LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 408

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SPECIAL AND SUNDRY MATTERS 409

date of closing, and after 50 years from the date of
closing with the consent of the synodical President.

3. To Thank the LLL for Microfilm Support

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Laymen’s League has rendered
financial support to the Concordia Historical Institute for its
photoduplication and microfilm program for 20 consecutive
years; and

WHEREAS, This support alone has enabJed the Institute to
develop the largest single collection of Lutheran microfilm and
photoduplicated resources, consisting of 1,405 rolls of film repre-
senting over 1 million pages of text; therefore be it

Resolved. That this 51st convention of The Lutheran Church
~— Missouri Synod express the Synod’s gratitude to the Lutheran
Laymen’s League and all its members for 20 years of support
to the synodical archives, the Concordia Historical Institute;
and be it further

Resolved. That this convention encourage the Lutheran Lay-
men’s League to continue its support to the Institute in its
efforts to preserve Lutheran documents, literature, and histori-
cal resources, thereby enabling future generations to examine
the history of Lutheranism in one location.

Conclusion

Richard Bartlett (1792—1837), New Hampshire Secretary

of State, emphasized the importance of public archives this way:
“To provide for the safe and perfect keeping of the public archives,
is so obviously one of the first and most imperative duties of a legis-
lature, that no argument could make it plainer to a reflecting mind. ...
Everything which can be procured by money sinks to insignificance
in comparison to the original records of the state. .. .’’ Archives
are “of so priceless a value, that no money could purchase them of
the poorest state of the union, or replace them once destroyed.”
(Richard G. Wood, “Richard Bartlett, Minor Archival Prophet,”
American Archivist. XVII [January 1954], 14-15)

Church archives are no less priceless. They may even be
more so, especially if they are people-centered.

The Institute is people-centered. It files the resources left
by people —our antecedents and our contemporaries. These re-
sources in turn are consulted by people for the benefit of people.
And all this is done to help demonstrate our Lord’s magnificent
blessings through the Gospel.

Gerhardt Kramer, President
Otto A. Dorn, Vice-President
Frederick Nohl, Secretary
Harry L. Smith, Treasurer
Aug. R. Suelflow, Director

9-03

Report of Black Centennial Committee

The resolution ‘To Recognize 100th Anniversary of Ministry
Among Black Brothers” (Res. 11-22, New Orleans convention)
was part of the unfinished business referred in Res. 4-47 to the
Board of Directors for action.

The Board of Directors approved Resolution 11-22, which
called for the following actions:

1. That the Synod proclaim the year 1977 for a synodical
celebration of the Black Centennial.

2. That the synodical President, in consultation with the
director, Department of Archives, Concordia Historical Institute,
and the chairman of the Black Pastors’ Caucus appoint a special
Centennial Committee which should do the following:

a. Concretize a program whereby the church may be moved
to repentance for missed opportunities and offer gratitude for
the blessings of God over the years;

b. Challenge the Synod to set positive goals for internal
and external growth for the decade of the eighties;

c. Present the particular problems of black congregations
before the Synod in an ongoing manner;

d. Advise the President of the Synod in the establishment of
a massive recruitment program for minorities for the intensifica-
tion of our ministry among all ethnic minority groupings.

The Board of Directors approved the above resolution and

referred it to the synodical President for action. President
J. A. O. Preus, after proper consultation, appointed the following
persons: J. G. Lavalais, William Griffen, DeWitt Robinson, P. R.
Hunt, Albert Pero, Howard Foard, Kermit Ratcliffe, Willis
Wright, Simon Bodley, August Suelflow, and Richard Dickinson.

Since its appointment the committee has met twice as of this
report. The major thrust of business for the committee has been
to concretize a program for the Black Centennial that will edify,
inspire, and challenge the full Synod to give thanks to God for
His mercy, praise Him for His loving-kindness, and serve Him
in the cause of more effective Kingdom building.

Major consensus points reached by the committee and
recommended to the convention are the following:

1. That the Black Centennial be observed by the entire
Synod;

2. That the celebration extend over a full year;

3. That the celebration be put into motion at the synodical
convention in 1977;

4. That the publicity and promotion for the celebration begin
at the Anaheim convention in 1975:

5. That there be a scroll and proclamation of the event issued
by the President of the Synod;

6. That the centennial celebration have an emblem, theme,
and motto;

7. That the history of the involvement of The Lutheran
Church-— Missouri Synod in ministry to blacks in the U. S. be
collected and written from the black perspective;

8. That the centennial celebration at the ’77 convention
include a full service with a black pastor delivering the sermon;

9. That literature and other materials be proposed and pro-
duced to aid in local celebrations of this event;

10. That there be a Synodwide thankoffering in connection
with the celebration, the proceeds to be used for recruitment
and financial assistance to black professional and prospective
black church workers.

J. G. Lavalais, Chairman
R. C. Dickinson, Secretary

9-04

Report of American Bicentennial
Committee

The American Bicentennial Committee was appointed by the
synodical Board of Directors in pursuance of New Orleans
Resolution 11-06 (Proceedings. 1973, p. 214). It asked “to enable
our church body to participate with Christian propriety and
dignity in this great historical commemoration.”

The committee, serving as a catalyst and coordinator of
synodical departmental plans and programs, has met with 20
executive secretaries, heads of departments and agencies of
the Synod to discuss their possible plans for participation in
this observance. The committee will continue to attempt to
stimulate, encourage, and provide assistance on all synodical
levels to prepare a meaningful observance of the nation’s 200th
birthday. Information has been channeled and will continue to
be disseminated to the respective synodical levels where it may
be useful, as well as to all synodical schools, day schools, and
Sunday schools.

The committee is preparing worship materials in order to
offer a variety of orders of worship services, some dating back
to the colonial Lutheran period, some of a contemporary type,
some of a traditional character, and still others of an innovative
nature geared to the Synod’s youth. A parish packet will also
contain a collection of appropriate hymns and prayers plus
resource references.

The committee assisted the synodical President in issuing a
proclamation at the Anaheim convention, urging all of the mem-
bers of The Lutheran Church~- Missouri Synod within the con-
fines of the United States of America to participate in the
historic commemoration of our nation’s birth. A symbol and
theme have been prepared for use during the ongoing cele-
bration, beginning in September 1975 and continuing through
1976. The banner to be displayed during the convention was
also prepared to note the religious aspect of our celebration.