Doctrine Committee

Several members of the Doctrine Committee attended the biennial meeting of the Evangelical Lutheran Confessional Forum (ELCF), held on October 4-5, 2004.

The Doctrine Committee recommend several changes to the synod’s colloquy procedures.

After the presidentially-appointed Presidium’s Committee on Ministry wrote a statement on the doctrine of the public ministry, the Doctrine Committee prepared an evaluation of it. The Presidium then revised it and recommends its adoption.

The fifth triennial convention of the CELC will be held in Tokyo, Japan, May 31-June 2, 2005. The Lutheran Church of Indonesia (Gereja Lutheran Indonesia—GLI) is asking to be received into membership at that meeting.

Committee members are studying recent Bible translations and the influence of Post-modernism in our society.

Board of Regents of Bethany Lutheran College

The College reports an enrollment of 551 full-time equivalent students for the 2004-2005 academic year. Seven personnel joined the faculty/staff that year. The Regents approved the addition of a major in sociology and a 3-2 engineering dual degree.

The board re-elected Mr. Lyle Fahning for a type B appointment to the Regents, which the synod is asked to ratify.

Support was received from the Marvin M. Schwan Charitable Foundation, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, and Bethany Lutheran College Ladies Auxiliary National. Estate gifts totaled $425957.55.

Groundbreaking for a new women’s housing complex was held on September 27, 2004.

Board of Regents of Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary

Five professors taught at the seminary during the 2004-05 school year with nine students enrolled and three vicars. The faculty continues to publish the Lutheran Synod Quarterly.

President Gaylin Schmeling conducted a Seminary Retreat in Minneapolis on February 11-12, 2005. Presentations were “The Pastor and His Family” by ELS President Moldstad and “Finances in the Parsonage” by President Schmeling.

ELS members supported the Scholarship Fund, Student Support Fund, and the Text Book Fund. In 2004 the Seminary received a total of $467,727.83 in legacies and $12,000 in gift annuities.

Board for Home Missions

The board supervised two exploratory missions, cared for seven home mission congregations, and subsidized nine congregations.

The Board resolved to increase the Home Mission salary scale by four percent above that of 2004. It approved funds for Faith, San Antonio, Texas; Peace, Kissimmee, Florida; Faith, Medford, Oregon; and Peace and Our Savior in Lakeland, Florida. The board proposes to establish a line of credit with Bremer Bank to support future construction projects.

The board resolved to begin a new mission in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.

Board for Foreign Missions

The board reports that three missionaries serve in Peru, two in Chile, and that one missionary returned to the United States. Thirteen ordained national pastors are working in Peru among fifty groups with a membership of over 1,500. Six national pastors are teaching at the seminary locations in Peru. Three Christian day schools are operating in their fourth year. Work in the mountain areas has also expanded.

Mission work in Chile is being done at LaCisterna, Las Vertientes, San Bernardo and Linares. Instruction classes and English as a Second Language classes have been effective ways to increase interest in the missions. Christian Day Schools are under consideration.

After board members visited India, the board resolved to invite Lutheran Mission of Salvation-India to request mission status with the ELS, and it adopted management arrangement guidelines for this work.

On April 10, 2005, the Rev. Young Ha Kim was commissioned to be an exploratory missionary in South Korea. The board has $250,000 for this work. The Rev. Jong In Kim is serving the Asian Mission Church.

Board for Evangelism

The board continues to present the second synod-wide evangelism workshop entitled, “God’s Message—Our Mission.” Twenty tracts are in the “We’re Glad You Asked About…” series. The board reprinted the brochure “God’s Message to You,”

The board has its own website: <www.learnaboutJesus.com>. Evangelism Resource is the board’s periodical which was changed in both format and information. The board also publishes a monthly newsletter containing an outreach devotion.

Board for Education and Youth

The Board resolved that the Synod Review Committee investigate the feasibility of the Lutheran Elementary School subcommittee becoming a separate board. The board reports that $ 89,081 were granted to support Lutheran elementary schools. It is also planning for 2006 a four-day National ELS Teachers’ Convention. The 2005 Lutheran Youth Convention will be in Boston, Massachusetts. The board is still working on a youth songbook. The Board also reports that a synod-wide Bible study on the book of Hebrews will be ready in the fall.

Lutheran Schools Initiative Committee

The committee is reviewing resumes to select a full-time director. The committee also recommends that a new synod board be established as the Board for Lutheran Schools of America to replace the education sub-committee of the Board for Education and Youth. The LSI committee recommends that board members be elected from three regions of the U.S. It is also considering whether such a board should be incorporated independent of the synod.

Board for Publications

The Lutheran Sentinel is distributed monthly to 6500 homes. The board is considering upgrading this magazine to a full-color magazine.

The board resolved to discontinue the Convention Echo and include convention news in the August issue of the Lutheran Sentinel.

Due to cost of publishing a synod directory, the board is considering placing this directory on the synod’s website.

The board received a grant of $30,000 to establish and maintain a synod website. Its primary focus of the website shall be evangelism. The web address is <evangelicallutheransynod.org>.

Worship Committee

Board members gave presentations on worship. A volume of three-part settings of ELS hymns is being prepared. The board also prepared a list of suggestions for those congregations which use electronically reproduced music for worship.

Board for Christian Service

Concerning the World Needs Fund, the board gave #13,500 to Florida hurricane victims. The $12,861.05 given for Tsunami Relief was forwarded to the WELS Committee on Relief.

The synod contributed $360 in matching funds to each called worker annuity plan. Nine widows are receiving subsidy from the synod and the board hopes to increase the amount by $10 per month next year.

Board for Stewardship

The board provided a second packet of stewardship materials entitled “Therefore…in view of God’s mercies” and reprinted 1,200 copies of “Managing My Master’s Money.” The board plans to provide a yearly stewardship emphasis with similar materials. Board members conducted stewardship seminars in California and at Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary.

The board reports that more congregations are using the ELS Ambassador plan and “ELS Ambassador Update” to promote interest in the Synod. The board is contacting congregations to provide their projected figures of contributions to the synod for 2006.

The board proposed that a special synod-wide offering be collected for the Lutheran Schools Initiative beginning in the Fall of 2006 under the theme “For You and Your Children.”

Planning and Coordinating Committee

The committee considered the salaried position of a synod production aide and concluded that while a need existed, funds were not sufficient. The committee made no recommendations for a change to biennial synod conventions. The committee recommends a synod budget of $788,906 for 2006.

Board of Trustees

The board receives reports from the fifteen congregations which have synod loans. The board approved the sale of the church property in Richardson, Texas and a construction loan for Abiding Shepherd Lutheran Church (Cottage Grove, Wisconsin).

Archives: The archivist, the Rev. Paul Madson, is accessioning materials that are submitted to the archives, such as letters, minutes, documents and artifacts.

Museum: Director the Rev. George Orvick is arranging visits to the museum from Bethany College faculty and students as well as Christian Day Schools pupils. The museum completed its “Pioneer Log Cabin” display and is planning another room for a small chapel. Another project is an Oral History Project for synod members.

Committee for Integrating Technology (CfIT): reports that its meetings use cost-effective audio conferencing and email to conduct its business. The committee was consulted about five technical projects during the year including web-casting the synod meeting.

Lutheran Schools Inistiative: The Trustees have begun the process for calling someone to carry out the goals of LSI. A $66,000 grant from Thrivent was allocated to a Mission Conference, LSI, and funding a new home mission start.

The board authorized the reprinting of three books of the “I Believe” series.

A total of $70,222 was given to the synod from the estates of Milton and Henrietta Zagel.

The Missions Advancement Project distributed $2,424,640 to various ELS mission-related entities.

The Trustees report that $757,062.23 was given to the 2004 synod budget. Total 2004 synod expenditures were $2,844,453.

Approval was given for the following 2006 projects: LSI startup costs—$130,000; continuing education grants—$30,000; and school visitation—$16,000.

ELS Foundation

During 2005, a 5% pay-out is being granted from the endowments. The rate of return for all investments for the calendar year 2004 was 9.43%.

Synod Review Committee

The committee proposes synod guideline changes concerning faculty housing, synod nominations, the Colloquy Committee, and relationship between the boards of Regents and Trustees. It proposes guidelines for a new Board for Lutheran Schools of America. It does not propose to shorten synod convention to three days.