LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1989, Page 21

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MINUTES OF THE CONVENTION

Opening Service

The opening worship service for the 57th Regular Con-
vention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod was
held on July 7, 1989, in Century II, the convention center
of Wichita, Kans. Dr. Ralph A. Bohlmann, president of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, was the preacher,
with Rev. John F. Niermann of Immanuel Lutheran
Church of Wichita serving as the presiding minister.

Delivering a message based on Psalm 105 to a full con-
vention hall, President Bohimann described how the more
than 2.5 million members of The Lutheran Church—Mis-
souri Synod have returned countless times from the Com-
munion table with joy and peace in their hearts to sing the
canticle which includes the words, Tell everyone what He
has done, the theme of Dr. Bohlmann’s sermon and of our
convention.

Dr. Bohlmann reminded those present that three-
fourths of the world’s five billion people do not know Christ,
have not yet been told what HE has done. Indeed it is HE
whom we must proclaim. It is HE whom we desire to pro-
claim, called and commissioned by God to do so. HE is our
focus; HE our marvelous God, our God of covenant and
redemption. HE is the content, the light, and the power of
our mission. HE is our personal salvation and the salvation
of all those whose lives the Holy Spirit will touch through
the message we proclaim, the Great Commission we fulfill.
“Father, who the crown shall give, / Savior, by whose death
we live, / Spirit, guide through all our days: / Three in One,
your name we praise. / Alleluia!”

Session 1
July 8, Morning

Devotions

The opening devotion for the first session of the con-
vention was led by Dr. Arnold Kuntz, convention chaplain,
following an order of worship prepared especially for the
convention.

21

LifeLight™ Bible Study

Dr. Ear] Gaulke introduced the LifeLight Bible study
to the delegates and visitors to the convention, pointing
out that the new program emphasizes individual study,
small-group sharing, large-group lecture, and review. Dr.
Stephen Carter will serve the convention as teacher of the
LifeLight Bible study. The introduction was concluded
with prayer by Rev. Roy Bleick.

Registration, Credentials, and Elections

Dr. Alvin V. Kollmann, president of the Southern Illi-
nois District and chairman of the Committee on Registra-
tion, Credentials and Elections, reported on the number
of voting delegates registered to this point of the conven-
tion. As of 7:59 a.m., July 8, there were 532 voting pastors
and 526 voting laypersons registered. The total number of
voting delegates present was 1,058, constituting a quorum.

Dr. Kollmann also reminded the delegates that the con-
vention will utilize a new electronic voting system this
year. All delegates were asked to be present for an intro-
duction to the system.

A subsequent registration tally was made which in-
cluded all delegates officially registered as of 10 a.m. The
count was 566 voting pastors and 562 voting laypersons,
for a total count of 1,128.

Convention Gavel

Dr. August Suelflow, director of the Concordia Histor-
ical Institute, presented a gavel of historical significance
to Dr. Bohlmann for use in the opening and closing of the
convention. This historic gavel has been used since 1911,
and President Bohlmann is the fifth synodical president
to use it. The gavel was first used by President Pfotenhauer
and had been prepared in 1910 by a layman from a piece
of wood taken from a beam of the log cabin in Perry County
that served as the church’s first seminary.

Call to Order

After receiving the gavel, President Bohlmann used it
to declare the convention open in the name of the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit.

Following the call to order, a media presentation was
shared with all present.

Welcome

Dr. Eugene Schmidt, president of the Kansas District,
warmly welcomed the delegates. He introduced and
thanked the volunteers of the Convention Committee from
the Wichita area, who helped to prepare for the convention.
He spoke of the history of the church in Kansas and said
the task remains to share the Gospel, to “Tell everyone
what He has done.” He prayed for God’s blessings upon
the convention.

A response to the welcome was given by Dr. George
Mohr, chairman of the Board of Directors of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod, during which he asked the del-
egates to extend a warm round of applause to those who
voluntarily contributed so much to the preparations for the