wfn.org | [LCMSNews] Delegates give feedback on proposals

["LCMS e-News" <LCMSENEWS@lcms.org>]

>       
>       
>       
>       
>3.25.2010              
>       LCMS News               
>       

>THE LUTHERAN CHURCH Missouri Synod             
>       

        

        March 25, 2010 .................... LCMSNews -- No. 28

Delegates provide feedback on task force proposals

>By Linda C. Hoops

Convention delegates who attended the regional gatherings hosted last
winter by the Office of the President generally gave a "thumbs up" to
all but one of the 70 recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Task Force on
Synod Structure and Governance.

The results of the survey taken by the 875 voting delegates who
participated in the gatherings were released by the President's Office
on March 12, and are available on the home page of the task force Web
site at http://www.lcms.org/lcmsfuture.

The gatherings -- held in Denver; Detroit; Madison, Wis.; Minneapolis;
Boston; Newport Beach, Calif.; Atlanta; Dallas; and St. Louis -- were
designed to allow delegates to the Synod's 2010 convention in Houston to
learn how the Synod is currently structured and to better understand the
task force's recommendations.

"The process followed by the task force was focused on the goal of
building consensus in regard to potential structure and governance
amplifications and revisions," said Rev. Larry Krueger, assistant to the
president.  "The survey results indicate that this consensus building
process is on target."

Some 1,250 delegates are expected to take part in the convention, July
10-17 in Houston, spending the first two business days (July 11-12)
determining which of the task force's proposals -- fine-tuned and
presented as resolutions -- will best prepare The Lutheran
Church--Missouri Synod to carry out its mission in the years ahead.

Those attending the regional meetings were asked to respond to the
recommendations by checking "Strongly Agree," "Agree," "Not Sure,"
"Disagree," or "Strongly Disagree."  In the survey's summary, "Strongly
Agree" and "Agree" were grouped together as were "Strongly Disagree" and
"Disagree."

The only recommendation that received a larger percentage of "Disagree"
votes than "Agree" votes (52 percent to 38 percent) states,
"Congregations with more than 1,000 confirmed members are entitled to
two additional voting delegates, at least one of those additional
delegates being a layperson."

In his January response to the task force report, Synod President Dr.
Gerald B. Kieschnick indicated he also did not favor this
recommendation, stating, "It is not clear to me whether this proposal is
a high priority for the congregations that would be afforded this
privilege, and it does not appear to be contributing to a greater spirit
of harmony in our Synod."

The recommendation to establish a fixed number of national convention
delegates received a favorable response with 59 percent agreeing and 29
percent not agreeing, and 13 percent "Not Sure."  A subsequent related
recommendation to set that number at 650 received an equal number of
agree/disagree votes, 40 percent for both, with 20 percent voting "Not
Sure."

The survey shows that delegates favor a major recommendation coming out
of the report that would eliminate the Synod's seven program boards and
two of its six commissions and consolidate them into two advisory
commissions, one for National Mission and one for International Mission.

"The enhanced understanding about the task force proposals on the part
of the convention delegates will bring meaningful discussion to the
convention floor," Krueger said.  "At the same time, the floor committee
will be knowledgeable about the feelings of the delegates in regard to
specific proposals and, based on the feedback it has received to date --
in addition to the convention overtures and the feedback it will receive
based on the overtures -- will present resolutions for consideration
that best reflect the overall consensus already achieved."

Kieschnick said he has been encouraged by the churchmanship shown during
the gatherings. "The collegiality so broadly exhibited at the nine
regional gatherings was a reflection of how the people of the Synod can
work together and walk together for the greater goal of the mission of
our Lord."

Linda C. Hoops is a freelance writer and a member of Lutheran Church of
the Resurrection, Sunset Hills, Mo.

>****************************************

If you have questions or comments about this LCMSNews release, contact
Joe Isenhower Jr. at joe.isenhower@lcms.org
<mailto:joe.isenhower@lcms.org>  or (314) 996-1231, or Paula Schlueter
Ross at paula.ross@lcms.org <mailto:paula.ross@lcms.org>  or (314)
996-1230.

>****************************************

>       
>       

This Edition of "LCMS News" e-News is provided
by:

Board for Communication Services, Division of News and Information

Contact Editor

<http://www.lcms.org/enews/contact_editor.asp?title=LCMS%20News&editori d
=6> 
        

This LCMS e-News message comes from a "Send Only" mailbox that
does not recognize replies. To reply to this message, please click on
"Contact Editor" above.

>_____

To subscribe to or unsubscribe from this Newsletter and many others,
please visit LCMS e-News <http://www.lcms.org/enews> .
Share this Newsletter <http://www.lcms.org/enews/forward.asp?m=8601
with a Friend.  
MessageId=8601 UserId=10073

>_____

© 2002 - 2008 The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod  <http://www.lcms.org/
.
No reproduction without consent. All rights reserved.