# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1977_S222
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

LATE OVERTURES 293

Constitution and Bylaws of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod; therefore be it

Resolved, That Messiah Lutheran Church of Salem,
Oreg., petitions the convention assembled in Dallas,
Tex., July 15 to 22, 1977, for membership in The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

Messiah Lutheran Church

Salem, Oreg.

Robert S. Kuenzli, President

Edwin A. Zerbst, Secretary

(The constitution has been approved by the District

Constitution Committee, and the congregation has accepted
the suggested changes.)

6-111U

To Declare that N.O. Res. 6-31
Grants $3 Million Instead
of $2 Million to Irvine

WHEREAS, The ruling of the Commission on Con-
stitutional Matters, “Opinion re Appropriation for
Irvine,” No. 4, says: “The commission holds that the
$2,000,000 referred to in that resolution [N.O. Res. 6-31]
includes the advance of $1,000,000 mentioned in the
first resolve, so that the total voted upon by the New
Orleans convention is not $3,000,000 but $2,000,000; and

WHEREAS, The intent of Committee 6, which
presented the resolution, had in mind a total of
$3,000,000 to meet the projected needs proposed by
Christ college Irvine for the erection of the planned
library-administration building and residential unit;
and

WHEREAS, Press releases at the New Orleans
convention interpreted the resolution in terms of
$3,000,000; and

WHEREAS, The face language of the resolution
indicates a total of $3,000,000; therefore be it

Resolved, That we petition the Dallas convention of
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to restore the
original interpretation of $3,000,000.

Board of Directors
Southern California District
Arnold G. Kuntz, President

9-11U

To Establish Mission Theme
for 1979 Synodical Convention

WHEREAS, God in His grace continues to open doors
for us in missions; and

WHEREAS, Continued growth in the awareness of
mission opportunities and challenges is an ever present
need of the church; and

WHEREAS, The need exists to inform, inspire, and
motivate our people towards even greater interest, zeal,
involvement, and support of missons; and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
continues to be a church body very much involved in
mission; therefore be it

Resolved, That we encourage the President of the

Synod and others responsible for the planning of the
1979 synodical convention to select and implement a
mission theme for that convention.

; Board for Missions
Alvin Barry, Executive Secretary

3-01UX

Addendum to Report of CTCR
(Mistakenly Omitted from Workbook)

D. Germany
(Selbstaendige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche)

On June 25, 1972, three Lutheran free churches in
Germany participated in a merger which resulted in the
formation of the Selbstaendige Evangelisch-
Lutherische Kirche (Independent Lutheran Church).
The commission extended greetings to the new church
and expressed the hope that the necessary steps could
be taken immediately for a formal declaration of
fellowship. Leadership in the new church sent its
constitution and other pertinent documents, which the
commission examined and found to be in agreement
with the doctrinal position of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod. In 1973 and again in 1975 the CTCR
recommended that the Synod officially declare itself to
be in altar and pulpit fellowship with the Selbstaendige
Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche. Unfortunately the
press of other business made it impossible for the
Synod to take action on this matter in 1973 and 1975.
Therefore the commission once again recommends:

6. That the Synod in gratitude to God officially
declare itself to be in altar and pulpit fellowship with
the Selbstaendige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche,
thereby continuing the fellowship it has enjoyed for
many years with the member bodies.

E. Lutheran Church of Australia

The Lutheran Church of Australia was formed in
1965. In its 1975 report to the Anaheim convention the
CTCR reviewed the contacts of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod with the Lutheran Church of Australia
since that time. Already in 1969 the Synod in conven-
tion authorized the President “to initiate discussions
with the Lutheran Church of Australia (at a mutually
accepted time) to the end of establishing altar and
pulpit fellowship” (1969 Res. 3-03). In 1975 the Synod
affirmed “its continued desire to establish altar and
pulpit fellowship with the Lutheran Church of
Australia (1975 Res. 3-02). President J.A.O. Preus
visited Australia in January 1977. He brought
greetings from The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
to the Lutheran Church of Australia’s Commission on
Theology and Inter-Church Relations and met with
President Grope. The possibility of confessional dis-
cussions, suggested during President’s Grope’s 1974
visit with Dr. Preus in St. Louis, was once again
discussed. The commission continues to cherish the
warm and fraternal relationship which it enjoys with
the Lutheran Church of Australia and hopes that God
will richly bless our mutual efforts to develop a closer
relationship in the future.