Faith Forming Faith, Faith Shaping Ministry

Here are these three different gifts of our Lutheran theological and liturgical tradition that help us bear baptismal fruit that will last, once we’re out of the font: Luther’s baptismal theology of a daily dying and rising. The weekly rhythm of the assembly gathering around Word and Sacrament. The wonder and mystery that is the liturgical year. Each of these gifts in their own way urge and equip us to get beyond the waters of an individualized baptismal security tank and into the world to serve, the very place to which the tide of our baptismal waters is meant to carry us

Problem Bank Resolution: Evaluating the Options

The authors describe the function of intermediation in the financial sector and the role of regulatory supervision in managing the inherent structural vulnerability of the process. Financial intermediaries provide both a risk taking and a maturity transformation function in mobilizing savings assets into productive real investments. These inherent activities create a natural structural vulnerability which regulatory oversight is intended to mitigate. The consequence of failure to effectively manage the inherent structural vulnerability can lead to "runs" in which depositors withdraw funds leading to institutional insolvency. The vulnerability to runs becomes a public policy concern when a loss of confidence in the sector leads to a contagious loss of confidence in other institutions. In response to these dangers, governments and regulators throughout the world have established "financial safety nets" to be triggered at various stages in evolving financial crises. The "safety nets" can be seen as comprising at least seven elements or separate stages in managing financial crises: 1) the chartering function screens out institution managers who would be likely to take on excessive insolvency exposure; 2) if institution managers do try to expose their institution to shocks, the prudential supervision function is established to prevent this; 3) if a shock still occurs, the termination authority removes the institution's license before too much damage is caused; 4) if losses still occur, the insurance function may prevent creditors from running; 5) if the institution closes, the insurance function may sustain the confidence of creditors at similar institutions; 6) if runs take place at other institutions, the lender of last resort function may help solvent institutions meet the claims of liability holders; and 7) if other failures occur the monetary authority may confine the damage to the institutions directly affected. The role of regulators is to return the financial structure to its position before the crisis and restore confidence in the system and should not be punitive or involve reconstruction of the system, which can wait until a later time. Solutions will differ depending on how many institutions are affected and whether the problem affects impacts on the entire system or market. There are three generic options available for problem resolution: 1) permitting continued operation under some restrictions; 2) forcing a merger with another institutions or 3) closure of some form. Within these three options are seven ways to either continue operations, force a merger or liquidate. These are: 1) forbearance - granting of time for an institution to resolve its problems; 2) capital infusion with existing management; 3) regulatory control (temporary); 4) de facto nationalization of the institutions; 5) Good-bank, Bad-bank split; 6) purchases and assumption; 7) liquidation with and without governmental assistance. The authors review and summarize the experiences in the US, Scandinavia and France where a variety of these resolution options have been recently applied. Forbearance was used in an attempt to resolve the US Thrift Crisis of the 1980s. This option did not create the desired results and the Resolution Trust Corporation was established in 1989 in order to organize the process. When Norway was faced with a major banking crisis in 1991, it nationalized the banking system. Sweden similarly infused its failing banks with capital during a crisis in 1993, effectively nationalizing them. The "good bank-bad bank" method was used extensively in the Swedish bailout. Finland's central bank took over failing banks in 1991 and the remaining ones were consolidated into one entity. The French government has bailed out troubled Credit Lyonnais, costing the government as much as 135 billion francs. From their review of foreign intervention in bank crises, the authors conclude that: 1) Costs of intervention are generally larger than anticipated; 2) Interventions aimed at preserving the current institutional structure generally do not achieve the expected outcome; and 3) The only true resolution appears to come from a change in the aggregate economy.

Life Insurance Firms in the Retirement Market: Is the News All Bad?

The role of the insurance industry in the retirement assets market is examined. The popular image of the industry as one in decline is scrutinized by drawing upon various governmental and industry data sources. Our examination begins with the traditional area of corporate pensions, specifically, Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution Plans. It is demonstrated that this segment has remained relatively flat as proportion of wealth, but has declined in relation to the retirement market as a whole. This slow relative change masks a dramatic shift away from Defined Benefit Plans to Defined Contribution Plans. The primary driver of this change is the rapid growth of 401(k) plans. The shift from large corporate plans to individual retirement planning is most strongly demonstrated by the increase of IRA assets, such that they now comprise nearly a quarter share of the market. This trend is surprising in light of the fact that contributions have been low since a tightening of the tax code in 1986. More germane to our examination is the annuities market. With 55 million contracts in force, and total assets of $1.2 trillion, the insurance industry's domination of this area would seem to speak well of their present and future prospects. Indeed, annuities have grown as a percentage of wealth, but within the retirement sector, they have been outpaced by other instruments. This fact should be worrisome to insurance companies, as they have grown increasingly dependent upon annuities as a proportion of premium income. In summary, the picture for insurance companies is not as dire as the press has portrayed. But, comfort should not be taken in this fact. Individual retirement planning is driving the rapid growth of retirement assets. Annuities are, by and large, insurance companies' sole entry in this competition and, as of late, their record has not been exemplary. The low loads associated with mutual funds and their flexibility set a difficult paradigm for insurance companies to emulate. But, a lack of a successful effort will relegate insurance companies to the role of bit players in the retirement market.

Price Determination for Corn and Wheat: The Role of Market Factors and Government Programs

Annual models for U.S. farm prices for corn and wheat are developed based on market factors as well as government agricultural commodity programs. The pricing relationships utilize a stocks-to-use modeling framework to capture the effects of market supply and demand factors on price determination. This formulation is augmented by factors that represent the changing role of agricultural policies, particularly government price support and stockholding programs. For wheat, international market effects as well as wheat feed use and related crosscommodity pricing considerations also are included. Model properties and model performance measures are presented. Additionally, recent price-forecasting applications of the models are discussed. The relatively simple structure of the estimated price models and their small data requirements lend themselves to use in price-forecasting applications in conjunction with market analysis of supply and demand conditions. In particular, the models have been implemented into USDAís short-term market analysis and long-term baseline projections. In these applications, the models provide an analytical framework to forecast prices and a vehicle for making consistency checks among the Departmentís supply, demand, and price forecasts.corn, wheat, farm price, price determination, stocks-to-use ratio, price supports, commodity programs, forecasts, Crop Production/Industries, Demand and Price Analysis,

A Study of the Formation of a Mission Study Task Force as it Relates to the Planning Process of a Congregation

A STUDY OF THE FORMATION OF A MISSION STUDY TASK FORCEAS IT RELATES TO THE PLANNING PROCESSOF A CONGREGATION The purpose of this project is to form a Mission Study Task Force to gather suitable information for the Planning Committee. The group used statistical reports, interviews, and surveys with the theological framework of kairos, God’s decisive time, to present pertinent data for the congregation\u27s plans. The data, together with the concept of kairos, motivated the Planning Committee to design challenging goals. The members of the Task Force grew in their appreciation of the church\u27s opportunities for mission; however, the members did not develop a close relationship with one another