LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2019, Page 148

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5. THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS
formed by the Antwerp and Brussels congregations, was
established. The ELKB is a member of the International
Lutheran Council.
WHEREAS, The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Belgium
has had a long-standing association with The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod dating back to the 1930s; and
WHEREAS, The ELKB was in altar and pulpit fellowship
with the Synod when it was a part of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church—Synod of France and Belgium; and
WHEREAS, The ELKB cordially separated from the
Evangelical Lutheran Church—Synod of France (Église
Évangélique Luthérienne—Synode de France, EEL—SF) in
2002 and became a self-governing church body which was
legally recognized in 2004; and
WHEREAS, The ELKB has requested altar and pulpit
fellowship with the Synod; and
WHEREAS, The ELKB is in altar and pulpit fellowship with
many Synod partner churches; and
WHEREAS, The ELKB accepts all the canonical books of
the sacred Scriptures of the Old and of the New Testaments
as the infallible, revealed Word of God and the symbolic
books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, compiled in the
Book of Concord of 1580, as the correct exposition of the
sacred Scriptures, and it will not admit any modification to
this rule; and
WHEREAS, The 2016 Handbook, Bylaw 3.9.5.2.2 (b) says,
“When a church body applies for formal recognition of altar
and pulpit fellowship with the Synod, such recognition
shall be proposed at a convention of the Synod only after
the approval of the commission”; and
WHEREAS, The Commission on Theology and Church
Relations has examined and approved the doctrine and
practice of the ELKB as faithful to Scripture and the
Lutheran Confessions, and has proposed the recognition of
fellowship between the Synod and the ELKB; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod formally recognize the existence
of altar and pulpit fellowship between the ELKB and the
Synod; and be it further
Resolved, That we acknowledge with gratitude the unity
of confession that has been given to our two churches
under the guidance of the Holy Spirit; and be it further
Resolved, That we give thanks to God for the Lutheran
confession of the Gospel the ELKB provides; and be it
further
Resolved, That we encourage and walk with the ELKB as
it proclaims the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost
world; and be it further
Resolved, That we pray for God’s blessings in the coming
years on this agreement in the confession of the Gospel that
we enjoy as partner churches; and be it finally
Resolved, That in celebration and thanksgiving of this
partnership in the Gospel, the convention assembly signify
its approval by rising and singing the common doxology.
Action: Adopted (3)
148 | PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2019 (67TH) LCMS CONVENTION

After discussion by the assembly, during which a delegate
suggested affirming fellowship with full voice, the convention
adopted the resolution by saying, “Yea, yea, it shall be so,” and
the common doxology was sung.

To Endorse Altar and Pulpit
Fellowship with the Portuguese
Evangelical Lutheran Church
RESOLUTION 5-02
Overture 5-02 (CW, 426)

Preamble
The Portuguese Evangelical Lutheran Church (Igreja
Evangélica Luterana Portuguesa, IELP) was founded by the
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil (Igreja Evangélica
Luterana do Brasil, IELB). In 1952, the president of the Brazil
district of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, Rev.
Rodolpho Hasse, visited Portugal with the intention of
introducing a radio program and to explore the possibility
of conducting mission work there. The IELB’s 32nd national
convention in 1954 officially authorized the beginning of
the mission in Portugal. On July 3, 1958, the first Lutheran
congregation was organized in Lisbon. May 28, 1959,
marked the foundation of the IELP. Initially, the activities
of the IELP were concentrated in the region between Lisbon
and Caldas da Rainha. In the 1970s, mission efforts were
expanded northward within the country of Portugal. At the
beginning of the 1990s, the first parish in the region of Porto
was established. The IELP currently maintains regular
activities in four localities: Mercês (Lisbon), Maia (Porto),
Ponte de Lima (North) and Angra do Heroismo (Azores
Island). In 2007, the IELP joined the European Lutheran
Conference and the International Lutheran Council.
WHEREAS, The mission efforts of the Brazil district of the
Synod and later, the IELB, have led to the establishment of
the IELP; and
WHEREAS, The Synod and the IELB are partner church
bodies; and
WHEREAS, The IELP is now an independent, selfgoverning church body; and
WHEREAS, In 2016, President Adalberto Hiller of the IELP
recognized that even though the IELP began as the mission
work of the Brazil district of the Synod and continued with
the support of the IELB (after the IELB was recognized by
the Synod as a self-governing partner church), the Synod
and IELP had never entered into formal fellowship; and
WHEREAS, President Hiller of the IELP contacted the
Synod and requested formal recognition of altar and pulpit
fellowship; and
WHEREAS, The IELP accepts all the canonical books of the
Sacred Scriptures of the Old and of the New Testaments as
the infallible, revealed Word of God and the symbolic books
Resolutions