LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1989, Page 117

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 117

8 credits—Historical theology
12 credits—-Christianity in society
4 credits—Elective theology
12 credits—Deaconess specialization courses

a 9-12 month internship (12 credits) and 6 quarters
(150 hours) of field work; and

Wuereas, We thank God for the office of deaconess and
for the women who have faithfully served in this office;
and

Wuereas, It is helpful and desirable that synodically
certified deaconesses be declared eligible for membership
in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), and
that they be rostered in the category Ministers of Religion—
Commissioned; therefore be it

Resolved, That Articles V and VI of the Constitution be
amended to read in their entirety as follows:

Article V Membership

Membership in the Synod is held and may be ac-
quired by congregations, ministers of the Gospel, teach-
ers, and deaconesses of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church who confess and accept the confessional basis
of Article IT.

A. Voting Members

All organized congregations that have joined the
Synod hold voting membership. At the meetings of the
Districts of the Synod every congregation or parish is
entitled to two votes, one of which is to be cast by the
pastor and the other by the lay delegate. At the meetings
of the Synod a number of congregations shall form a
group which shall be represented by two voting dele-
gates, one a pastor and one a lay delegate.

B. Advisory Members

Advisory members only are the following:

1. Pastors whose congregations do not hold member-
ship in the Synod;

. Assistant pastors;

. Ministers not in charge of congregations;

Professors at the Synod’s educational institutions;

. Teachers of pareehial-sehoels the Evangelical Lu-

theran Church;

. Deaconesses

. Candidates for the office of the ministry, er for that
of a teacher i i of the Evangel-
ical Lutheran Church, or for deaconess.

Article VI Conditions of Membership

Conditions for acquiring and holding membership in
the Synod are the following:

1. Acceptance of the confessional basis of Article IT.

2. Renunciation of unionism and syncretism of every
description, such as;

a. Serving congregations of mixed confession, as
such, by ministers of the church; ’

b. Taking part in the services and sacramental rites
of heterodox congregations or of congregations of
mixed confession;

c.Participating in heterodox tract and missionary
activities. ,

3. Regular call of pastors, and teachers , and deacon-
esses, and regular election of lay delegates by the
congregations, as also the blamelessness of the life
of such.

4. Exclusive use of doctrinally pure agenda, hymn-
books, and catechisms in church and school.

5. A congregation shall be received into membership
only after the Synod has convinced itself that the
constitution of the congregation, which must be sub-
mitted for examination, contains nothing contrary to
the Scriptures or the Confessions.

NA NAAPwWN

6. Pastors, teachers, or candidates for the office of the
ministry or that of a teacher in a parochial school
not coming from recognized orthodox church bodies
must submit to a colloquium before being received.

7. Congregations and individuals shall be received into
membership at such time and manner, and according
to such procedures, as shall be set forth in the Bylaws
to this Constitution.,;

and be it further

Resolved, That the foregoing amendments be submitted
to the congregations of the Synod for ratification in con-
formity with Article XIV of the Constitution.

Action: Adopted (13).

To Recommend Further Ministry Studies
RESOLUTION 3-12
Report R3-06 (CW, pp. 72-73)

Wuereas, The Lay Worker Study Committee was un-
able to give its full attention to all the issues and questions
assigned to it and has recommended further study of those
issues and questions; therefore be it

Resolved, That the following recommendations of the
Lay Worker Study Committee be adopted as follows:

Issues for Further Study

A. Bivocational (Worker-Priest) Ministries

That the President of the Synod form a committee in-
cluding representation from the Council of Presidents and
the Board for Higher Education Services to review the cur-
rent situation regarding bivocational ministries with spe-
cial attention to the preparation and supervision required
for such ministries as well as the official status of such
workers.

B. Ordination of Nonseminary Trained Men Serving in
Word and Sacrament Ministry. Alternate Routes to the
Pastoral Office

That a committee be appointed by the President of the
Synod to study the question of whether laymen performing
functions of the pastoral ministry should, in fact, be “or-
dained.” In what circumstances and with what require-
ments? Should the Synod, in fact, establish “alternate
routes” into the pastoral office?

C. Training for Ethnic Ministries

That the Board for Higher Education Services review
the Theological Education by Extension program, which
has been established for Hispanic workers, and study
whether such a program should be established and en-
couraged for workers in other ethnic groups.

D. Continuing Education

That the Committee on Continuing Education be asked
to study and develop guidelines and resources for contin-
uing education as it applies to laymen involved in Word
and Sacrament ministry and to other certified lay workers.

Action: Adopted (14).