# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2004_S8 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 8 ‘SYNODICAL REPORTS Synod during the convention, I will hopefully have additional in- formation to report regarding this matter. Church Relations The Bylaws of the Synod state, ‘The President shall be the chief ecumenical officer of the Synod. He or his representative shall rep- resent the Synod in official contacts with other church bodies” (Bylaw 3.101 A 5). Much time and energy are spent by the Presi- dent of the Synod in relating to other church bodies and, under Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, working “through its offi- cial structure toward fellowship with other Christian church bod- ies” (LCMS Constitution Article III). At the present time, the LCMS enjoys the official relationship of altar and pulpit fellowship with 28 other Christian church bodies, all bearing the name “Lutheran,” none of them located in the United States of America, but in the following countries: 1. Argentina—Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina . Brazil—Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil . Canada—Lutheran Church—Canada . Chile—Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Republic of Chile . Denmark—Evangelical Lutheran Free Church in Denmark . England—The Evangelical Lutheran Church of England . France and Belgium—Evangelical Lutheran Church—Synod of France and Belgium 8. Germany—lIndependent Evangelical-Lutheran Church 9. Ghana—Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana 10. Guatemala—Lutheran Church of Guatemala 11. Haiti—The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti 12. Hong Kong—Lutheran Church—Hong Kong Synod 13. India—India Evangelical Lutheran Church 14. Japan—Japan Lutheran Church 15. Korea—Lutheran Church in Korea 16. Latvia—Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia 17. Lithuania—Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania 18. Mexico—Lutheran Synod of Mexico 19. Nigeria—The Lutheran Church of Nigeria 20. Papua New Guinea—Gutnius Lutheran Church 21. Paraguay—The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Paraguay 22. Philippines—The Lutheran Church in the Philippines 23. Russia—Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia (formerly part of Finland, now St. Petersburg) 24. South Africa—Lutheran Church in Southern Africa 25. South Africa—Free Evangelical-Lutheran Synod in South Africa 26. Sri Lanka—Lanka Lutheran Church 27. Taiwan—China Evangelical Lutheran Church 28. Venezuela—Lutheran Church of Venezuela We are also engaged in dialogue or have had preliminary con- tacts with the following church bodies: 1. The Christian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bolivia 2. The American Association of Lutheran Churches 3. Malagasy Lutheran Church (Madagascar) 4. Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church 5. Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sudan Furthermore, the Commission on Theology and Church Rela- tions is recommending that this summer’s synodical convention de- clare the Synod to be in altar and pulpit fellowship with the Evan- gelical Lutheran Church in Kenya. It should also be noted that we continue to have many opportunities for contacts with the Lutheran Church of Australia, especially in the International Lutheran Coun- cil. We pray that God will bless all of these relationships as we seek to strengthen them and deepen confessional unity in doctrine and practice with other Christian church bodies around the world, in accordance with our Lord’s will as expressed in His high priestly prayer in John 17:20—23: I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and 1 am in You. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. I have given them the glory that You gave me, that they may be EAN B&W bd 2004 Convention Workbook one as We are one: | in them and You in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me. Additional Church-Relations Matters As part of the duties of the office of the President, I was invited to bring greetings to the 2003 ELCA Assembly in Milwaukee and the 2003 Assembly of The Lutheran World Federation in Win- nipeg. The complete texts of my comments to these two bodies are available at www.Icms.org/president. Statements from the Office of the President From time to time, matters of public or ecclesiastical impor- tance require a public statement from the President of the Synod. Such statements have been made on a variety of subjects includ- ing, for example, the support of biblical, traditional marriage and support of the Federal Marriage Amendment. During the past tri- ennium, public statements have been issued on 41 occasions, the complete texts of which are available at www.lcms.org/president. It is appropriate for me to acknowledge the editorial and ad- ministrative assistance of the staff of the President’s office and the Board for Communication Services in the preparation and distribu- tion of these official statements. Without their cooperation and as- sistance, this important function of the office of the President would have been much more arduous and burdensome than it has proven to be. 2001 Convention Resolutions Assigned to the President Following is a succinct summary of the 2001 Convention Res- olutions assigned to the President, together with a report of my ac- tions in response: Resolutions Assigned to the LCMS President’s Office 2001 Synodical Convention 1-06A To Utilize Gifts and Talents of All Members Action Taken Considered persons from diverse backgrounds when making ap- pointments; attended conferences of minority groups and encour- aged engagement of minority members at congregational, District, and synodical levels. 3-02, 3-03, 3-04, 3-05 Altar and Pulpit Fellowship with Lanka Lutheran Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia Action Taken Implemented fellowship relationship according to the protocol documents. 3-06 To Reach Out Aggressively to Emerging Lutheran Churches Action Taken Engaged in formal and preliminary talks with several church bodies around the world. 3-10 To Express Appreciation to CTCR, Seminaries, and President for Statements (Arrange for Discussions with Roman Catholic Church) Action Taken Through the Committee on Lutheran Cooperation, the LCMS has expressed its desire to rejoin the Lutheran-Roman Catholic di- alogues that the LCMS participated in from 1965-1992.