New 'Board Briefs' says more about legal opinions

In a new installment of "Board Briefs," the Synod's Board of Directors continues to address questions related to the outside legal opinions regarding the Board's authority that it obtained last year.

"Board Briefs" is an online "question-and-answer" feature that the Board says is intended to "clear up ... confusion and provide assurance to the members of our Synod." The first installment, posted in December, also addressed the legal opinions.

"The Board is interested in returning the Synod's focus and financial resources to missions and to the training of professional church workers," says "Board Briefs II" in response to a question about the Board's intentions in light of the legal opinions.

"The Board recognizes that the Synod has the means to increase dramatically its funding of mission work and higher education," it continues. "It therefore intends to continue to look carefully at funding methods that will once again place these primary objectives of the Synod in the forefront. The Board also intends to propose convention actions that will endorse its efforts to re-focus the Synod's funding and operations once again on missions and the training of professional church workers."

"Board Briefs II" also addresses the Board's November actions declaring certain opinions of the Commission on Constitutional Matters to be "of no effect."

To access either of the first two installments, go to www.lcms.org/?1835 on the Web and click on "Board Briefs."