# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_2004_S116
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

116
OTHER PRESENTATIONS
armed forces of this nation. Many of them are serving in
What do we see in the future? We know the future belongs to God. In our time, God has called our churches to
harm’s way in Iraq and Afghanistan. They help care for the
proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ through Word and
estimated 40,000 sons and daughters of our congregations
Sacrament and faithful witness and service for the sake of
serving in this nation’s Army, Navy, Marines, and Air
the Gospel. Let us not grow weary in well doing. Let us not
Force. I have met some of those chaplains. They represent a
fail to pray for one another.
superb and courageous group of pastors. They are, in a
I appreciate the action of this convention in adopting
sense, the extended arms of our churches carrying out their
today
Resolution 3-07. We share with you the commitment
pastoral responsibilities on bases and posts throughout the
to a continuing effort to bear witness to the truth of the
world. As I communicated to your Praesidium when I was
Scriptures and the Confessions in the hope that agreement
invited to meet with them in December, the ELCA is deeply
can be reached in those areas where we disagree.
committed to these shared expressions of our faith active
The God who granted strength to our forebears in the
in love and service.
faith for courageous witness in their time is the same God
I greet you today also in my role as President of the
who marked us with the cross of Christ, claims and sends
Lutheran World Federation. I am grateful for the ongoing
us so that we might be witnesses to Jesus Christ and minconversations that now are taking place with representaisters of reconciliation in our time. May the Holy Spirit give
tives of the Lutheran World Federation and the Internaus power for our shared calling that together we might be
tional Lutheran Council. I know leaders of The Lutheran
in One Mission—Ablaze!
Church—Missouri Synod have been instrumental in the deThank you for this opportunity to greet you. Thank you,
velopment and ongoing activity of the International
too, for your faithful witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Lutheran Council, as well as in the ILC-LWF conversations.
Mark S. Hanson, ELCA Presiding Bishop

2004 Convention Proceedings