. Its programs are
planned by committees and carried out under policies and
directives established by the church in annual general assembly.
Special plans for 1975 include: construction of a multiministry
center for implementation of special ministries; establishment
of a second congregation in Pusan: construction of church
facilities for the Yong Dong Po and Pusan congregations: re-
evaluation of the theological education program and overall
mass media ministries: and developing a financial structure to
carry out a master plan aimed at establishing new work.

Papua New Guinea

The Wabag Lutheran Church, a result of the mission endeav-
ors of the LCMS in Papua New Guinea, was organized in 1960
and is active in the Enga, Western Highlands, and Southern
Highlands districts.

The WLC is very conscious of its autonomy, selfhood, and
responsibility. It continually sees its task in the light of people
who still have to be won to Jesus Christ whether they reside in
Papua New Guinea or other parts of the world.

The WLC is engaged in evangelism and missionary outreach,
communications, Scripture translation, medicine and health,
economic development, agriculture, pastor and teacher training,

stewardship education, elementary and secondary education,
and youth work.
Philippines

The Lutheran Church in the Philippines is active on the
islands of Luzon, Mindanao, Cebu, and Leyte.

It provides about 50% of its own financial support. Leader-
ship is being nationalized.

During 1974 Dr. A. A. Carino, pioneer LCMS missionary to
the Philippines, retired from service. Arriving in July 1946,
he was active in almost every area of church work. He served
for a time as president of the church and also president of the
National Christian Council of the Philippines. He was quite
active in developing the agreement relative to Baptism that
exists between the Roman Catholic and the Lutheran churches
in the Philippines. He continues to live in his native land and
advance several programs of spiritual benefit to his people.

The LCP has projected its future thus: an evangelistic pro-
gram with several congregations under the care of one semi-
nary-graduate pastor with lay workers of the congregation en-
couraged to greater activity in spreading the Good News to a
wider territory: a mass-communications program using radio,
television, and the printed page. The print outreach would
include continuance of The Philippine Lutheran, reproducing
and marketing Christian literature, and making Bible corre-
spondence courses available.

Other programs include medical and health, social welfare
and economic development, education (seminary, parish and
elementary schools), and back-country airfield maintenance.
This last enables church workers to reach areas that are other-
wise well-nigh inaccessible.

Sri Lanka

Work in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) began in Colombo. In the
past decade increasing attention is being given to tea estates
in the “‘up-country.” It is planned to begin work in another tea
estate in 1975. A 5% membership growth is expected.

Taiwan

In Taiwan (Formosa) the China Evangelical Lutheran
Church has been working for more than 20 years. Beyond
direct evangelistic efforts, mission outreach also is being done
through the Lutheran Hour Bible Correspondence School,
Truth magazine, Lutheran Hour, Concordia Middle School,
Lutheran Television, five kindergartens, and five deaf work
programs.

Consultation

In July 1974 the seven Asian churches related to the LCMS
came together in Hong Kong to discuss common problems and
plans. A second session, attended by the presidents, was held
in Tokyo in March 1975. Various phases of interchurch relations
occupied most of the discussion time.

Europe
Denmark

In Denmark seven congregations with a total baptized
membership of 165 are served by one pastor who travels be-
tween 200 and 375 miles every Sunday for services in three or
four places.

The chief hope for 1975 is the calling and placing of a second
pastor in order that services can be held weekly in each church,
so that members would be able to invite friends to regular
services.

England — Evangelical Lutheran Church of England

In England the Evangelical Lutheran Church of England has
14 congregations and two missions. A theological training pro-
gram is conducted at its seminary at Westfield House, Cam-
bridge, which marked a historic event last year with the gradua-
tion of the first English theological students. The ELCE is intent
to fulfill its master plan, which aims at self-support by 1985 and
also sets goals for new congregations and membership increases.

This church maintains good communications internally and
with the outside world through The British Lutheran.

England — Polish Church in Exile

Only one part of the Polish Lutheran Church in Exile is
subsidized by The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod: 38 con-