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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, front matter 2

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

Name of delegate
Home address
Convention address
Please report any errors in registration listings; see the last page of this Convention Workbook.
For ongoing convention information, see lcms.org/convention
Delegates must bring copies of all convention publications to all sessions of the convention.

Preface

To the church of God gathered in the congregations of our Synod, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be
saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:1–3)! These pages contain reports and
overtures, as well as the elected voting and advisory representation of the congregations and advisory members of the
Synod, for the 68th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, to be held in Milwaukee, Wis.,
July 29–Aug. 3, 2023. Please give them your careful attention. The delegate convention of the Synod is the member
congregations’ chief means of governing their Synod, to keep everything tuned to their confession (Synod Constitution
Article II) and aimed at achieving their objectives (Const. Art. III). It “legislates policy, program, and financial direction to
carry on the Synod’s work on behalf of and in support of the member congregations” (Bylaw 1.4.1). Thorough digestion of
these materials is central to the delegates’ doing that well.
The theme for the convention is “We Preach Christ Crucified,” drawn from 1 Corinthians 1:23–24. As are the
confession of our Synod and its objectives, both to be found in the Synod’s Handbook, available at lcms.org/handbook—
and, indeed, how much more—this theme is to be valued for its concreteness. As we make these words our own, speak
them with one voice as the congregations of our Synod, and so come together to govern all we have built together, they
focus our attention on what matters: preaching. What is to be preached, every time, everywhere, to everyone? Christ,
and Him crucified—and just so, Christ, the power and the wisdom of God and our righteousness, our sanctification, our
redemption. What does it mean for us in this world? Suffering, scorn, for the wise not only count us fools but are shamed
by our preaching, and by it those things that make much of their being something are brought to nothing. But what does it
mean for the world that we are in it with this preaching? Life beyond all their knowing! For He who is low and despised,
who seems to be nothing, is revealed to be everything, the only foundation that is laid, the One in whom all things are
ours—the world, life, death, present, future—and we are Christ’s, and the Christ—even Him crucified—is of God
(1 Corinthians 1–3). Let us not boast in men or of men, but he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord Jesus Christ, and Him
crucified. So we will be prepared as one to meet any challenge.
Delegates will note a diversity of impressions and even contested facts among some of the overtures. The President
has again, out of respect for submitters who have taken care to participate even if not with full knowledge or information,
taken a light hand in his assigned task of culling overtures which might be “materially in error,” or containing “apparent
misrepresentation[s]” (Bylaw 3.1.6.2 [c]). Four timely overtures were rejected for these reasons and their submitters have
been so informed. Publication does not attest the President’s verification of every detail; the committees and delegates must
“weigh all things and hold fast to the good” (1 Thess. 5:21). The convention is the place for elected delegates to address
forthrightly concerns and disagreements in the Synod. Let us only do that in the fear of God and the love of one another,
following “the example of the apostolic church” (Acts 15:1–31) and in keeping with “our Lord’s will that the diversities of
gifts should be for the common profit” (1 Cor. 12:4–31, LCMS Const. Preface).
Convention floor committees, listed in the prefatory material of this volume, will be meeting in St. Louis June
9–12, 2023. Any member of the Synod (congregation, commissioned or ordained minister) or any lay delegate may offer
any comment to any of the floor committees regarding the content of reports and overtures by sending a memo to me by
email, noting in the subject that it is “ATTN Floor Committee N,” at lcmssecretary@lcms.org. Responses may also be
sent by mail to this address: Office of the Secretary, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod; 1333 S. Kirkwood Road; St.
Louis, MO 63122. Such letters must be sent at least nine weeks prior to the convention (May 27, 2023) to allow time for
forwarding to the appropriate committee.
Another book, the Biographical Synopses and Statements of Nominees, contains information delegates will need to
prepare for the elections to take place at the convention. Its preface explains its contents.
We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,
but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks,
Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1 Cor. 1:23–24)
John W. Sias, Secretary and Editor