LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 5

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SYNOD REPORTS
the needs of children, adults, and families in dealing with the challenges of everyday living. As members and leaders of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod, we have the privilege and responsibility
to foster and embrace the virtue of sexual purity, to uphold the blessing of God’s design of marriage as a lifelong committed relationship
between one man and one woman, to stem the growing tide of pornography in the United States, and in every way possible to strengthen
the moral fabric of our society.
III. Church Relations Matters
Introduction
Art. III of the Constitution of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod lists as the first objective of the Synod that the Synod, under
scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, shall “conserve and promote
the unity of the true faith (Eph. 4:3–6; 1 Cor. 1:10), work through its
official structure toward fellowship with other Christian church bodies, and provide a united defense against schism, sectarianism (Rom.
16:17), and heresy.”
The President of the Synod is “the chief ecumenical officer of
the Synod.” He is to “represent the Synod, in consultation with the
appropriate board or commission, in official contacts with all partner
churches by aiding, counseling, and advising them and by strengthening the relations with and among them.” He or his representative
“shall represent the Synod in official contacts with other church bodies” (Bylaw 3.3.1.1.2).
During the past triennium a new position has been established in
the office of the President to assist me in carrying out my constitutionally assigned responsibilities in the area of church relations—the
position of Director of Church Relations, Assistant to the President.
Called to fill this post was Dr. Samuel Nafzger, who began his service
in this position on July 1, 2008. Dr. Nafzger had previously served for
over 30 years as the executive director of the Synod’s Commission
on Theology and Church Relations.
The President’s Church Relations Cabinet (PCRC)

The President’s Church Relations Cabinet exists as a special
committee that I have established to assist me in overseeing and coordinating the Synod’s contacts with other churches. Chaired by the
Director of Church Relations, the PCRC meets with me monthly.
Serving as members of the PCRC are the First Vice-President of
the Synod; the Secretary of the Synod; the Executive Director of
the Board for Mission Services; the Associate Executive Directors
of the Board for Mission Services (International Mission Team
and Missional Education); the Executive Director of the Board for
Human Care Ministries; the Senior Assistant to the President; and the
Executive Director and Assistant Director of International Ministries
of Lutheran Hour Ministries.
LCMS Partner Churches

The LCMS is in altar and pulpit fellowship (church fellowship)
with 32 other Lutheran churches around the world. They are the
following:
1. Argentina—Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina
2. Belgium—Evangelical Lutheran Church in Belgium
3. Brazil—Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil
4. Canada—Lutheran Church–Canada
5. Chile—Confessional Lutheran Church of Chile
6. Denmark—Evangelical Lutheran Free Church in Denmark
7. England—The Evangelical Lutheran Church of England
8. France—Evangelical Lutheran Church—Synod of France

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9. Germany—Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church
10. Ghana—Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana
11. Guatemala—Lutheran Church of Guatemala
12. Haiti—The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti
13. Hong Kong—The Lutheran Church—Hong Kong Synod
14. India—India Evangelical Lutheran Church
15. Japan—Japan Lutheran Church
16. Kenya—Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya
17. Korea—Lutheran Church in Korea
18. Latvia—Evangelical Lutheran Church in Latvia
19. Lithuania—Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania
20. Mexico—Lutheran Synod of Mexico
21. Nigeria—The Lutheran Church of Nigeria
22. Papua New Guinea—Gutnius Lutheran Church
23. Paraguay—The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Paraguay
24. Philippines—The Lutheran Church in the Philippines
25. Portugal—Portuguese Evangelical Lutheran Church
26. Russia—Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia
27. South Africa—Free Evangelical Lutheran Church in South
Africa
28. South Africa—Lutheran Church in Southern Africa
29. Sri Lanka—Lanka Lutheran Church
30. Taiwan (ROC)—China Evangelical Lutheran Church
31. United States—American Association of Lutheran Churches
32. Venezuela—Lutheran Church of Venezuela
My contacts with these churches are carried out primarily through
the International Lutheran Council, for which I have served as chairman the past three years, and for which Dr. Nafzger has served as its
part-time executive secretary since its organization in 1993.
The Synod has also had ongoing contacts during the past triennium
with a number of other Lutheran churches around the world including, but not limited to, the following:
1. The Christian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bolivia (member
of ILC)
2. Malagasy Lutheran Church (Madagascar)
3. Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church
4. Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sudan
5. Lutheran Church of Australia (member of ILC)
6. Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania
7. Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus
Church Relations in the 21st Century
In addition, numerous contacts from other Lutheran church bodies
around the world have been received throughout the past triennium.
In each case, such church bodies have expressed appreciation and
respect for the work of the LCMS in maintaining a biblical and confessional witness. They have also expressed a desire to develop a
closer relationship with the LCMS. In many cases these churches are
much smaller than the LCMS and often have not developed carefully
articulated doctrinal positions or documents on the basis of which we
in the LCMS could evaluate the possibilities for closer relationships.
Accordingly, I requested the Commission on Theology and
Church Relations to provide counsel for how best to approach such
church bodies in a way that honors their desire for a closer relationship with the LCMS while also recognizing the challenges we face in
doing so with the limited fiscal and human resources available. The
resultant counsel provided by the CTCR is a document titled “Church
Relations in the 21st Century.” This document is included in the report
of the CTCR and will hopefully be presented for convention consideration. I believe it will be very helpful in accomplishing the objective
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