Great Stuff Found on the Web — 2010Convention.com on Unity and Mission

If you haven’t been following the website 2010convention.com it’s a great source for information. I subscribed to their email list and just received the following article.

Also note if you are looking for current convention information, the people over at Cross-Focused Leadership for Missouri have a live tweet from the floor on their site.


Dear Delegates:

Please look for the first edition of the printed 2010 Convention (with the banner above) at a table at the Hyatt and at the publications area on the second floor of the convention hall.

Unity and Mission

Two words need to be spoken in the immediate aftermath of yesterday’s elections.

First, the church owes a word of commendation to President Kieschnick for his gracious demeanor following the election of the president. He comported himself with dignity and his customary command. He showed class.

Second, congratulations to Pastor Matt Harrison. This was the largest margin of victory for a president since 1998 and promises to be the beginning of a healing process that obviously needs to take place in our Synod.

Harrison’s brief and emotional acceptance speech contained no triumphant tones, no marching orders, no plans or promises. He simply acknowledged our need for repentance and humility as we move forward both to speak the gospel and to work towards bringing the Synod back together.

We recognize that in Synodical elections of late there are elated winners, crestfallen losers and precious few between those sentiments. So our Synod has the daunting task of working with Pastor Harrison both as he seeks to apply the new structure and as he seeks to create a unified Synod to move forward with Christ’s mission.

Needed: A Team for Pastor Harrison

The Convention can help Pastor Harrison as he takes the reins of leadership in the LC-MS. He needs a support team. Yesterday’s morning session saw the convention decide that the president needs pastors and laity in office around him who can work with him, share his vision and complement his style. In the afternoon the convention gave Pastor Harrison a slate of vice presidents who will certainly work closely with him as he moves the Synod forward. Today and tomorrow the Synod can elect people to other offices – the Board of Directors, the two new Mission Boards – who support Pastor Harrison and are excited to be on a team with him as leader. The Vice Presidents which the convention elected were largely supported by the United List. We recommend that other board members elected by the convention be from this same list. That will ensure that the men and women whom we elect will be in step with their president. The recommendations of the United List for today’s elections for Secretary and the Board of Director’s are on the back page. Look for the updated United List on Thursday morning for all other elections including the newly created Boards for National and International Missions. Some of these nominations will be floor nominations. Your support of these candidates will support our new president.

Secretary

Rev. Raymond Hartwig

Completing his twelfth year as Secretary, Dr. Hartwig has performed his duties exceptionally well. His calm and careful demeanor and scrupulous integrity provide stability the Synod needs at a time of uncertainty. His experience and professionalism simply cannot be matched.

Board of Directors

Michael Kumm (SI)

Parish Pastor ? Circuit Counselor ? Vietnam Veteran ? Law Enforcement Chaplain ? US Air Force Reserve (30 yrs) ? KFUO Radio Committee ? KFUO Audit Committee

Ed Everts (IE)

Certified Financial Planner ? Bank Officer/Head of Operations for Multi-state Bank Holding Co. ? District LCEF BOD ? Congregational Treasurer/Elder

Rick Milas (CI)

Parish Pastor ? Longtime Campus Pastor ? International Student Ministry Task Force Member ? District BOD (13 yrs) ? District Secretary & Assistant Secretary

Keith Frdnak (IW)

President & CEO, Concordia Lutheran Ministries (CLM) ? Congregational President, Elder, Trustee, Treasurer ? BOD Chairman, 10 different CLM corporations

James Carter (NI)

Attorney ? US Marine Corps Infantry Officer (Captain) ? Congregational Elder/President ? Senior VP & Counsel for multinational, billion dollar marketing firm ? Pres. & Chm. for several entities

Warren Puck (IW)

Retired Pres., Puck Implement Co. ? LCMS LCEF BOD Chm. ? District BOD Chm. ? Cong. Pres./Elder ? Pres., Tall Corn Ethanol & IA Renewable Fuels

Words From Matt Harrison

If one member suffers, all suffer together. If one rejoices, all rejoice together. Right now there are many rejoicing and there are many suffering. Luther says when you’re walking along and you strike your little toe on a chair or table leg, what happens is the whole body bends over, the face grimaces and grabs that little toe. There’s no use saying ‘it’s just a little toe,’ because the whole body suffers.

This, I realize, is a tumultuous change in the life of our Synod. I wish to thank President Kieschnick for his heart for evangelism and his deep desire to move the Synod forward. Many are suffering, and it will be very challenging times to work together.

I wish to inform you that you have kept your perfect record of electing sinners as presidents of the Missouri Synod. I guarantee you I will sin and fail. I will fall short. I will sin against you. I wish also to say that right now I forgive all who have in any way sinned against me or anybody else, and plead your forgiveness for anything I said or did that offended you.

I beg of you your prayers. I beg of you your daily prayers and intercession. These are challenging times. I promise you that I will be as straight with you as I possibly can, to the best of my ability, guided by the spirit of God. I pledge to you that I will not coerce you. I will do my best by the Word of Christ to lead with the generous Gospel of Jesus Christ, which forgives us all of our sins and motivates us to love and care for our neighbor in mercy and compassion.

And I will work as hard as I possibly can for unity around the clear and compelling Word of God and nothing else.

I’m so impressed by you at this convention, how you’ve borne with one another, been patient, asked for forgiveness. This is the greatest privilege and honor of one’s life, to stand before this body in this fashion. I could never imagine it. And I pray the Lord will bless you in the days to come, to work for unity and love and compassion, that the Gospel of Christ may go forth from all of us in every single place everywhere around the world, that many may know, many, many more may know the Gospel of Jesus for eternal life. The Lord be with you.

In Christ,
Your 2010 Convention Team

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