# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1979_S85
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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ADDRESS OF RETIRING GENERAL SECRETARY OF LCUSA 85

two kingdoms, or areas of action, church and state. That
heritage, together with the helpful insights it offers, is
another area in which we can together contribute in a
major way on an issue which is certain to be of
importance in the years directly ahead.

Finally, let me lift up the continuing needs in refugee
work. Reports in recent weeks remind us forcefully
again of the plight of persons for whom, as for Jesus,
there was and is no room. Thousands of LCMS congre-
gations have joined congregations of the other church
bodies in responding. Yet the need remains great. We
must not grow weary in well-doing. Again, happily, we
are able to carry out this monumental task through a
common agency, the council’s Department of Immigra-
tion and Refugee Services.

I would like to conclude with a challenge. The second
principle for Lutheran ecumenism outlined in the report
of your Commission on Theology and Church Relations
of November 1974 affirms that Lutherans “will not omit
doing anything, insofar as God and conscience allow,
that may serve the cause of Christian concord.”

Though we cooperate in much, in much we do not
cooperate. And of course cooperation forbidden by God
and/or conscience would not be appropriate. But the
CTCR document puts before us a constant challenge as
heirs of a confessional movement which never intended
a divided Christianity as desirable or permanent. That
challenge is to examine constantly all we do or choose
not to do to see if our motivations are truly and only

inspired by God or conscience. And if God or conscience
has not clearly forbidden something which could be-
come a step toward concord, harmony, or unity among
us, or indeed between Lutherans and other Christians,
then we must conclude that there is almost certainly no
ultimately God-pleasing reason to continue separately
in the particular matter concerned.

Jesus prayed that His followers might be one and
that they would demonstrate it to the world, so that the
world might believe. In the CTCR document you are
committed to do everything possible to further Christian
concord, restrained only by God or conscience. Who of
us would be bold enough to say we have yet come
anywhere near meeting that challenge? My prayer for
you and your brothers and sisters in the other Lutheran
bodies is that together with God’s help you will resolve
not to omit anything in this regard, mindful always of
the reason for unity—that the world might believe.

And now, Mr. President, it is a distinct privilege and
a high honor to present the recently elected General
Secretary of the Lutheran Council in the U.S.A., the
Reverend John R. Houck, who has long experience and
tested competence in cooperative Lutheranism; what is
more, he is highly skilled in that field. He came to his
new position after previous experience in the Lutheran
Council and, more recently, nine years as the adminis-
trator of the largest program unit in The American
Lutheran Church. Dr. Houck.

George F. Harkins, D.D.

Remarks of Newly Elected General Secretary,
Lutheran Council in the U.S.A.

In many ways I feel like I am returning home. It has
been a real pleasure for me to see how many of you I
know from my previous assignment with the Lutheran
Council. Itis therefore a great privilege for me to have as
one of my first assignments assisting with the represen-
tation of the Lutheran Council at your convention.

These times in the world and the U‘S. are calling for
the church of Jesus Christ to be strong in mission. Just
by way of example, we have and are still living through
the longest period of inflation in American history. This
has caused severe strain on budgets in all of the
churches. Ultimately this kind of pressure may force us
into some areas of cooperation as Lutheran church
bodies for which we are not ready. It will be far better for
all of us to think through and learn about cooperation
out of good reasoning rather than be forced by eco-
nomics.

There is much which can be done cooperatively. We
are already doing much, but we can do more. The
annual meeting of the council pointed up one area.
Executives from the Control Data Corporation made a
presentation on their work among the urban poor to
better conditions, and it was rather an excellent array of
programs. Out of that meeting the annual meeting

The Rev. John Houck, newly elected General Secretary of LCUSA