ST. LOUIS—Delegates to the 62nd Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod yesterday (July 12) adopted several resolutions that speak to efforts of church body to address human care issues locally and globally. These resolutions “strongly encourage” Missouri Synod congregations to:
* cooperate with other agencies’ efforts to address human need and participate in appropriate works of care in their communities;
* fully provide its workers, their spouses and families “the highest level of coverage” offered by the Synod’s Worker Benefit Plans, which offers health, disability and retirement benefits for full-time Missouri Synod workers; and
* “petition our federal and state governments and their agencies to continue funding existing refugee or immigrant or asylee resettlement,” and to resettle at least one refugee, immigrant or asylee family as soon as possible.
The convention also adopted resolutions to encourage Synod congregations to continue to speak about sanctity of life issues and support the work of Lutherans For Life; provide support for “Veterans of the Cross” (professional church workers who retired many years ago often with inadequate pensions) and encourage congregations to consider suitable guidelines to provide a safe environment for interaction of church workers and children.
Posted July 13, 2004
