Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1969 · 48th Convention › Page 196
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1969, Page 196

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

196 CHURCH RELATIONS

CANADA
(3-264)

To Establish Fellowship with Evangelical
Lutheran Church of Canada

Wuereas, The three Canadian Districts of The Lu-
theran Church — Missouri Synod have formed the Lu-
theran Church— Canada (LCC) for the purpose of
expediting their work; and

Wuereas, In 1966 the Evangelical Lutheran Church
of Canada (ELCC), formerly a district of The American
Lutheran Church, became an autonomous church body;
and

Whereas, The LCC and the ELCC have examined
each other’s constitutions and found the confessional
basis to be adequate for altar and pulpit fellowship; and

Wuereas, The Commission on Theology and Church
Relations of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
has reviewed the constitutional Articles of Faith of the
ELCC and found them to be “both scriptural and ade-
quate”; and

Wuereas, For several decades doctrinal discussions
between the LCC and the ELCC, carried on in various
local, regional, and national meetings, have disclosed
and strengthened a genuine consensus in faith and
understanding; and

Wuereas, At its convention in June 1968 the ELCC
unanimously offered altar and pulpit fellowship to The
Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod; and

Wuereas, The LCC, through the Commission on
Theology and Church Relations, requests The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod to declare altar and pulpit
fellowship with the ELCC to enable the LCC and the
ELCC to give full expression to the unity they have
attained; therefore be it

Resolved, That with gratitude for the Holy Spirit's
guidance and blessing, The Lutheran Church — Mis-
souri Synod establish altar and pulpit fellowship with
the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada; and be it
further

Resolved, That through the existing channels of inter-
church relations the Lutheran Church — Canada and the
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada be encouraged
to exercise a mutual ministry to strengthen their under-
standing and practice of fellowship.

LuTHERAN CHURCH — CANADA COMMISSION ON
RELATIONS WITH OTHER CHURCH BopIEs
Horace H. Erpman, Chairman

ALBIN J. STANFEL, Secretary

(3-265)

To Authorize Doctrinal Discussions
with the LCA — Canada Section

Wuereas, Lutheran Church — Canada, made up of
the three Districts of The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod in Canada, has engaged in doctrinal discussions
with the Lutheran Church in America — Canada Section

for the purpose of seeking and strengthening Lutheran
unity and wishes to continue such discussions; and
Wuereas, The Synod in 1965 (Resolution 3-04)
authorized its mission churches in other countries to
explore and negotiate fellowship relations in their own
right but has made no similar provision for Districts
located in other countries; and
Wuereas, The Synod in 1965 (Resolution 4-28) rec-
ognized the need for granting increasing independence
to the Districts in Canada by sanctioning and granting
special status to them in the Lutheran Church — Can-
ada; and
Wuereas, The Lutheran Church in America — Can-
ada Section has conveyed to the Lutheran Church —
Canada its desire to pursue doctrinal discusions as a
means to furthering Lutheran unity in accordance with
the requirements of the Holy Scriptures and the Lu-
theran Confessions; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod authorize and encourage
the Lutheran Church — Canada through its committee
on relations with other churches and in consultation
with the Commission on Theology and Church Relations
to pursue the quest for Lutheran unity with the Lu-
theran Church in America— Canada Section on the
basis of the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Con-
fessions; and be it further
Resolved, That any requests for official synodical
action which might result from these discussions be
conveyed to the Synod at the appropriate time and
according to appropriate synodical procedures.
LuTHERAN CHURCH — CANADA COMMISSION
ON RELATIONS WITH OTHER CHURCH BopIES
Horace H. ErpMan, Chairman
ALBIN J, STANFEL, Secretary

NCC AND WCC
(3-266)

To Study National Council of Churches

Whereas, All Christians should seek opportunities to
speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15): and

Whereas, It is profitable that Lutherans be in com-
munication with other church bodies, both to learn and
to share; and

Wuereas, The National Council of the Churches of
Christ in the U.S.A is recognized by our government
and its agencies as representing American Protestant-
ism; and

WHEREAS, Our government and its agencies make

available to the NCC the results of surveys useful to
the LCMS: therefore be it

Resolved, That the California and Nevada District
memorialize the synodical convention at Denver to in-
struct the Commission on Theology and Church Rela-
tions to engage in a study of the National Council of
Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., its structure and
operations, including the responsibility of member
church bodies; and be it further