# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_2023_S29
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

omnibus and refer it to the floor committee. In a voice and
hand vote, the motion to remove and refer failed.
An advisory delegate was ruled out of order in
attempting to remove Ov. L4-19 from the omnibus, as
advisory delegates may not make motions.
A delegate was ruled out of order in adding Res. 11-03 to
the omnibus, as resolutions may not be added to omnibuses.
It was moved and seconded to remove Ov. L4-19, “To
Give Priority to Kingdom Work over Institutional
Preservation,” from the omnibus and refer it to the floor
committee. In a voice and hand vote, the motion failed.
Debate exhausted, Omnibus B was adopted by a voice
vote as presented.
The chair next introduced Omnibus C, as printed in
Today’s Business, 1:82. The resolution was moved and
seconded.
It was moved and seconded to remove Ov. 6-45, “To
Declare/Encourage Recognition of the Pastor’s Wife and
Honor Her in 2025,” from the omnibus and refer it to the
floor committee. In a voice vote, the motion was carried.
It was moved and seconded to cease debate. The motion
was carried in a voice and hand vote. Omnibus C was
adopted by voice and hand vote, as amended to remove Ov.
6-45 and refer it back to Floor Committee 6.
After a point of order regarding the queuing system, a
motion to recess for fifteen minutes was ruled out of order.
Convention Essay: “We Preach Christ Crucified—Overview”
[The entire text of the essay by the Rev. Dr. Thomas J.
Egger, president of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, is printed
in the 2023 Convention Proceedings.]
Committee 4: Life Together
With First Vice-President Peter Lange assuming the
chair, the chair recognized Chairman Christopher S. Esget,
Fifth Vice-President, to begin the report of his committee.
The convention was informed that the queueing and voting
system functionality had been restored.
Res. 4-01, “To Commend and Encourage Continued Use
of the Koinonia Project and Give Thanks to God for the
Sainted Rev. Dr. Herbert C. Mueller, Jr.” (TB, 1:101) was read
and introduced by the committee. Pastor Herbert C. Mueller
III spoke to the resolution and asked that the final two
stanzas of the hymn “God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It”
(Lutheran Service Book [LSB] 594) might be sung upon
adoption.
A delegate offered an amendment to add two whereases
and one resolve, which was seconded:
“WHEREAS, Fostering consensus requires an
ongoing practice of discussion between laity,
pastors, seminaries, COP, CTCR, and other leaders
and members of Synod; and
Minutes

WHEREAS, The concept paper for the Koinonia
Project rightly identifies an opportunity to further
connect
absolutely
necessary
in-person
conversations, both to each other and to the wider
Synod; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod in convention direct the
seminaries, Council of Presidents (COP), and
Commission on Theology and Church Relations
(CTCR) to develop such a standing, ongoing, fullytransparent, and synodwide conversation as soon as
humanly possible.”
The previous question was moved on the amendment.
The motion to close debate was carried [Yes: 673; No: 229].
The amendment was carried [Yes: 460; No: 455]. Upon a
question by a delegate as to the necessity of a financial
outlay estimate for the resolution as amended, the Chief
Financial Officer concluded that the costs of the effort
proposed would involve perhaps as much as $10–15
thousand (k) for development of resources, but that most of
the cost could be expected to be absorbed into work of
existing entities.
It was moved and seconded to refer the resolution as
amended back to the committee. The motion was carried
[Yes: 636; No: 287].

Session 2
Sunday p.m., July 30, 2023
Midday Prayer
First Vice-President Lange having called the assembly
together, the Rev. Dr. Scott R. Murray, Third Vice-President
(West-Southwest Region), preached on Matthew 27:32–44
in the order of Midday Prayer, with Chaplain Daenzer
serving as liturgist and Kantor Machemer accompanying.
Andrew Schempf served as soloist and guitarist.
[The entire text of Vice-President Murray’s sermon is
printed in the 2023 Convention Proceedings.]
After the devotion, the chair noted the Set Apart to Serve
initiative and introduced the first of a series of church
worker videos to be shown during the convention.
Committee 13: Registration, Credentials, and Elections
First Vice-President Lange, having called the assembly to
order and made some procedural comments, called upon
the Rev. Scott Sailer, president of the South Dakota District
and chairman of Committee 13 (Registration, Credentials,
and Elections), to announce the result of the LCMS
Presidential Election. President Sailer and the chair offered
thanks to the Office of the Secretary; the LCMS Department
of Rosters, Statistics, and Research Services; and Yes
Elections (formerly Election-America, the Synod’s election
contractor) for their assistance of congregations and
parishes and their voters in completing the process. He
described the election process and noted the five final

PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2023 (68TH) LCMS CONVENTION | 29