LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 448

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448

ume or part-time executives for evangelism, or to as-
sign the area of evangelism to one of its other full-time
executives;

c. That the Districts be directed to use a circuit or
regional organization, with both a pastor and a lay per-
son in each circuit or region as their evangelism repre-
sentatives, and to provide specific programs and materi-
als for the circuit or region: and

d. That the congregations assign evangelism to a
specific committee, or evangelism director where they
can not have a committee, and that the District and cir-
cult representative be in close contact with the commit-
tee chairman or evangelism director, providing his
materials and personal training and motivation for win-
ning and integrating new members into each congrega-
tion's life and work.

To Budget for International Congress
on World Evangelism
in Lausanne, Switzerland

RESOLUTION 8-10
Report 8-01 (CW, pp. 307—311)

Resolved, That an additional $10,000 be included in
the 1974 budget for the Board for Evangelism to assist
youth, lay, and clergy representatives of the Synod to
attend the International Congress on World Evangelism
in Lausanne, Switzerland. in July, 1974.

To Decline Overtures Supporting
Capital Punishment

RESOLUTION 9.14
Overtures 9-17, 9-18 (CW, p. 323)

Wuereas, The recent Supreme Court decision pro-
vides for discretionary leg.slation on the part of each
state in the matter of capital punishment, which legis-
lation may vary from state to state: and

Wuereas, This entire matter gives rise to complex
social and theological implications: therefore be it

Resolved. That individual Christians throughout the
Synod be guided by Christian knowledge and con-
science when making judgments regarding capital pun-
ishment: and be it further

Resolved, That because of the many implications
surrounding this issue we ask the Commission on Social
Concerns to prepare and disseminate guidelines de-
signed to assist our membership in making these judg -
ments, and be it finally

Resolved, That we respectfully decline Overtures
9-17 and 9-18.

To Decline Overture on Additional
Participation in Rebuilding Vietnam

RESOLUTION 9-15
Overture 9-21 (CW, p. 324)

Wuereas, Government and private agencies, includ-
ing the church's agencies of world relief, are already
involved in significant efforts to alleviate the sufferings
of the people in Vietnam and may become involved to
@ greater extent in the future: therefore be it

Resolved. That Overture 9-21 be respectfully de-
clined.

To Reaffirm the Social Ministry Affirmations
RESOLUTION 9-18
Overtures 9.24, 9.25 (CW, p. 325)

Wuereas, The Social Ministry Affirmations adopted
by the Synod at its 1971 convention at Milwaukee state
that “the church has only one ministry, centered in
Word and Sacraments”: and

WHEREAS, “The Statement on Principles of Social
Action, with special reference to corporate positions”
adopted by the Synod at its 1969 convention in Denver
States that this ministry “must be to the whole man
and even to the whole society of men": therefore be it

Resolved, That the Social Ministry Affirmations
adopted by the Synod at its 1971 convention in Milwau-
kee be reaffirmed: and be it further

Resolved, That Overtures 9-24 and 9-25 be respect-
fully declined.

REFERRED RESOLUTIONS

To Support Community and Economic
Programs
RESOLUTION 9.19
Overture 9-26 (CW, pp. 325—326)

Wuereas, Central city and rural communities fre-
quently suffer serious handicaps because of low income
levels, unemployment, substandard housing, substand-
ard education, inadequate recreational facilities, lack of
community-owned businesses, etc.: and

Wuereas, Christians are called to minister to the
total needs of the total man: therefore be it

Resolved, That the Board of Social Ministry and
World Relief provide resource and encouragement to
District social ministry committees to survey commun-
ity and economic needs both in central city and rural
areas and stimulate action whereby self-help develop-
ment programs may be initiated either by Districts, cir-
cuits, clusters, or individual congregations: and be it
further

Resolved, That. where needed, seed-money funds be
made available to assist these depressed areas in effect-
ing improved living standards: and be it finally

Resolved. That wherever possible these efforts be
developed and implemented together with other inter-
ested church and or community groups.

To Provide Scholarships for Clinical
Pastoral Education and to Express
Appreciation to Wheat Ridge
for Its Support

RESOLUTION 9.21
Overture 9-30 (CW, p. 327)

Wuereas, Wheat Ridge Foundation has been a tre-
mendous blessing to our church in helping to develop
unique Gospel ministries in areas of special need that
are relevant to the times and needs: and

Wuergas, It is the policy of Wheat Ridge Foundation
to demonstrate the value of a Program so that the
church might then continue it: and

Wuereas, Wheat Ridge Foundation has generously
helped stimulate a higher quality of institutional chap-
laincy services over the past 9 years by supplying $91.-
218 to 62 qualified applicants through the Chaplaincy
Service Committee of the Board of Social Ministry and
World Relief, and this has proven to be an important
part of the Gospel ministry to God’s world and to His
people: therefore be it

Resolved, That Synod express its gratitude to Wheat
Ridge Foundation and to God for Wheat Ridge, Founda-
tion in having moved the church to produce a more
understanding and relevant Gospel ministry through
the institutional chaplain: and be it further

Resolved, That beginning in the next biennium,
Synod subsidize the Clinical Pastoral Education Scholar-
ship Program for pastors, deaconesses, and seminarians
interested and qualified for institutional ministry, in the
amount of $7,500 per year so that Wheat Ridge can apply
its resources to other areas of special need tor creative
and unique ministry.

To Reconsider Repudiation
of “Christian News”
RESOLUTION 11-07
Overture 11-21 (CW. p. 355)

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod ask the Council of Presidents of The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod to reconsider its repudiation
of Christian News.

To Minimize the Effects of Smoking
at Conventions

RESOLUTION 11-08
Overture 11-10 (CW. p. 352)

Wuereas, As brothers and sisters in Christ we should
be vitally concerned with the health of one another,
including as a part of our concern abstaining from that
which may be detrimental to others: and

Wuereas. Delegates to our conventions, conferences,

etc.. could be both nonsmokers and allergic to tobacco
smoke: therefore be it

Resolved, That all smokers are urged to use good
Judgment as individuals in this matter and respect the
concern and comfort of others in order to minimize the
effects of smoking at conventions.

To Refer Overture 11-15 to the
Council of Presidents

RESOLUTION 11-09
Overture 11-15 (CW, pp. 352—353)
Wuereas, Synodical Bylaws Section 2.112 provides
for the use of vocational redirection: therefore be it
Resolved, That Overture 11-15 be referred to the

Council of Presidents for their consideration within
these existing synodical Bylaws.

To Refer Overture 11-11
to Convention Planning Committee
RESOLUTION 11-10
Overture 11-11 (CW, p. 352)

Wuereas, The concerns expressed in Overture 11-11
require consideration during the planning stages of a
convention: be it

Resolved, That Overture 11-11 be referred to the

convention planning committee for review and imple-
mentation as feasible

To Practice Love, Expedite Convention
Business, Grant Equal Opportunity,
Provide Equal Opportunity of Debate,
Invite Guests to Attend and Address
RESOLUTION 11-11
Overtures 11-05, 11-06, 11-07, 11-08, 11-09 (CW, pp, 351—

352)

WHEREAS, Great concern has been expressed in the
referenced overtures with regard to varied aspects of
convention decorum: therefore be it

Resolved, To refer Overtures 11-05, 11-06, 11-07,
11-08, 11-09 to the synodical Board of Directors: and be
it further

Resolved, That the Board of Directors review these
matters in light of the Statement on Ethics and estab-
lished convention procedures and implement them with
Tespect to future conventions: and be it finally

Resolved, That the chair of this convention make
note of their applicability to this convention,

To Establish Realistic Salaries for Pastors
RESOLUTION 11-12
Overture 11-29 (CW, p. 357)

Wuereas, The Milwaukee convention Tequested all
Districts to set up salary guidelines (Res. 11-06, Con-
vention Proceedings, 1971, p. 207): and

Wuergas, All Districts have apparently not estab-
lished this plan; and

Wuereas, The establishment of equitable salaries for
church workers is a matter which should demand their
immediate attention; therefore be it

Resolved, That all Districts be encouraged to imple-
ment fully and without delay Milwaukee resolution
11-06; and be it further

Resolved, That the LC-MS in convention assembled
in New Orleans, 1973, urge all congregations to use
these guidelines so as to provide adequately for the
needs of their pastors and teachers.

To Clarify the Theological Stance
of Candidates for Calls in
The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
RESOLUTION 11-13
Overtures 11-12, 11-13 (CW, pp. 352—353)
Wuereas, The Lord of the church, through the in-

spired prophet Jeremiah, declares “He who has My
Word let him speak My Word faithfully.” “I am against