Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1969 · 48th Convention › Page 440
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1969, Page 440

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

440 SPECIAL MINISTRIES AND SUNDRY MATTERS

would foreswear participation in certain rituals and
rites specified by the synodical Commission on Frater-
nal Organizations.

The decision in the conflict between the lodges and
the church should rest with the choice of the applicant
for membership and not with the proscription of the
church: and be it finally

Resolved, That the remaining articles of Section 14
of the synodical Handbook be revised to reflect such
a conditional acceptance of lodge members.

REDEEMER LUTHERAN CHURCH
Fresno, Calif.
THEO, IVERSON, Pastor
Patt MveE ter, President
Ray EccesraaTen, Secretary

(11-09)

To Adopt and Move Toward
an Evangelical Practice with Lodge Members

Whereas, Historical studies regarding the Synod's
position in relation to lodge members has revealed an
earlier evangelical practice than the one now generally
current: and

Wuereas, The same historical awareness has shown
that the present synodical practice of legislating by
“synodical resolution” dates back only to 1926 and
1929 (cf. the synodical convention Reports and Memo-
rials and Proceedings for those years): and

Wuereas, Present awareness of the relationship be-
tween the Gospel as the creative agent in producing
and maintaining faith in the justifying Christ and faith
as trust in Christ to the exclusion of all human boast-
ing. has again become quite paramount in our day
(informed as it has been by Biblical theology. which
in turn has made the church more sensitive against
legalistic approaches to Christian faith and life): and

Whereas, Luther's explanation of the Third Article
of the Creed in the Small Catechism briefly captures
and summarizes the evangelical character of the source
of faith’s response in opposition to all pride of human
achievement and thus places our Synod, which affirms
the confessional authority of this explanation. on record
as being vitally concerned about witnessing to the free
gift of the Gospel: and

WuereEAs, Our present method of dealing with what
essentially is a confession of faith, namely. man's rela-
tion to the saving Christ, by means of synodical decrees
and congregational constitutions is a legalistic approach
—an approach which militates against the Gospel as
the sole agent of bringing faith into being as well as
sustaining that faith in the act of trust and confession
in the one God and His Christ: therefore be it

Resolved. That the Synod return to a more evan-
gelical practice in regard to lodge members: and be it
further

Resolved, That this return include a recognition on
the part of the Synod that as a synod she cannot legis-

late in this matter, an understanding that the individual
person's relation to God is informed and formed only
by the Word and his conscience, and that the relation
of the lodge member to the local congregation must be
determined by the previous synodical practice of mak-
ing this a question of pastoral care (Seelsorge) on the

local level exclusively. Rev. Stantey D. Papcett

Russell, Kans.
(11-10)

To Use Services of The Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod Foundation

Wuereas, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
Foundation was established in 1959 in order “to provide
a channel through which generous Christians can give
to the Lord’s work through direct gifts, annuities, wills,
life income contracts, trust agreements and other at-
tractive and practical methods” in the exercise of their
Christian stewardship, particularly with respect to their
accumulated possessions: and

Whereas, Attracting funds through such methods
requires competent actuarial, tax, accounting, and legal
services. Which can be provided best and more efficiently
if efforts are concentrated in one organization: and

WHEREAS, Practical and efficient administration of
a program for attracting increased financial support for
the church’s immediate and future needs, through
methods the use of which were contemplated when the
Foundation was created, can best be accomplished by
one organization, thus also discouraging a fragmenta-
tion among the various agencies and entities within
the structure of The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod: and

WHEREAS, The Foundation can serve all agencies
Within the church in seeing that financial aid intended
for them is not diverted while also assuring all agencies
that they will not be faced with competitive proposals
on annuity rates and life-income returns: therefore be it

Resolved, That all Districts, seminaries, colleges,
boards, commissions, agencies, and entities of The Lu-
theran Church — Missouri Synod be encouraged to
become acquainted with the services of The Lutheran
Church --- Missouri Synod Foundation so that they can
benefit from such services: and be it further

Resolved, That each District. seminary, college.
board. commission, agency. and entity of The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod shall use the services of The
Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod Foundation unless
it can establish to the satisfaction of the Board of Direc-
tors of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod that
special circumstances make the Foundation an inappro-
priate vehicle.

Board OF TRUSTEES OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCH —
Missouri SynNop FOUNDATION

FRED PRECHT, Secretary

Boarp OF DIRECTORS

HERBERT MUELLER, Secretary