# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1969_S103
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

CHURCH RELATIONS 103

of “liberalism” in its various manifestations, and the
threat of its disastrous consequences. Instead of seeing
and glorying in Christ, who defeated the devil for us,
we tend to see only the devil and then to imagine he
can be defeated by strategies of separation.

Therefore Immanuel Lutheran Church offers for the
consideration of its brethren in The Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod, assembled in convention at Denver,
Colo., in July 1969, the following resolutions:

1. That we thank and praise God for the unity of
the confession we share with The American Lutheran
Church, based on the historic Lutheran Confessions, and
exhibited again in the “Joint Statement and Declara-
tion” of the commissioners of our respective church
bodies, which in turn rests on more than three decades
of fruitful doctrinal discussions.

2. That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod de-
clare itself to be in pulpit and altar fellowship with The
American Lutheran Church, and invite and encourage
its pastors and congregations everywhere to make this
declaration ever more meaningful by getting to know
one another, carrying on further conversations on mat-
ters of doctrine and practice, and sharing pulpit and
altar with one another as needed and desired.

3. That we also take serious note of the internal
tensions that threaten to divide our church bodies,
and plead with our brethren on either side in such
painful disputes to accept at face value and build on the
confessional pledge and loyalty of the other.

4. That we ask the Presidents of our respective
church bodies, in conjunction also with the President
of the Lutheran Church in America, to initiate a com-
mon study and analysis of the historical developments
and roots of the issues that have led to such a polariza-
tion of “conservative” over against “liberal” within our
churches, in order that we may all understand more
fully what concerns led each side to respond in the
direction it did and how each side understands its re-
sponse to be in harmony with the Confessions; and
that we agree in one mind and one Spirit, as brothers of
our one Lord Jesus Christ and sons of our one heavenly
Father, to listen to and be ready to learn from one
another.

5. Meanwhile, that we cast ourselves, our churches,
and our witness to the world in our generation on the
mercies of our God, praying Him for the vision of faith
by which we may confess our unity in the Spirit even
against sight, praying also that we may have insight
and boldness both to admonish one another in love and
to be admonished, so that the unity of our Confession
may be exhibited more and more in all our preaching
and practice, and our high calling be fulfilled through
and to the glory of Jesus Christ our Lord.

IMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH
Valparaiso, Ind.

ALFRED W. MEYER, President
Donacp R. PETERS, Secretary
Paut G. BreTSCHER, Pastor

(3-31)
To Declare and Establish

Fellowship with The ALC

Wuereas, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
in its 1967 New York convention recognized that the
“Scriptural and confessional basis for altar and pulpit
fellowship between The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod and The American Lutheran Church exists”; and

Wuereas, The Atlantic District in convention at
Bronxville, N. Y., June 1968, resolved to petition Synod
at its 1969 convention to declare altar and pulpit fellow-
ship with The American Lutheran Church; therefore
be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod in convention at Denver declare and establish
altar and pulpit fellowship with The American Lutheran

Church. St. Joun’s LUTHERAN CHURCH

Williston, N. Y.
Henry BAHRENBURG, Secretary

(3-32)
To Joyfully Declare Fellowship

Wuereas, We have confidence in the conviction of the
Joint Commission of The American Lutheran Church
and The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod that the
basis for fellowship between the two bodies does exist;
and

Wuereas, We ourselves have discovered this in our
own meetings and conversations with the brethren of
The ALC; and

WHEREAS, We are convinced that the problems that
may exist (e. g., procedures in dealing with lodge mem-
bers) can be resolved in ways that will be mutually
strengthening; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod, in convention assembled in July 1969 in Denver,
Colo., joyfully declare altar and pulpit fellowship with
The American Lutheran Church; and be it further

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod encourage its member congregations and pastors
to practice such fellowship with love and good will.

SACRAMENTO, CALIF., AREA PASTORS
W. A, THIELE
LAWRENCE T. WYNEKEN
Pau P. KRUEGER

Paut E. Kotcu

J. A. KABEL

Paut B. JANKE

M. C. KLuENDER
Raymonp A. OTTo
THEODORE SIEK
DuWayne L. KLINE

(3-33)
To Establish Fellowship

Resolved, That we urge the 1969 delegate convention
of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod assembled