Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1975 · 51st Convention › Page 62
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 62

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

62 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

2, Educational Materials

Ten of the Synod’s agencies dealing with the creation of
educational materials, radio and TV programs, and church
periodicals were sent questionnaires relative to the involvement
of women in their work. From the seven responses it was
learned that, though women were involved in varying degrees,
ranging from 20 to 40%, they are primarily involved in the area
of materials for the younger age groups, with very little involve-
ment at the administrative level. Some conscious effort is being
made, however, to produce materials that present a positive
image of women.

F. Relationships Established with Similar Groups

Communication with counterparts of the task force in the
ALC and LCA has been established. A representative of the
LCA Consulting Committee on Women in Church and Society
addressed the task force in November. An invitation to attend
an LCA meeting in April 1975 has been received and accepted.
The chairperson of the task force attended the initial meeting
of the Commission on Women in Ministry — National Council
of Churches as an observer.

HI. Task Force Goals and Plans for the 1975—77 Biennium

The task force has set the following goals and strategies
for the coming biennium:

Goal A: Establishment and implementation of guidelines
for church publications to avoid sexism and to provide a
wide variety of “models” of women in ministry.

Strategies to Achieve Goal A
1. Preliminary review and evaluation of images of women in
LCMS curricular materials and periodicals.

2. Preparation of guidelines, in cooperation with BPE staff,
on images of women and men presented.

3. Churchwide distribution of these guidelines to District
and synodical staffs for their referral and implementation.

Goal B: Increased representation of women in decision-
making bodies and staff positions in all levels of the church.

Strategies to achieve Goal B:

1. Further distribution and interpretation of the data gath-
ered this biennium on the involvement of women at various
levels in the church.

2. Expansion of the resource bank of qualified women avail-
able for appointment and election to boards and commissions
and to staff positions.

3. Follow-up surveys of the involvement of women at various
levels in the church. If possible, these are to be made part of the
annual synodical statistical-gathering process.

Goal C: Fuller implementation by church agencies and
elected leadership of the existing policies regarding equal
opportunity for women.

Strategies to achieve Goal C

1. Wider publication of existing policies through synodical
and District church publications.

2. Periodic consultations with various representatives of
the church’s leadership.

Goal D: Continued interchange with corresponding women’s
task force groups in ALC, LCA, and other denominations.
Strategies to achieve Goal D
1. Sharing of materials, goals, etc.
2. Periodic representation at each other's meetings.
Goal E: Promotion at all levels of the church of educational

and theological study on the role of women in the church
and society.

Strategies to achieve Goal E

1. Continued educational and theological study by the CTCR
and the task force.

2. Gathering and development of written, audiovisual,
and “people” resources on the role of women in the church
(for conferences at seminaries, District pastoral conferences,
etc.}.

3. In conjunction with the LWML, initiation of workshops on
the local level where women can share and consider together
their full potentialities, responsibilities, and needs.

4. Periodic consultations and/or workshop sessions with
various spheres of the church’s leadership.

IV. Recommendations of the Task Force to the Convention

A. That the convention —

1) authorize the Task Force to continue for another biennium
since it has only just begun its work:

2) endorse the task force’s goals and plans for the coming
biennium:

3) call on the task force to make its report of findings and
recommendations to the 1977 convention.

B. That the following Bylaw changes be made by the Synod:

1. That the Synod grant advisory delegate status to the
presidents of the LLL and the LWML at synodical conventions
by adopting the following addition to the Bylaws of the Synod:

1.61 Other Advisory Representatives

g. The presidents of the LWML and LLL-or their
representatives—shall attend the synodical conven-
tions as advisory delegates.

2. That Bylaw 2.141 c regarding the solicitation of suggestions
for candidates for synodical boards, commissions, etc., be
changed as follows:

PRESENT WORDING

c. The Committee for Convention Nominations
shall solicit from the District Presidents, District
Boards of Directors, Circuit Counselors, and other
likely sources names of men who are regarded as
suitable candidates for election to the various offices,
boards, and commissions of the Synod. Qualifications
of each candidate suggested are to be submitted
together with the names.

PROPOSED WORDING

c. The Committee for Convention Nominations
shall solicit from the District Presidents, District Boards
of Directors, Circuit Counselors, and other likely
sources names of men and women who are regarded as
suitable candidates for election to the various offices,
boards, and commissions of the Synod. Qualifications
of each candidate suggested are to be submitted
together with the names.

3. That Bylaw 1.61 d regarding advisory representation at
conventions for foreign mission areas be revised as follows:

PRESENT WORDING

d. Each foreign mission area, as defined and estab-
lished from time to time by the Board for Missions,
may be represented at a synodical convention by
advisory delegates from within the mission area who
are on furlough at the time of the convention. They
shall be elected at such times and in such manner as
the board shall prescribe, at the rate of one delegate
for each ten male missionaries (or major fraction
thereof) within such mission area: provided, however,
that each mission area shall be entitled to at least one
delegate.

PROPOSED WORDING

d. Each foreign mission area, as defined and estab-
lished from time to time by the Board for Missions,
may be represented at a synodical convention by
advisory delegates from within the mission area who
are on furlough at the time of the convention. They