LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1979, Page 51

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MINUTES OF THE CONVENTION 51

members of the board who had served faithfully and
well.

Task Force

Because of the matter of excommunication referred
to in the Constitution article proposed by Res. 2-06 (TB
71—72) and the lack of clarity associated with the
wording of the proposed article, the delegates agreed
with the committee through the adoption of Res. 2-06A
(TB 315) to refer this matter to the new Task Force for
study in consultation with the Commission on Constitu-
tional Matters and the Commission of Adjudication. By
adopting Res. 2-16 (7B315) the delegates joined the floor
committee in expressing their gratitude to the Task
Force for the work which had been done. With the
adoption of this resolution the work of the floor commit-
tee was declared to be complete

Program Implementation

Responding to action taken in the previous session,
the Floor Committee on Program Implementation pre-
sented a resolution to the delegates calling for the
funding of faculty salary increases. After agreeing to
add the words “and directed”’ after the words “‘author-
ized’’ in the first resolved, the convention adopted the
following resolution (Res. 12-13) as amended:

Resolved, That the Board of Directors be authorized and
directed to allocate $700,000 to the Board for Higher
Education specifically for faculty salaries (Dallas 6-02),
effective July 1, 1979; and be it further

Resolved, That we ask congregations to increase contri-
butions for this purpose; and be it further

Resolved, That we ask colleges and seminaries to
review their fiscal practices to help support this need; and
be it further

Resolved, That this convention authorize the Board of
Directors to borrow funds for this purpose if necessary; and
be it finally

Resolved, That borrowing for this resolution be ex-
cluded from the Dallas resolution limiting deficit spending
for calendar 1979.

Announcement

At this point it was announced that an offering
received for the delegate whose van had been stolen
reached a total of $2,047.08. The delegate, James Puttler,
thanked the delegates for this offering and stated that
any funds remaining after needs had been met would be
used for seed money for a preschool and kindergarten in
his congregation.

Social Ministry

Discussion of Res. 8-07 (TB 148), which had been
begun in a previous session, was resumed. This resolu-
tion, which called for updating the Bylaws regarding
social concerns and welfare to include contemporary
terminology in this area, was adopted as presented by
the committee. After adding the words “or engage
pastoral counselors” between the words “services” and
“in” in line 27 (Res. 8-08, TB 149) and after brief
discussion, the resolution was adopted, changing By-
law 13.02 to include the functions and duties of pastoral
counselors. Strong support for the establishment of

social ministry boards in Districts and in the parishes
was reaffirmed in the adoption by the delegates of Res.
8-10 (TB 150), and parishes were urged to utilize the
brochure “Christ and Social Ministry,” prepared by the
Board of Social Ministry and World Relief, in any way
which would inform and inspire them to be better
equipped for service to Christ and His people (Res. 8-11,
TB 151). After agreeing by common consent to change
the word “humanizing”’ to “reforming” in line 24 (TB
256) and declining an amendment which would have
added lines 3—26 (TB 147) as two additional resolveds,
as well as an amendment which would have added as
point 9 in one of these resolveds the words “abolish
capital punishment,” the delegates adopted Res. 8-04A
(TB 256). This resolution encouraged a concern for
criminal justice and asked the Board of Social Ministry
and World Relief, with the assistance of other program
boards, to design activities which would be helpful in
the American criminal justice system, incorporating
concerns for this matter from a Biblical point of view in
informational brochures prepared jointly by that board
and the Board of Parish Education. After agreeing to
add as a third resolved the words, “Resolved, That the
Board of Social Ministry and World Relief also provide
materials and guidance to Districts and congregations
concerning other ways in which consumers themselves
can help hold down the rate of increase in hospital
costs,” the delegates adopted Res. 8-09A (TB 256). This
resolution, which dealt with the high costs of medical
care, asked the Board of Social Ministry and World
Relief to express this concern to appropriate medical
and hospital associations appealing for continued re-
straint in cost increases, and to provide materials and
guidance to the congregations on ways in which mem-
bers may effectively evaluate and influence legislation
in Federal and State governments to counteract ex-
cessive increases in the cost of health services. Adoption
of this resolution completed the work of the Floor
Committee on Social Ministry.

Special and Sundry Matters

The convention resumed discussion of Res. 9-07 (TB
157), which had been begun in an earlier session. At that
time an amendment calling for the addition of the words

A quick response to an urgent need