LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1969, Page 97

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RESOLUTIONS 97

what we mean when we use the term “fellowship,” par-
ticularly in the context of relationships between church
bodies.

We understand that fellowship between church bodies
is based on a common and mutual acceptance, under-
standing and practice of the Gospel and the sacraments,
understanding the term “Gospel” as it is used in the
Augsburg Confession, Article VII. [Augsburg Confession,
Article V, which speaks of the Gospel and sacraments as
instruments of the Holy Spirit for the creation of faith,
is helpful toward understanding the meaning of “Gospel”
in Augsburg Confession, Article VII.] Where such agree-
ment and understanding exist between church bodies,
they may and should establish altar and pulpit fellowship.

With the establishment of fellowship each church

_body retains its separate identity and organizational
structure, procedures, and policies. It is understood that
the declaration of fellowship will not infringe upon or
interfere with the rights of congregations and church
bodies to determine their exercise of pastoral care and
discipline. However, also in this respect church bodies in
fellowship should earnestly work toward a common ap-
proach and practice in such matters. There must exist
between such church bodies a mutual trust that congrega-
tional and synodical regulations in governing the ex-
pression and exercise of pastoral care will be recognized
and respected by all concerned.

A congregation of one church body may call as its
pastor a clergyman of the other church body, provided
that prior consultation has resulted in mutual approval
by the respective administrative officials of both church
bodies involved in such a call. The establishment of fel-
lowship does not imply the indiscriminate calling of pas-
tors across synodical lines. A congregation and its pastor
shall belong to the same church body and be subject to
the discipline of that church body.

Where fellowship exists between church bodies, this
will express itself in various ways:

1. Pastors in good standing in each church body may be
invited to preach from the pulpits of congregations of the
other church body.

2. Congregations of church bodies in fellowship may
hold joint worship services.

3. Members of the congregations of each church body
who are in good standing in their own congregation and
do not violate principles regulating Communion practices
in the host congregation shall be welcome as guests at
the altar of congregations of the other church body. In
the interest of the pastoral care and responsibility of the

congregation of which an individual is a member, there
should not be an indiscriminate visiting of the altars of
churches either within his own church body or at the
altars of congregations of that church body with which
his church is in fellowship.

4. Members in good standing may transfer their mem-
bership from a congregation of one church body to a
congregation of the other church body in conformity with
the practices of the receiving congregation.

(Statement accepted in substance by the national and
District presidents of both The American Lutheran
Church and The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod at a
joint meeting in Minneapolis, Feb. 25—26, 1969)

With this understanding we offer the following reso-
lution:

Wuereas, According to the Scriptures, Christian fel-
lowship is the gracious gift of God and signifies a fel-
lowship in Christ and in the Gospel which calls upon
Christians to confess their one Lord with one mind and
one voice and to live together in unity and mutual as-
sistance; and

Wuereas, The Lutheran Confessions declare: “It is
sufficient for the true unity of the Christian church that
the Gospel be preached in conformity with a pure un-
derstanding of it and the sacraments be administered
in accordance with the divine Word” (Augsburg Con-
fession VII); and

Wuereas, This statement in the Augsburg Confes-
sion VII defines the necessary and sufficient basis for
fellowship and turns our eyes to the Gospel of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ; and this Gospel makes us
Christians, builds the church, and holds the church
together amid so many forces which seek to tear it
apart; and

Wuereas, Our church looks to Augsburg Confession
VII for instruction and guidance with respect to sound
Biblical and Lutheran principles for the establishment
of pulpit and altar fellowship with The American Lu-
theran Church (cf. Fred Kramer, The Fellowship Prin-
ciple According to Augustana VII, p.3); and

Committee 3 ponders a point