# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1973_S97
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 97
mentioned activities are acts of “disobedience to God’s com- bership cards with all the rights of membership in the or-
mand”; and be it further ganization simply by paying a membership fee. No meeting

Resolved, That Synod sever its connections with LCUSA, need ever be attended. No initiation is required. Many of
suspend fellowship with the American Lutheran Church and our own members can see nothing anti-Christian or sinful
cease all other unionistic activities which stand in conflict in holding membership In these organizations, and quite a
with the Word of God as correctly expounded in the Brief number have joined. This has happened especially at the
Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod; urging of their friends and or relatives in the ALC who
and be it finally hold such membership in an “animal lodge.”

Trinity Lutheran Congregation therefore respectfully
requests Synod to instruct its Commission on Fraternal Or-

clining this memorial, that it no longer holds the above to ganizations to reexamine its evaluation of such “animal
be unionistic, and thus sinful activities, that Synod repudiate lodges” on the basis of local customs and practices rather
the Brief Statement’s paragraphs (28, 29) “On Church Fel- than alone on the basis of their official national documents.
lowship” as being false doctrine no longer to be held by . Our Congregation further respectfully petitions Synod to
the members of Synod. give congregations in local areas the option, after careful
Goop SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH investigation of all facts, to make their own evaluation and

Rock Falls, Il. interpretation of the phrases: “ungodly associations, such as

: anti-Christian lodges” or similar terms subject to approval

by their District convention. Finally our Congregation re-
spectfully requests a written copy of convention action on
this memorial if this does not appear in the official proceed~-
ings of the convention.

Resolved, That if the Synod in convention assembled de-
clares by its failure to act on these proposals or by de-

Curtis A. Peterson, Pastor
Kim Groharing, Chairman
Dale Humphrey, Secretary

Trinity LUTHERAN CONGREGATION

2-174 Sabin, Minn.
‘ : ‘“ * Norman Krabbenhoft, Chairman
To Reexamine Evaluation of “Animal Pamard Butenhoff, Secretary
Lodges
9.195
The Bylaws of Trinity Lutheran Congregation, Sabin, 2-175
Minn., state in Article VI, Section 1: “Only such can become . ralvi
and remain members, hold office, or enjoy the rights and To Protest Youth Gatherings Involving
privileges of membership in this congregation, as: . . . g) are Our Youth with Members of LCA
free from all ungodly associations, such as anti-Christian WHEREAS, We are not in fellowship with the Lutheran
Our congregation, as we assume most others do, has re- Church in America; therefore be it
lied on the synodical Commission on Fraternal Organizations Resolved, That our youth not be encouraged to take part
to determine which organizations are “ungodly associations” in any youth programs, gatherings, meetings, or assemblies
or “anti-Christan lodges.” During the last few years, es- where the fellowship principles which our Synod affirms,
pecially since our Synod declared altar and pulpit fellow- are placed in jeopardy.
ship with the ALC, a difference of opinion has arisen in re- Trinity LUTHERAN CHURCH
gard to the Commission's evaluation of the “animal lodges,” Sturgis, Mich.
such as the Elks, Moose, Eagles. Many maintain that these Bruce Schaeffer, Chairman
organizations are purely fraternal social clubs and in no way Albert Bumann, Secretary
anti-Christian. Local lodge officers deny that their group is H. M. Heidenreich, Pastor
in any way a religious organization. People can get mem- Tom Baker, Assistant Pastor