LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1981, Page 194

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184 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

tions of the SED, and District officers of the SED be encour-
aged to practice responsible Christian fellowship at their
respective levels; and be it finally
Resolved, That congregations inform their circuit coun-
selors of the discoveries they make in the practice of fellowship
so that their experiences may be useful to the church at large.
Southeastern District
Ralph E. Wiechmann, Secretary

Identical or similar:

3-76B to 3-76G

Eastern District

St. John’s, Howard, S. Dak.
Grace, Niagara Falls, N.Y.
Trinity, Niagara Falls, N.Y.
Holy Ghost, Niagara Falls, N.Y.
Brookfield, Brookfield, Wis.

Richard Hoemann
Howard Fish
Daniel Otto
Walter Martin
Albert Bahr
Harvey Lange

3-77A

To Extend Use of Communion Guidelines
to Parish Pastors

WHEREAS, Former President John W. Behnken of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod signed a statement of
agreement regarding the administration of the Lord’s Supper
by military chaplains (Jan. 5, 1951); and

WHEREAS, The essentials of this agreement remain operative
today, as follows:

The Lutheran chaplain shall administer Holy Communion in
accordance with the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions. The

practice of personal counseling and private confession is encour-
aged....

However, there will be exceptional situations confronting the
chaplain when he administers Communion. In such situations a
Lutheran chaplain may administer the Sacrament to personnel who
have been baptized: are able to examine themselves: are conscious of
the need for repentance; hold the essence of the Christian faith
including the doctrines of the real presence and of the Lord’s Supper
as means of grace: and profess acceptance thereof.

The chaplain will make known the prerequisites for participa-
tion before celebrating the Sacrament. He may alert the congrega-
tion to the prerequisites through a preparatory message, order of
public confession. announcement in the bulletin, or some other
effective means. Manual For Lutheran Chaplains in the Armed
Forces, Division of Service to Military Personnel, Lutheran Council
in the U\S.A.:

and

WHEREAS, These Communion guidelines have also been
approved and utilized by Lutheran institutional chaplains;
an

WHEREAS, Campus pastors of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod have also been authorized to apply these
guidelines as they “minister to the spiritual needs of those on
the college and university campus” (Res. 2-07A, Anaheim
convention, 1975 Proceedings, p. 81); and

WHEREAS, These guidelines are in keeping with the teach-
ings of the New Testament (Matt. 26:26-28; 1 Cor. 10:16-17;
11:23-29 and sound Lutheran Eucharistic faith and practice;
therefore be it

Resolved, That authorization of the use of these Communion
guidelines also be extended to parish pastors as a responsible
approach to their ministry of Word and Sacrament.

University Lutheran Church

La Jolla, Calif.

Richard Herbst, President

Jerry David Albert, Vice-President
John George Huber, Pastor

Identical or similar:

3-77B and 3-77C

Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, Calif.
Trinity, Norfolk, Va.

George Milner
Waldo Scheid

3-78

To Encourage Uniform Practices
in Celebrating Holy Communion

WHEREAS, There has developed considerable laxity and
disparity in Communion practices within many if not all of our
Districts in recent years, which has created confusion, con-
troversy, division, and discord; and

WHEREAS, The historic position of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod in opposition to “open”? Communion is both
Scriptural and confessional (1 Cor. 11:27-29; 10:16, 17; Formula
of Concord, Solid Declaration, X, 25; Small Catechism, Preface,
paragraph 2); and

WHEREAS, The practice of ‘‘“open’”” Communion is contrary
to Scripture (1 Cor. 11:28; Rom. 16:17), the Large Catechism
(V, 58~—60), and the Synod’s Constitution (Art. III, 1, 4; Art.
VI, 2, b); and

WHEREAS, “Open’’ Communion is not a loving or evangelical
practice but rather a potentially soul-destroying act against
unbelievers or erring, weak, uninstructed Christians (1 Cor.
11:29), as well as deliberate disobedience to the Word of God;
therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
reaffirm the historical practice of ‘‘close’’ Communion among
congregations within our fellowship; and be it further

Resolved, That where ‘open’ Communion is practiced,
pastors and congregations so engaged be reminded of the
Scriptural and confessional basis for ‘close’ Communion and
encouraged to conform to the Word of God and the confessions;
and be it finally

Resolved, That where pastors or congregations refuse to
conform to such Scriptural and confessional admonition, the
President of the District direct Circuit Counselors to exercise
the necessary pastoral counsel and discipline to effect a God-
pleasing, uniform practice of administering Holy Communion.

St. Thomas Lutheran Church
Rocky River, Ohio

Phillip Giessler, Pastor
Donald Reiss, President

3-79

To Divide the Question of Pulpit
and Altar Fellowship

WHEREAS, Our Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has tra-
ditionally proclaimed the principle ‘Lutheran altars for Luther-
ans only”; and

WHEREAS, Guests from other Lutheran congregations have
been welcome to commune with us when they have registered
personally with the local pastor before the service; and

WHEREAS, The major problem with fellowship with other
synods rests mainly in areas associated with pulpit fellowship:
therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
separate the issue of fellowship into two parts: Pulpit Fellow-
ship and Altar Fellowship; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod acknowledge officially, througha
statement prepared by the Commission on Theology and
Church Relations, that our Lutheran brothers and sisters of
other synods are welcome to commune with us as guests; and
be it finally

Resolved, That our Synod continue to seek pulpit fellowship
with all synods through the authority and guidance of Holy
Scripture.

Saint Paul Lutheran Church
Millington, Mich.

Thomas Schiefer, Secretary
David Schoemaker, Pastor
Robert Barker, Pastor