REPORT OF THE DOCTRINE COMMITTEE

Prof. Juul Madson has served 38 years on the committee and is not accepting re-nomination this year.

The Evangelical Lutheran Confessional Forum (ELCF) met in October 2006. In 2006 the Doctrine Committee reported agreement at the Forum on two statements that women are not to have teaching roles that have authority over men and that women should not serve as lectors in the divine service. The Committee reports that the WELS Conference of Presidents adopted a statement that concludes: “…that the practice of women privately or publicly distributing the Lord’s Supper to women is something from which we will refrain.”

Pres. Gaylin Schmeling presented his paper “The Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements” at the Theological Commission of the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference (CELC) in May 2007, in Leipzig, Germany. The 2008 CELC triennial meeting will be held in Kyiv, Ukraine, marking the fifteenth anniversary of the CELC.

The Rev. Thomas Rank has written an essay on Bible translations entitled “Today’s New International Version—A Critique of an Example of the Dynamic Equivalent Theory of Translation” and Prof. Allen Quist’s essay was entitled, “Postmodernism and New Pantheism.”

REPORT OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS AND PRESIDENT OF BETHANY LUTHERAN COLLEGE

On February 12, 2007, the college and seminary observed the anniversaries of eleven faculty and staff members. The 2006-2007 college enrollment was 596 students.

The Regents approved the addition of a new major, Exercise Science. The Minnesota Board of Teaching recommends teacher licensure effective until June 30, 2014 for Bethany’s Program in Elementary Education. The Board has developed a comprehensive long-term campus master plan.

The Bethany Lutheran College Women’s Auxiliary committed to give $12,000 during 2007. During 2006 the college received funds from estates totaling $153,487.30.

The Board reports that Mr. Jon Bruss resigned as a Regent and Dr. Willis Anthony was appointed to fill the Type A position. The synod is to ratify the Regent’s appointment of Mr. Lyle Fahning of Burnsville, Minnesota, as a Type B member.

REPORT OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS AND BETHANY LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

Professors Adolph Harstad and Michael Smith taught theology courses in India in January 2007.

Twenty-two students were enrolled in the 2006–07 academic year plus two international students from India. Four students were serving as vicars this year.

The seminary sponsored a number of events for pastoral training. Twenty ELS pastors attended a pastor’s summer institute in Florida. The Reformation Lectures were held in October on the subject of “Biblical Exegesis in the Synodical Conference.” Seminary students attended the annual mission and ministry seminar at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, Wisconsin and a Seminary Retreat in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The annual vicar workshop was held on May 10^, 2007.

Members of the ELS ladies’ organizations have given support to the Seminary Fund, Scholarship Fund and Student Support Fund. Legacies given to the seminary totaled $85,373.01 and a gift annuity was $49,511.54.

REPORT OF THE BOARD FOR HOME MISSIONS

During 2006, the Board supported a vicar-in-mission at Apple Valley, Minnesota to explore a home mission in Farmington, Minnesota and later adopted Farmington as a new mission start for 2007. The Board plans to support future vicar-in-mission programs. The Board dealt with the possible disbanding of the missions at Light of Life, Plainfield, Illinois and South Lake, Clermont, Florida. Various other home mission congregations were given funds for expansion of facilities or for cross-cultural mission work.

The Board conducted the 2007 Winter Home Mission Seminar in Orlando, Florida. The Rev. Paul Fries produced three ELS Video Link segments during 2006.

During the past year, many individuals, congregations and other organizations have contributed special gifts toward the home mission work.

REPORT OF THE BOARD FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS

The Board for Foreign Missions has divided itself into two committees to oversee its work: South American Committee, the Rev. Wayne Halvorson, Chairman and the Asia Committee, the Rev. Paul Fries, Chairman.

Concerning Peru, the Board reports that there are five full-time national pastors, five recently ordained pastors, and twelve students in the seminary program. Membership is now at 1,500 people. The Reynoso school has completed construction of the first phase of its building program. Another school has begun operating in Nuevo Porvenir in the Amazon jungle. Work in the mountains now has twenty churches or preaching stations.

About Chile, the Board reports that six men are studying leadership classes. A fifth area of work has begun in Maestranza, near San Bernardo. Rachel Meyer is teaching English as a Second Language classes.

Regarding the Lutheran Mission of Salvation—India (LMSI) the ELS began a seminary program for LMSI in January of 2006. Currently, twenty-three men are enrolled. Two students from India currently are enrolled at Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary in Mankato in January of 2007.

Concerning South Korea: Pastor Young Ha Kim was commissioned on April 10, 2005 and began work in Seoul in June 2005. A building in Seoul was rented and remodeled for use as a church. The mission currently has forty baptized members with approximately forty more adults in instruction classes. Twenty-four Korean students currently are attending WELS prep and/or ELS–WELS area high schools.

The Board reviewed the reports from Thoughts of Faith, Oregon, WI concerning the mission work being done in Ukraine, the Gift of Life program, Moldova, Belarus, and the various mission stations and school in the Czech Republic.

REPORT OF THE BOARD FOR EVANGELISM

The board is now presenting a new synod-wide four-part evangelism workshop entitled, Evangelism Over the Long Term. The 2006 edition of the Board’s Evangelism Resource featured an article entitled, “Canvassing for the Great Commission.”

Each month the Board sends to pastors a devotion to produce an evangelism newsletter. Board members also write evangelism articles for the Lutheran Sentinel. Board members conducted a workshop for students of Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary.

The Board is discussing the feasibility of establishing an “Evangelism Counselor” position to assist congregations with evangelism.

REPORT OF THE BOARD FOR LUTHERAN SCHOOLS OF AMERICA

LSA exists to establish Christian, confessionally Lutheran, community-based schools characterized by academic excellence, high student achievement and community service.

The Board hired its first President/CEO, Mr. Michael Butterfield.

The 2006 convention transferred all of the responsibilities and services of the former Lutheran Elementary Schools (LES) subcommittee of the disbanded Board for Education and Youth to the jurisdiction of LSA.

The first elected officers of the BLSA are Chairman—the Rev. Ed Bryant, Vice Chairman—Teacher Curt Mantey, and Secretary—the Rev. Ken Mellon. Mr. Keith Wiederhoeft, synod treasurer, serves as LSA treasurer. The board is divided into four committees: Executive, Finance, Education, and Marketing.

The Board adopted sixteen “Strategic Elements” describing the nature of LSA schools to which prospective LSA congregations need to subscribe. The LSA is able to provide a broad range of consulting services. The Board reports that nine ELS congregations are planning to expand new or existing Christian education work during the 2006-2007 school year.

The Lutheran Schools of America funds are to be independent from the operational budget of the ELS. The total of direct gifts and two-year pledges to the “For You and For Our Children” offering amount to approximately $60,000.

Principal Curt Mantey serves as the Secretary of Schools and Prof. Silas Born serves as the synod’s Director of Christian Education and as the synod’s Coordinator of Christian Education.

A grant from the Marvin M. Schwan Charitable Foundation permitted all ELS teachers to attend the first national ELS Teachers’ Conference in 32 years, held in August 2006 in Washington, D.C.

REPORT OF THE BOARD FOR PARISH EDUCATION & YOUTH

The 2006 convention approved the division of the Board for Education and Youth (BEY) into the Lutheran Schools of America (LSA) and the Board for Parish Education and Youth (PEY).

About 300 youth and counselors attended the 2006 ELS Youth Convention at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah on July 27-30 with the theme Let Us Ever Walk With Jesus. The 2007 youth convention will be held at Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, Minnesota, July 26-29, focusing on Christian vocation.

Several youth retreats and summer youth camps were held throughout the synod since June 2006. The Board supported ELS youth involved in the Summer VBS program in eastern Europe under Thoughts of Faith and the costs of four BLC students to do canvassing work in Ft. Mohave, Arizona for Family of God Lutheran Church. The Board will subsidize the 2007 Youth Honor Choir. A Bible study on Hebrews is nearing completion.

REPORT OF THE BOARD FOR PUBLICATIONS

The Board resolved to print eight of sixteen pages of the Lutheran Sentinel in full color. The Board increased Lutheran Sentinel subscription prices beginning in June 20007 from $8.00 to $10.00 for blanket subscriptions and individual subscriptions from $10.00 to $12.00. The Board greatly appreciates the proof-reading that the Rev. Juul Madson did over many years for the Lutheran Sentinel.

The Board approved inserting special LSA offering envelopes, but reiterated its policy of not placing advertising and fundraising efforts in the Lutheran Sentinel.

The Board provided advice for the production of a book essays by retired synod president, the Rev. George Orvick, and for a book of essays relating to Christian Education to be produced by the ELS Historical Society.

The Board oversees work on the synod’s website and its ongoing development by Webmaster the Rev. Jesse Jacobsen and his assistants. The synod’s address is <evangelicallutheransynod.org>.

REPORT FOR THE BOARD FOR CHRISTIAN SERVICE

A lack of disasters meant that no World Needs Funds were distributed since June 2006. The synod’s 2006 contribution to the called worker’s plan was $450 per worker. The Board hopes to increase the current level of support for widow’s subsidies by $10 per month.

The 2006 convention asked the Board to study how to assist small congregations in paying health insurance premiums for their pastors. The Board reports that this proposal would cost the synod over $500,000 per year and is probably not feasible. Addressing the rising health insurance costs, the Board makes several recommendations to the synod.

REPORT FOR THE BOARD FOR STEWARDSHIP

The Board provided congregations with materials for the For You and Your Children special offering. It sends a monthly ELS Ambassador Updates to pastors. At the 2006 Lutheran Forum, a stewardship program entitled Faith Focused Finances was discussed. The Board is seeking grants to conduct future Leadership Seminars and Congregational Workshops, and to develop a Stewardship Curriculum. In January 2007, a Stewardship Seminar was conducted at Faith, Oregon, Wisconsin.

REPORT OF THE PLANNING AND COORDINATING COMMITTEEE

The committee proposes to investigate publishing the Lutheran Sentinel with full color in four or six issues per year and to examine how a marketing professional could improve the synod’s communication tools. Regarding integrating the Lutheran Schools of America with the synod structure the Committee proposes a planning process using representatives of various synod boards. The Committee suggests that the 2008 synod budget be set at $796,464.00 with a total expenditure of $1,146,464.

REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The Rev. Daniel Basel was installed as the synod’s Giving Counselor on February 13, 2007.

The Trustees report that a loan to Grace Lutheran Church (Crookston, Minnesota) was repaid. The Trustees increased financing for Faith Lutheran Church (San Antonio, Texas) and extended loans to Peace Lutheran Church (Lakeland, Florida) and Our Savior Lutheran Church (Lakeland, Florida). The Trustees approved the sale of property at Winter Haven, Florida and Clarimont, Florida.

The synod received in 2006 a total of $411,714 in estate gifts. The synod received $691,667.59 in offerings toward the reduced 2006 synodical budget of $788,906. The Trustees reduced the 2007 Synod Budget to $735,000. In 2006 Thrivent Financial for Lutherans gave the synod $52,500, which was used for a Home Missionary Conference, LSA, and the Giving Counselor. The Board reports that the Marvin M. Schwan Charitable Foundation gave the synod $1,000,000 in Program Funds in 2006 and 2007. The Board is making recommendations for allocating Program Funds for 2008.

REPORT OF THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN SYNOD FOUNDATION

The Foundation reports that for the year 2007, a 5% pay-out is being granted from the endowments. And the rate of return for all investments for the calendar year 2006 was 11.35%.

REPORT OF THE SYNOD REVIEW COMMITTEE

The Committee is proposing changes to the synod guidelines regarding: 1) “Procedures for Adopting Doctrinal Statements” which recommends steps in the progression of dealing with issues rather than mandating the timing of such procedures; 2) “Convention Committees” procedures, amending the guidelines to improve their work; and 3) the “Articles of Incorporation of the Lutheran Schools of America, Inc. and the accompanying By-laws,” recommending that these be adopted.

Excerpted by the editor