LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 184

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184 ADMINISTRATION

soliciting financial support in the United States. Money given
for synodical operations shall not be used.

2. Stimulate proposals by alerting mission fields and sister
churches to the possibilities of economic activity for profit by
programs of various kinds such as seminars.

3. Determine the feasibility of each proposal submitted by
establishing good screening procedures including field visita-
tion where warranted.

4. Start only those projects where capable local leadership
is available, potential leadership is willing to be trained. and the
local church is willing to become actively involved and re-
sponsible.

5. Maintain the highest standards of Christian business
ethics in all operations and dealings.

6. Pay all taxes normally applied to profit-making enter-
prises, and do not seek exceptions because of religious affiliation.

7. Keep the size of each enterprise within reasonable limits.

8. Utilize distributable profits for church programs in that
national church or mission field where the business enterprise
is in operation.

9. Establish the objective of transferring full ownership and
operation of the enterprise to the sister church.

Ad Hoc Committee to Study Supplemental Funding
Erwin L. Paul, Chairman

Paul F. Bente Jr.

Gerhardt W. Hyatt

Richard H. Mever

Ralph Petering

Walter Rugland

Jay Pfotenhauer

A, Lorenz Grumm

4-14

Report re Lutheran Church— Canada

This report is being written immediately following the 16th
regular convention of Lutheran Church — Canada.

Since our last report to the Synod traced the background
and development of LC—C (New Orleans, Workbook. pp. 180—
82), it hardly seems necessary to review that history again.
Instead we shall proceed immediately to highlight the various
activities of LC—C’'s activity and note a number of significant
actions arising out of our convention.

I. Consultation and Coordination: LCIC

Lutheran Council in Canada was organized in 1966 as a co-
operative agency of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Can-
ada, Lutheran Church in America~Canada Section, and
Lutheran Church - Canada.

One of the most obvious reasons for forming a cooperative
agency is to provide a forum for consultation and coordination.
Lutheran Council serves that function well, especially through
the regional structures that are constituted under its various
divisions of service. Not only are we avoiding unnecessary
duplication of effort, manpower, and money: we are also buying
expertise in the five men who serve us as executive staff. That
does not mean that we should approach Council with the ex-
pectation that this is a cheaper way of doing things. Rather we
should feel assured that wherever joint planning and coordina-
tion is possible, we are exercising responsible stewardship and
doing more with the limited resources we have.

And resources are limited! Council's operation, especially
in the past few years, has been severely handicapped by
recurring financial restrictions imposed by shortages in the
Synod's grants to LC-—C for our pro-rata share of LCIC's
budget. Under normal circumstances this can serve a whole-
some purpose in that it forces us to evaluate the work of the
various divisions as well as the overall structures in the interest
of more efficient ways of carrying out the tasks we have agreed
to do together. Several years ago a thorough study resulted in
a rather extensive overhaul of Council's operation. More
recently another subcommittee examined our philosophy of
social ministry and effected the reordering of some priorities
in that division. And again at the last annual meeting the Execu-
tive Committee was instructed to find ways of operating under

a budget reduced even further by the serious shortfall in the
Synod’s 1975 grant to LC—C for our partnership in Council.
All of which prompted the delegates at our April 1—3, 1975,
convention of LC-C to pass the following motion (2-04):

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod has al-
ways encouraged the development of Lutheranism in Canada:
and

WHEREAS, Lutheran Church — Canada recognizes the impor-
tance of the work of Lutheran Council in Canada and its divi-
sions: and

WHEREAS, This work is severely handicapped to the extent
that some divisions cannot even exist or function because of the
lack of financial support: therefore be it

Resolved. That Lutheran Church—Canada petition the
Board of Directors of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
to give special consideration to the work of Lutheran Council
in Canada: and be it further

Resolved. That Lutheran Church—Canada petition the
Board of Directors of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod,
if at all possible, to honour the amount of money requested by
Lutheran Church—Canada for participation in the work of
Lutheran Council in Canada.

II. Strengthening the Ties: Fellowship with the ELCC

In his official greetings to our LC—C convention Dr. S. T.
Jacobson, President of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of
Canada, expressed appreciation and gratitude for the fellow-
ship his church enjoys with The Lutheran Church-— Missouri
Synod (Denver, 3-16). This, he said. has created a new climate
of trust, making possible the realignment of parishes, shared
ministries, and other joint endeavours. Our own leaders agree
that fellowship between our churches, especially in western
Canada, has been a blessing to the overall mission of the church.
We therefore share Dr. Jacobson’s hope that our relationships
will continue to grow and that our many contacts will be mutually
strengthening.

III. Toward Full Fellowship and One Canadian Lutheran
Church: JCILR

The Joint Commission on Inter-Lutheran Relationships is
the committee constituted by the unity committees of the three
Lutheran churches in Canada to pursue the quest for consensus,
fellowship, and merger. The JCILR is the result of a long history
of discussions that began in the late ‘50s as “exploratory conver-
sations” and gradually assumed more official status throughout
the 60s as discussions focused on altar and pulpit fellowship.

As of 1973 thse discussions have turned in the direction of
negotiations aimed at merger into one independent Lutheran
Church in Canada. Both Lutheran Chureh—Canada and the
Lutheran Church in America—Canada Section have accepted
the invitation of the ELCC to enter negotiations toward eventual
merger. Simultaneous with these merger discussions is the quest
for altar and pulpit fellowship between LCA—CS and Lutheran
Church —Canada. A ‘Plan of Action” has been adopted setting
forth the step-by-step procedures required in the pursuit of
fellowship and merger. A Theological Committee has been hard
at work preparing Theses on the Scriptures, statements on Con-
fessional Subscription, the Mission of the Church, and Theses on
Inter-Church Relations. Still to come are studies on the Role of
Women in the Church, Anti-Christian Ideologies, Unionism and
Ecumenical Relations. Another committee on Function and
Form has been charged with the task of translating the mission
of the church into shape and structure. That will be followed at
a later date by a Committee on Constitutions. Two other sub-
committees have been appointed, the one to study seminary
training and theological education, the other to give attention
to other church-related colleges and institutes.

At last year’s conventions of the respective jurisdictional
units of all three churches (Districts and Synods) forums on
Lutheran unity were held, followed by an opinion poll dis-
tributed to the delegates. The findings of that poll make it clear
that while there is an awareness of certain issues requiring fur-
ther attention, the membership of our churches is strongly in
favour of a united Canadian Lutheran church. The mandate is
clear, and it calls for our most earnest endeavours as we strive