# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_2016_S25
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Convention Minutes
Opening Worship Service
Saturday, July 9, 2016
Opening Divine Service with Holy Communion
The opening worship service of the 66th Regular Convention of
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod was held in the Wisconsin Center in downtown Milwaukee under the theme “Upon This
Rock: Repent, Confess, Rejoice.” The service was hosted by Peace
Lutheran Church of Sussex, Wisconsin, with its pastor, Rev. Peter
Bender, presiding. Rev. William Weedon, Director of Worship and
LCMS International Center Chaplain, served as Assisting Minister.
The Council of Presidents of the Synod and the Presidents and
Bishops of LCMS Partner Churches participated in the service and
the distribution of the Sacrament. A choir of singers from Milwaukee-area LCMS congregations, conducted by Rev. Stephen
Rosebrock, Kantor of Mount Olive Lutheran Church and Christian
Day School, participated in the service. Dr. James Freese, Professor
of Music at Concordia University Wisconsin, served as organist,
and Cantor Phillip Magness of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, served as pianist. The Convention Brass
Ensemble, Rachel Paul, and Rita Mitchell provided musical accompaniment.
Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, President of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod, preached the sermon based on the convention theme and Matthew 16:13–20. He recalled Martin Luther’s
refusal to recant time and again, his statement to become one of
great consequence for him and his day and also for ours: “I am
neither able nor willing to recant.” President Harrison noted that
this was Luther’s moment, and it was also the moment of the birth
of our church. Now, as then, the future of our Lutheran Church
does not depend on us, but “Upon This Rock,” the doctrine of the
Word of God.
[The entire text of Dr. Harrison’s sermon is printed elsewhere
in these 2016 Convention Proceedings.]

[The entire text of Rev. Esget’s homily is printed elsewhere in
these 2016 Convention Proceedings.]

Convention Opening and Presentation of Gavel
President Matthew C. Harrison called the assembly to order
and called on Rev. Dr. Daniel Harmelink, Executive Director of
Concordia Historical Institute, to present the historic gavel traditionally used by the chair to call Synod conventions officially to
order. In presenting the gavel, Dr. Harmelink spoke of the unique
history and inscriptions on the gavel, which is ordinarily on display
at the Institute’s Lutheran History Museum in the LCMS International Center.

Committee 19: Registration, Credentials, and Elections
President Harrison called upon Rev. Greg Walton, President of
the Florida-Georgia District and chairman of Committee 19 (Registration, Credentials, and Elections), to introduce the electronic
voting system.
Chairman Walton then presented the initial registration report,
noting that a total of 1,136 voting delegates had pre-registered for
the convention. He reported the following present for the opening
of the convention:
Voting delegates
1,106
Advisory delegates
157
Advisory representatives
197
Special guests and others
73

Session 1
Sunday a.m. July 10, 2016
Matins
For the Order of Matins, Rev. Christopher S. Esget, Sixth
Vice-President of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
(East-Southeast Region) served as preacher, with Chaplain William
Weedon serving as liturgist. Cantor Phillip Magness and instrumentalists Matthew Janssen, Eric Carlson, Erica Rosebrock, and
Paul Tuskowski provided accompaniment and special music.
“Convention Minutes”

Secretary Raymond L. Hartwig
UPON THIS ROCK

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