LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1979, Page 64

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64 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

‘the Workbook. Among other things, we will see that
per-capita giving as a percentage of disposable income
by the person in the pew was 3.4 in 1961 but that, despite
increases in personal income in North America, that
percent plummeted to 2.1 in 1977. Unless there is a
radical change in this giving pattern, some other plan
must be developed by the Synod to implement our
program. Some suggest that the Synod’s Board of
Directors plan together with District boards the budgets
by the Synod and the Districts. If just so much money is
available and it does not cover projected work, both the
Synod and District leaders will have to prioritize the
work to be done.

So, for example, if one District wants to open four
new missions next year, that District should measure
the need as compared with, for example, four new
missions in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, The
Philippines, and Nigeria.

I do not expect this committee to come up with
miracles, but I would hope that because of the District
representation some workable plans be developed for
consolidated planning and budgeting.

At its meeting which ended this afternoon, the Board
of Directors, after studying the results of a feasibility
study that included visits in every District in Canada
and the United States, recommended a large mission
ingathering, like those conducted in the ALC and LCA,
which brought in $38 and $40 million, respectively. I
strongly endorse this project and hope that Committee
12 will also recommend this important effort to our
convention and our people. God truly is opening doors.

In closing, let me say that the difficulties we have
are, in the last analysis, challenges. The Lord of the
church never said we'd have an easy time of it; in fact,
He kept underlining the tribulations, the crosses, the
power of the opposition. Yet, as the apostle puts it in
several places, we do not lose heart.

May He who selected us to the most important task
on earth find us to be willing servants, eager to work
while it is day that many may reach eternal life through
faith in our risen and blessed Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

God Opens Doors!

(Part IT)

Words of Welcome

To all who are gathered here, it is a great privilege to
welcome you and to express thanks to God for bringing
you safely to this place. The church owes a deep debt of
gratitude to all who are willing to sacrifice a week or
more of their time in order to help make wise and good
decisions relative to important aspects of our church’s
life and work at this convention.

Also words of special thanks should be expressed to
all of our synodical officers, our District Presidents, our
Board of Directors, and all of the other boards and
commissions and committees of the Synod, our mis-
sionaries, our pastors, teachers, and congregations, and
all who have contributed so much toward carrying out
the ministry and mission of our Lord Jesus Christ in our
midst during the past biennium.

Ican never express in sufficiently glowing terms the
gratitude that all of us feel toward God for the way in
which our people have worked together and the im-
provement in morale and tone which has taken place in
the last biennium. I also want to take special oppor-
tunity to thank Vice-Presidents E. C. Weber and Robert
C. Sauer, my secretaries, Miss Elizabeth Kops and Miss
Jean Buettner, also Secretary Herbert Mueller, Admin-
istrative Officer John Schuelke, Treasurer Norman Sell,
and all of the wonderful people at 500 North Broadway
who daily perform their duties on behalf of every
congregation and individual in the Synod in helping to
carry out the mission which Christ has given to all of us.

You will be pleased to learn that Dr. E.C. Weber, who
suffered a serious stroke on the way home from the
Dallas convention, is working every day and is much
recovered. As a symbol of his life of service to God and

his community, the City of Fraser, Mich., where Doctor
Weber served as pastor for 29 years, is naming the
public library after him. Congratulations, Doctor Weber.

Floor Committees

All of the delegates are aware of the fact that as a
result of changes in our procedure for holding floor
committee meetings, the President’s Report really is
divided into two parts, with Part I being delivered
during the Memorial Day weekend meeting with the
floor committees and Part II being delivered at this
convention. In the first report I made a large number of
recommendations and will repeat only a very few of
them at this convention. I want to give special thanks
and commendation to the floor committees for the
excellent work that they did. In general I would urge the
passage of the proposals made by the floor committees
and will not devote additional time to them now except
to highlight a very few items.

Report of Activities During
the 1977—79 Biennium and Recommendations

It is a great pleasure to report to you that the state of
the church has dramatically improved since I last had
occasion to report to the Synod at the Dallas convention
in 1977.

It is a sad and tragic fact that we have as a church
body encountered some losses due to the doctrinal
conflict which raged in our Synod for the past several
years. The actual number of losses of congregations is
217, while that of pastors is 326, with another 20 or so
joining ALC, LCA, or going independent.

Needless to say, we regret very much the loss of those

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