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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2019, Page 415

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

LIFE TOGETHER
Small Catechism and Explanation also notes the importance of
receiving the Sacrament and its centrality in worship (q. 358, p. 329;
q. 374 [E], pp. 344–5); and
WHEREAS, The English District in convention passed Resolution
91-6-02, “To Urge Weekly Communion” (adopted 6/8/91), which
then went as an overture to the 1995 convention of The Lutheran
Church–Missouri Synod and was adopted (Resolution 2-08A),
encouraging an every Sunday celebration of the Holy Supper of our
Lord’s Body and Blood; therefore be it
Resolved, That the English District commend our congregations
and pastors who have instituted weekly Communion in accordance
with district Res. 91-6-02, and continue to encourage them in this
common practice; and be it finally
Resolved, That this resolution be sent to the 2019 Synod
convention encouraging its pastors and congregations to study the
scriptural, confessional, and historical witness to every Sunday
Communion with a view toward recovering the opportunity for
receiving the Lord’s Supper each Lord’s day.
English District
Ov. 4-11

To Encourage the Study and Practice
of Every Sunday Communion
by All Congregations of the Synod/District
WHEREAS, The practice of celebrating the Lord’s Supper at each
Sunday worship service continued in the Lutheran church from the
time of the Reformation until the rise of rationalism in the church;
and
WHEREAS, The Synod has been encouraging congregations to
study the practice for many years; and
WHEREAS, The Lord’s Supper is an element of the Means of
Grace, i.e., Word and Sacrament, and is therefore appropriate in
Lutheran worship at every primary worship service; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Minnesota North District again encourage
every congregation to study the practice of every Sunday
Communion and move towards the practice of every Sunday
Communion in every congregation; and be it further
Resolved, That the Minnesota North District memorialize the
2019 Synod convention to encourage every district, circuit, and
congregation to study the practice of every Sunday Communion and
move towards the practice of every Sunday Communion in every
congregation.
Minnesota North District
Ov. 4-12

To Reaffirm Formula of Concord Article X and the
Freedom to Practice Certain Church Ceremonies
WHEREAS, Certain Christian practices and ceremonies are true
matters of adiaphora (Formula of Concord [FC] X); and
WHEREAS, The Formula of Concord (FC) declares that that “the
congregation of God of every place and every time has, according
to its circumstances, the good right, power, and authority in such
matters that are truly adiaphora to change, to diminish, and to
increase them, without thoughtlessness and offense, in an orderly
and becoming way, as at any time it may be regarded most
profitable, most beneficial, and best for preserving good order, and

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the edification of the Church,” (FC Solid Declaration [SD] X 9);
and
WHEREAS, Even in such matters which are truly adiaphora, when
they are in effect banned, whether by violence or by cunning, to the
detriment of the true worship of God, we must not yield to our
adversaries (FC SD X 10); and
WHEREAS, Among these matters of true adiaphora are
genuflecting, and the elevation of the elements of Holy Communion
at their consecration; and
WHEREAS, Genuflecting is a laudable and biblical act of
adoration (cf. Matt. 2:11); and
WHEREAS, The elevation of the elements has universally been
regarded as a confession of the real and substantial presence of the
body and blood of Christ in the Sacrament, one which Blessed
Martin Luther desired to be retained, “We do not want to abolish
the elevation, but retain it because it goes well with the German
Sanctus and signifies that Christ has commanded us to remember
him,” (Luther’s Works 53:82); therefore be it
Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS)
reaffirm in accordance with FC X on adiaphora that ceremonies
such as genuflecting and the elevation of the elements of Holy
Communion at their consecration are permissible and even laudable
Christian practices for “the edification of the Church” (FC SD X 9);
and be it further
Resolved, That the LCMS reaffirm in accordance with its
congregational polity that when a local host congregation’s pastor
desires to genuflect or to elevate the elements while presiding at a
convention of the Synod or district or a Synod or district conference,
he is free to do so; and be it finally
Resolved, That the LCMS reaffirm and confess: “We also
believe, teach and confess that at a time of confession, when the
enemies of God’s Word want to suppress the pure doctrine of the
Holy Gospel, God’s entire church, indeed, every single Christian,
but especially the ministers of the Word, as the directors of the
community of God, is bound by God’s Word to confess the doctrine
freely and openly. They are bound to confess every aspect of pure
religion, not only in words, but also in works and actions. In this
case, even in adiaphora, they must not yield to the adversaries or
permit these adiaphora to be forced on them by their enemies
whether by force or cunning, to the detriment of the true worship of
God and the introduction and sanction of idolatry. For it is written:
‘For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not
submit again to a yoke of slavery’ (Gal. 5:1). ‘Yet because of false
brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom
that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into
slavery–to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment,
so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.’ (Gal.
2:4–5)” (FC SD X 10–11).
Saint Paul
Hamel, IL
Ov. 4-13

To Reaffirm Our Encouragement
for the Use of Approved Synod Worship Materials
in Missouri Synod Congregations
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) has
three primary official hymnals, to wit, The Lutheran Hymnal of

2019 Convention Workbook