# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2026_S 27
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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To Amend Bylaws to Provide Clarity
and Address Practical Considerations
for Specialized Spiritual Care Ministry................ 323
To Use Title Chaplain within the Synod
Exclusively for Ordained Clergy.......................... 324
To Encourage Use of Chalice............................... 324
To Celebrate Progress and To Encourage
Increasing Faithfulness in Offering Every
Sunday Communion. ............................................ 325
To Encourage Unequivocal Affirmation of First
Communion Prior to Confirmation as God-Pleasing
Practice and To Encourage Congregations
to Commune Visiting Communicant Children..... 325
To Call All in Synod to Love, Peace,
and Brotherly Care................................................ 326
To Exhort Members to Earnestly and Regularly
Pray for and Pursue Synodical Unity,
and To Appoint a Task Force................................ 326
To Address Persecution in the Church. ................ 327
To Judge Practice by Word Alone........................ 327
To Encourage Raising Up Public Servants........... 327
To Oppose Federal Immigration Raids
and Call for Pastoral Advocacy............................ 328
To Provide Direction concerning Disputes
Appearing on Social Media................................... 328
To Encourage Production of Sunday School
Material for Very Small Congregations................ 328
To Address Uses of Artificial Intelligence........... 329
To Reject Use of Sermons Created
by Artificial Intelligence....................................... 330
To Acknowledge the Witness of Charlie Kirk
and Establish September 10 as Day of Prayer
for Faithful Witnesses in Our Time...................... 330
To Recognize Charles James Kirk as Christian
Martyr. .................................................................. 331
To Commend Confession That Charles James
Kirk Died a Christian Martyr................................ 331
To Celebrate Concordia Historical Institute
Centenary and Renew the Synod’s Commitment
to Treasure and Trumpet Its Redeemed History... 332

5. Theology and Church Relations
Reports
R1–R1.1, R10, R12, R62–R62.13
Overtures
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To Recognize Altar and Pulpit Fellowship
with Evangelical Lutheran Christian Church
of Bolivia............................................................... 335

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To Support and Encourage Recognition
of Altar and Pulpit Fellowship with Lutheran
Mission—Australia............................................... 336
To Address Concerns with Siberian Evangelical
Lutheran Church................................................... 337
To Admonish and Review Fellowship
with Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church......... 338
To Admonish and Converse with Siberian
Evangelical Lutheran Church................................ 339
To Address Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya
Membership in Lutheran World Federation.......... 339
To Declare State of “Fellowship in Protest”
with Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia. ...... 339
To Recognize That the Synod Is Not in Altar
and Pulpit Fellowship with Selbständige
Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche........................... 340
To Reconsider Altar and Pulpit Fellowship
with The American Association of Lutheran
Churches.. ............................................................. 341
To Encourage and Promote Biblical Teaching
of Creation. ........................................................... 342
To Restore Apostles’ Creed to Historical Form
regarding Christ’s “Descent into Hell”................. 342
To Review Practice of Divine Call in Synod
Constitution and Bylaws....................................... 343
To Request Comprehensive Review When
Call Is Terminated or Self-Terminated................. 344
To Study How to Amend Practice of Issuing
“Divine Calls” to Positions Not in Direct
Service of Proclamation of Gospel and
Administration of Sacraments. ............................. 344
To Encourage and Promote Sound Teaching
on Eschatology or Last Things. ............................ 345
To Reaffirm and Encourage Teaching and
Practice of Closed Communion............................ 345
To Reaffirm, Enforce, and Restore Faithful
Eucharistic Practice and Synodical Discipline
concerning Unionism and Open Communion. ..... 346
To Request Commission on Theology and Church
Relations to Produce Study Document to Further
Understanding and Conversations on Pastoral
Exceptions to Closed Communion. ...................... 347
To Reaffirm Sanctity of Human Life in Regard
to Practice of In Vitro Fertilization....................... 347
To Oppose Practice of In Vitro Fertilization........ 348
To Address the Practice of In Vitro Fertilization. 348
To Believe, Teach, and Confess Missio Dei......... 349
To Rescind 1981 Resolution 8-05 and Request
Commission on Theology and Church Relations
Report on Human Organ Donation and
Transplantation. .................................................... 350
2026 Convention Workbook