# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1973_S82 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 82 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS volve the functions of a church, but the council has in fact been functioning often as a church rather than as a council by conducting various activities together, such as joint cam- pus ministries, seminaries in mission fields, etc.; and Wuereas, In the opinion of many not much work is being accomplished by the council for the Kingdom; and WuereaS, The Lutheran Council is a very large item in the budget of Synod, costing almost $1 million every year; and Wuereas, Synod has had to curtail various important ac- tivities in the past, even foreign mission work because of lack of funds; therefore be it Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod withdraw from the Lutheran Council in the U.S.A. as soon as this can prudently be done. Mr. Catvary LUTHERAN CHURCH Richfield, Minn. Henry Trebelhorn, President Erwin Bruesehoff, Secretary Similar: 2-119B Peace Lutheran Church, Sussex, Wis., J. Goehner, Pastor; H. Neumann, Chairman. 2-119C St. Paul Lutheran Church, Sanford, Mich., Earnest Sutton, President; Lynn Robinette, Secretary. 2-119D St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Slater, Ma, Wayne Blum- horst, Chairman; Virgil Borgman, Secretary. 2-119E Peace Lutheran Church, Slater, Mo., Warren Kisco, Chairman; Gus Granneman, Secretary. 2-120A To Sever Connection with LCUSA Wuereas, “The conservation and promotion of the unity of the true faith ... and a united defense against schism and sectarianism” (Art. TI 1) is the first objective spelled out in our synodical Constitution; and WueREAS, The “renunciation of unionism and syncretism of every description” (Art. VI 2) is additionally a condition for membership in the Synod as defined in her Constitu- tion; and WuHereas, The fervent hope of Dr. J. W. Behnken and others that involvement in the Lutheran Council in the U.S.A. would be the instrument through which basic, fun- damental discussion of doctrinal differences could be ex- plored with the Lutheran Church in America has been can- celled by the patent unwillingness of the LCA to do so: and WHEREAS, Membership in LCUSA involves us in unionism with the LCA through joint campus ministries, joint training of missionaries, etc.: and Wuereas, The initially moderate financial costs involved in LCUSA have skyrocketed to more than 34 million dol- lars per year since the decision to become involved was reached in Detroit in 1965; and WuereEas, Synod finds herself increasingly distressed financially to the point of having to curtail her missionary program by slashing budgets essential to the primary func- tion and purpose of the Synod (Art.I1e): and Wuereas, LCUSA has produced and published Who Can This Be? and The Ordination of Women, both of which position themselves against clear teaching of Scripture in matters involving the deity of Christ and the ordination of women clergy, and we have been made unwilling partners in such promotion through LCUSA membership: therefore be it Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod at its New Orleans convention take the necessary steps to sever her connection with the Lutheran Council in the U.S. A. without delay. Messtau Ev, LUTHERAN CHURCH Sterling, Ill. Harold Nelson, Secretary Eldor Mueller, Pastor Similar: 2-120B Trinity Lutheran Church, Easthampton, Mass., Francis Belle, President: Glenmore Carr, Secretary. 2-120C Trinity Lutheran Church, Sturgis, Mich., Bruce Schaeffer, Chairman; H. M. Heidenreich, Pastor. 2-121 To Cut Support to LCUSA Wuereas, It has been definitely proven that LCUSA is unionistic in its approaches to the work of the church at large, by its activities; and WuHeREAS, It has moved beyond to propagate false doc- trine as seen in Who Can This Be? and “Women’s Ordina- tion”; and Whereas, It is obvious to anyone that the council is working toward the concept of a “Super Church,” not heed- ing its original purpose; and WuHerEAS, The monies expended by LCMS for its mem- bership in LCUSA definitely could be put to better use, as in keeping our missionaries in foreign fields, instead of re- calling them because of lack of funds; and Wuereas, The LCUSA is not held accountable to anyone but to itself; therefore be it Resolved. That we, the members of St. John’s Lutheran Congregation of Chaska, Minn., in a lawfully called Voters’ Assembly on Feb. 27, 1973, memorialize The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod, at its convention in New Orleans, July 1973, to restudy the activities of LCUSA, and to ask that LCUSA return to its original purpose of existence, and to ask the LCMS to cut its obligations in half of its former support, limiting its support to LCUSA not to exceed $500,- 000. St. JOHN’s LUTHERAN CHURCH Chaska, Minn. Henry Wrase, Chairman Robert Berkey, Secretary ALC 2-122A To Encourage Practice of Fellowship with ALC Resolved, That we rejoice and thank God for the oppor- tunities we have had in the Atlantic District for the prac- tice of fellowship which exists between the LCMS and the ALC; and be it further Resolved, That the Atlantic District petition LCMS as- sembled in convention in New Orleans in July, 1973, to en- courage the increase of the practice of the declared fellow- ship with the ALC wherever feasible throughout the Synod. Reasons: 1. The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod at the Mil- waukee convention expressed its gratitude to the Lord of the church for His blessings and fellowship with the Amer- ican Lutheran Church declared at the Denver convention in 1969 and for every evidence of growth in the understand- ing and practice of fellowship in both The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod and the American Lutheran Church. 2. Unused opportunities in The Lutheran Church — Mis- souri Synod for practicing the fellowship which has been declared with the American Lutheran Church. ATLANTIC DISTRICT Arlin A. Maas, Secretary