# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1973_S91
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 91

Wuereas, Bylaw 1.21 of the Handbook speaks of synodical
affiliation or association — not of congregational fellowship;
and

Wuereas, The church is people, not boards, commissions,
synods, or conventions; and

Wuereas, It is simple common sense that as the indi-
vidual has the right to recognize fellowship in Christ where
it exists, so the congregation has the right to recognize fel-
lowship with other congregations where it exists: and

Wuereas, Circumstances, convictions, needs, and oppor-
tunities vary in different places and different situations, as
has already been recognized in mission fields, on college
campuses, in military and institutional ministries; and

Wuereas, In this day and age it cannot be assumed that
pastors and congregations will in fact follow the stated posi-
tions of their respective church bodies: and

Wuereas. Nothing would enable the church to be “God's
mission to the church” better than Christians sitting down
together to discuss the meaning of the Gospel with one
another; therefore be it

Resolved, That the right of each congregation to practice
selective altar and pulpit fellowship be recognized; and be it
further

Resolved, That the following guidelines be recommended
as orderly procedures to be used for the establishment of
selective fellowship between congregations:

Guidelines for Establishing Selective Fellowship
Between Congregations

1. Pastors of the congregations should meet together to
discuss the meaning of the Gospel and the Sacraments as
reflected in their confessional writings. They should issue
a joint statement concerning their beliefs.

2. The church councils, or other similar leadership groups,
should meet together to assess the statement of their pas-
tors. They should prepare a resolution concerning altar and
pulpit fellowship to be presented to the governing body of
each congregation.

3. Copies of all documents involved (the joint statements
of the beliefs of the pastors, the resolution of the church
councils) should be sent to the District President as soon as
prepared, with a frank and honest appeal for his pastoral
concern.

4. The governing bodies of each congregation should act
on the resolution presented by the councils.

5. If altar and pulpit fellowship is officially established,
a joint service of celebration and thanksgiving should be
held.

§. This decision shall be subject to review at the request
of either congregation.

7. This decision is to be understood as applying only to
the congregations concerned. and in no way applying to any
other congregation.

BEAUTIFUL SAVIOR LUTHERAN CHURCH
Spokane, Wash.
Lydia Mayberry. Secretary

Similar:

2-151B

Beacon Lutheran Church, Seattle, Wash., Robert Lillie,
Chairman; Debra Jones, Secretary, with, however, the fol-
lowing resolveds:

Resolved, That the right of each congregation to practice
selective altar and pulpit fellowship be recognized; and be
it further

Resolved, That orderly procedures be recommended by
which congregations can meet together to determine whether
or not altar and pulpit fellowship is possible; and be it finally

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church —— Missouri Synod
at its 1973 convention amend the Bylaws of Synod's Consti-
tution, Article III, Section G, to include the following:

3.113 Relationships with Parishes of Other
Denominations

Congregations striving to carry out the mission
of Christ in their community will have the freedom

and the responsibility to relate to congregations of
other Christian denominations at various levels of
work and worship, wherever the cause of Christ is
thereby furthered and the Gospel of Christ is not
obscured or compromised.

2-151C
Commission on Mission and Ministry in the Church, L. C.
Wuerffel, Chairman.

2-151D

Cross Lutheran Church, Milwaukee, Wis., Cardell Willis,
President; Paulette Barr, Secretary.

2-152
To Permit Selective Fellowship

Wuereas, Needs and opportunities for inter-parish fellow-
ship among Christians are multiplying in our day; and

WuereaS, The Missouri Synod tradition and Constitution
give to the congregation final responsibility for decision
making while reserving an advisory role to the Synod; and

Wuereas, The needs of God’s mission can be most wisely
decided only by the people directly involved in the mission;
and

Wuereas, The supremacy of the congregation needs to be
maintained in the interest of the mission of the church;
therefore be it

Resolved, That the practice of selective fellowship among
Christian congregations be permitted; and be it further
Resolved, That the congregations of the Synod give great-
est consideration to their synodical affiliations and responsi-
bilities in deciding questions of selective fellowship; and be
it finally
Resolved, That the other congregations of Synod recog-
nize the validity of such action when these steps have been
followed.
Peace LUTHERAN CHURCH
New Berlin, Wis.
Arthur Gulrud, President
Christine Schwerin, Secretary
Martin W. Bangert, Pastor

Identical or Similar:

2-152B e

Amherst Lutheran Church, Williamsville, N.Y., Robert
Gromer, President: B. Jerry Wagner, Pastor.
2-152C

Zion Lutheran Church, Decatur, Ind., Morris Kruecke-
berg, President; Raymond Thieme, Secretary.

2-152D

St. John’s Lutheran Church, Depew, N.Y., Ernest W.
Reitzel, Chairman; A, Cain, Recording Secretary.
2-152E

Faith Lutheran Church, Westchester, IL,
Bruhnke. President: La Verne Meifert, Secretary.

Edward

2-152F

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Mount Prospect, Ill., Raymond
Avischious. Chairman; Esther S. Busse, Secretary.

LWF, CANADA, Wwcc, NCC
2-153
To Join LWF

Wuereas, The Lutheran World Federation has been a
fruitful international federation of Lutherans for 25 years;
and