# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1975_S189
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

ADMINISTRATION 189

that District and their work be taken over by the geographical
Districts in which they are located.

St. Matthew Lutheran Church
St. Louis. Mo.

David Benson. President
Herbert Schollmever. Secretary
Wm. H. B. Fehl Jr., Pastor

Identical or similar:

4-29B

Zion, Lincoln, Ill. Arthur Goldberger

4-30

To Ask English District to Resign

WHEREAS, The English District of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod has called Dr. John Tietjen as a theological
consultant: and

WHEREAS, Dr. John Tietjen has been charged with ‘holding
and defending, allowing and fostering false doctrine contrary
to Article II of the Constitution of The Lutheran Church — Mis-
souri Synod” along with nine other charges of malfeasance as
president of the St. Louis seminary in accordance with and de-
tailed in the Constitution and Bylaws of The Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod: and

WHEREAS, Dr. John Tietjen has steadfastly refused to appear
at a hearing of the Board of Control to defend his position to
these charges: therefore be it

Resolved. That the English District be asked to rescind and
dismiss Dr. John Tietjen until all charges against him have been
resolved: and/or be it further

Resolved. That the English District resign its affiliation with
The Lutheran Church-— Missouri Synod: except that it be further

Resolved, That all congregations desiring to remain true to
the traditional doctrines of The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod join the District within which boundary said congrega-
tions are situated.

Gethsemane Lutheran Church
Rochester, Mich.

Marvin Siewert, Secretary
Elmer Grund, President

4-31A

To Amalgamate English District into
Geographical Districts

WHEREAS. The English District historically came into exis-
tence to promote the work of the Synod in the English language.
a need which no longer exists: and

WHEREAS. The Lutheran Church-— Missouri Synod is a unit
which is divided into Districts and is not a federation of Districts:
and

WHEREAS, The division of The Lutheran Church-— Missouri
Synod into Districts is on a geographical basis: and

WHEREAS. The existence of the English District as a non-
geographical District is contrary to said geographical basis for
the existence of Districts: and

WHEREAS. The existence of English District congregations,
pastors. and teachers in the midst of geographical Districts
of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod has manifestly tended
to provide a situation in which it is possible for these congrega-
tions, pastors, and teachers to evade the normal discipline of the
geographical Districts in which they live and work and whose
work and life they influence and affect by their presence and
activities: and

WHEREAS. The existence of the English District with its
congregations spread across the continental United States per-
force involves a waste of funds in terms of greater travel distance
for officers as well as participants in conferences and conven-
tions, and in addition makes proper administration and atten-
tion to discipline very difficult: therefore be it

Resolved. That The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod in
convention assembled abolish the English District as a District
of the Synod and declare its congregations and professional
church workers to be members of the geographical District in
which they work: and be it further

Resolved. That the assets of the English District be divided
among the geographical Districts of the Synod on the basis of
a formula devised by the Board of Directors of the Synod. in
consultation with the Board of Directors of the English District:
and be it finally

Resolved. That the amalgamation of the English District into
the geographical Districts of the Synod be carried out by July
1. 1976. and that the Board of Directors of the Synod specifically
be empowered to do everything necessary to carry out the terms
of this resolution.

St. Michael Lutheran Church
Houston. Tex.

Buell Boyd, Chairman
Arnold Julif, Secretary

Identical or similar:

4-31B to 4-31E

Mt. Calvary. Galesburg, III.
Bethlehem, Houston, Tex.
St. Paul, Ferney, S. Dak.
Salem, Tomball, Tex.

Wm. Thompson
D. A. Robbins

E. A. Rumsfield
James Blumhorst

4-32

To Disband All Nongeographic
Districts

WHEREAS. The District President of each District is charged
with the proper supervision of the pastors and congregations
of his District: and

WHEREAS. It is necessary that he be reasonably close to those
congregations in order to avoid excessive travel: and

WHEREAS. The apparent lack of supervision and control is
obvious in nongeographical Districts: therefore be it

Resolved. That the convention of the LCMS at Anaheim
disband nongeographic Districts in existence: and be it further

Resolved, That no more such Districts be formed: and be it
finally

Resolved. That existing congregations in such nongeographic
Districts shall become part of the geographic District in which
they are located.

Christ Lutheran Church
Coos Bay, Oreg.

Wayne Buckles, President
Curt Aman, Secretary

4-33

To Merge New England. New Jersey,
and Atlantic Districts

WHEREAS. The fiscal performance of small Districts has made
obvious the inefficiency involved in small size because of the
multiplication of staff members: and

WHEREAS. The performance of larger Districts has shown it
is possible to be large and yet preserve the necessary contacts
and pastoral supervision: therefore be it

Resolved. That the LCMS at its Anaheim convention combine
the New England, New Jersey, and Atlantic Districts: and be it
further

Resolved. That the assets of these Districts be merged and
new officers be elected at the time of the normal meeting of
Districts in the summer of 1976.

Christ Lutheran Church
Waverly, Ill.

Emery Seiz. President
E. A. Bielefeld. Pastor