# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2001_S403
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

ADDITIONAL THEOLOGICAL DOCUMENTS AND REPORTS—OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT 403

B. Liturgical Celebration

59. We recommend that this agreement and our new relation-
ship be inaugurated and affirmed by three central celebrations of
the eucharist at which all our churches would be represented. These
celebrations would be a sign of: our joyful acceptance of one an-
other; our joint commitment in the faith and sacramental life of the
Church; our welcome of the ministers and members of the other
churches as our own; our commitment to engage in mission to-
gether. These celebrations would include: the reading and signing
of the Porvoo Declaration; a central prayer of thanksgiving for the
past and petition for the future, offered by Lutherans for Anglicans
and Anglicans for Lutherans; the exchange of the Peace; a jointly
celebrated eucharist; other verbal and ceremonial signs of our com-
mon life.

C. Wider Ecumenical Commitment

60.We rejoice in our agreement and the form of visible unity it
makes possible. We see in it a step towards the visible unity which
all churches committed to the ecumenical movement seek to man-
ifest. We do not regard our move to closer communion as an end in

itself, but as part of the pursuit of a wider unity. This pursuit will
involve the following: strengthening the links which each of our
churches has with other churches at local, national and international
level; deepening relationships within and between our two world
communions and supporting efforts towards closer communion be-
tween Anglican and Lutheran churches in other regions, especially
in relation to agreements being developed in Africa and North
America; developing further existing links with other world com-
munions, especially those with whom we have ecumenical dia-
logues and agreements; supporting together our local, national and
regional ecumenical councils, the Conference of European
Churches and the World Council of Churches.

61. The common inheritance and common calling of our
churches, spelt out in this agreement, makes us conscious of our
obligation to contribute jointly to the ecumenical efforts of others.
At the same time we are aware of our own need to be enriched by
the insights and experience of churches of other traditions and in
other parts of the world. Together with them we are ready to be
used by God as instruments of his saving and reconciling purpose
for all humanity and creation.

2001 Convention Workbook