# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1973_S90 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 90 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS Identical or Similar: 2-145B Beacon Lutheran Church. Seattle. Wash., Robert G. Lillie, Chairman; Debra L. Jones, Secretary. 2-145C Amherst Lutheran Church, Williamsville, N.Y. B. Jerry Wagner, Pastor; Norman R. Berner, Secretary. 2-145D Zion Lutheran Church, Decatur, Ind.. Morris Kruecke- berg, President; Raymond Thieme. Secretary. 2-146 To Declare Fellowship with LCA Wuereas, The Lutheran Church in America has indicated its willingness to declare pulpit and altar fellowship with all churches as subscribe unconditionally to the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions: and Wuereas, The LCA has in no small measure witnessed boldly to the LCMS of her dynamic faith: and WHEREAS, We have benefited for so long from her sister- hood without the benefit of formal national relations: there- fore be it Resolved, That the LCMS declare herself to be in fellow- ship with the LCA: and be it further Resolved, That we implement such fellowship according to the procedures already in operation with the ALC: and be it finally Resolved, That we declare that the LCA's practice of or- daining women to the pastoral ministry is not divisive of fellowship, nor is Missouri's decision not to ordain them. Our REDEEMER LUTHERAN CHURCH Jacksonville, Fla. Wayne J. Lehrer, Pastor William Drum, President Audrey Shivar, Secretary 2-147 To Encourage Altar Fellowship with Lutheran Church in America We rejoice that our Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod in the Denver convention, with joy and praise to God, de- clared itself to be in altar and pulpit fellowship with the American Lutheran Church. We rejoice that our Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod in its Milwaukee convention reaffirmed this declaration when it expressed its gratitude to the Lord of the church for His blessing on this fellowship and for every evidence of growth in the understanding and practice of fellowship in both the LCMS and the ALC. We rejoice in the many opportunities that we have had in the Southeastern District to implement these resolutions and to express the fellowship that exists between the LCMS and the ALC. We rejoice also that in our many contacts with the Lu- theran Church in America we find there is a growing basis for altar fellowship with our fellow Lutherans in the LCA. Therefore we resolve that the Southeastern District peti- tion the Missouri Synod, assembled in convention in New Orleans, to approve and encourage altar fellowship with individuals of the Lutheran Church in America. SOUTHEASTERN DISTRICT Frederick A. Stiemke, Secretary 2-148 To Encourage Altar Fellowship with LCA Wuereas, The Southeastern District of the LCMS assem- bled in convention April 14—17, 1972, petitioned the LCMS to approve and encourage altar fellowship with the Lu- theran Church in America: and Whereas, Christians residing in the geographical bound- arics of the Southeastern District have many opportunities for worship experiences with Lutherans of the LCA at which the Lord's Supper is celebrated; therefore be it Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod approve and encourage altar fellowship with the Lutheran Church in America. LUTHERAN CHURCH OF SAINT ANDREW Silver Spring, Md. George Lobien, Pastor Walter Petzold. President Mary Forman, Secretary 2-149 To Continue Fellowship Discussions with LCA Resolved, That the Atlantic District strongly encourage the Synod and its administration to continue the discussions with the Lutheran Church in America under the auspices of LCUSA, looking forward toward fellowship with that church body: and be it further Resolved, That we ask the Lord's blessings upon the dis- cussions with the Lutheran Church in America so that our joint witness in behalf of the Gospel may be strengthened through such fellowship: and be it finally Resolved, That the administration of Synod report to the next convention of the Synod what doctrinal differences, if any, still prevent the declaration of fellowship. Reasons: 1. The Lutheran Church in America and The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod adhere to the same doc- trinal standard, namely, the Holy Scriptures and the Lu- theran Confessions as contained in the Book of Concord of 1580. ATLANTIC DISTRICT Arlin Maas, Secretary 2-150 To Decline Fellowship with LCA Wuereas, The declaration of altar and pulpit fellowship with the ALC has had a divisive and polarizing effect upon the membership of the LCMS: and Wuereas, There is not a basic unity of doctrine and prac- tice between the LCMS and the LCA: and WuereaS, Fellowship with the LCA would be even more destructive of harmony and unity within our Synod because of its more liberal doctrines and practices, and because of its involvement in unionistic associations: therefore be it Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod in convention in New Orleans July 6—13, 1973. decline all memorials and overtures to declare fellowship with the Lu- theran Church in America at this time. TRIUMPHANT Kinc LUTHERAN CHURCH Lake Oswego, Oreg. Paul Meranda, Chairman Marvin Wagner, Secretary SELECTIVE FELLOWSHIP 2-151A To Recognize Right of Selective Fellowship Wuereas, The Scriptures and the Confessions make clear that the only prerequisite for fellowship is agreement in the doctrine of the Gospel and the Sacraments: and WHEREAS, Separatism on the one hand and unionism on the other hand are both offenses against the Gospel: and Whereas, The Synod is not to exercise legislative or co- ercive powers over member congregations, but is an ad- visory body (Constitution, Article VII): and Wuereas, Nothing in the Constitution of the Synod pre- vents a member congregation from fellowshiping with a nonmember congregation with which it finds itself in doc- trinal agreement: and