LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Page 223

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ind eclnad Rta i

SAME ARRAN le cone eA eth Ra ee Rn i

LATE OVERTURES ACCEPTED FOR CONSIDERATION
(Bylaw 1.27 b)

4-60U

To Receive Divine Redeemer Congregation,
Hartland, Wis.

Resolved, That a letter be written to the Secretary
of Synod recommending that the synodical convention
at New Orleans accept Divine Redeemer Lutheran
Church of Hartland, Wis., into membership in The Lu-
theran Church — Missouri Synod.

We have examined the constitution of the congrega-
tion and it has been approved most favorably.

Boarp oF D1REcTORS
SoutH Wisconsin DISTRICT
Bernard O. Raabe

(Supporting documents have been filed with the synodi-
cal Secretary)

4-61U

To Transfer Hazel Park, Mich.,
from English to Michigan District

Wuereas, Hazel Park Evangelical Lutheran Church,
presently a member of the English District of The Lu-
theran Church — Missouri Synod, desires to have fuller
fellowship with the sister congregations of the Missouri
Synod in its geographical area; and

Wuereas, Hazel Park Evangelical Lutheran Church,
Hazel Park, Mich., in its voters’ assembly gathered on
the first Monday of April 1973, unanimously passed a
motion requesting a transfer of membership to the
Michigan District of The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Hazel Park Evangelical Lutheran
Church, Hazel Park, Mich., have its District member-
ship transferred from the English District to the Mich-
igan District of The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod.

Hazet Park EvaNGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
Hazel Park, Mich.

William Balzer, President

Thelma Lucas, Secretary

11-34U

To Rescind or Substantiate Charges
Against Martin A. Buerger

Prologue

On November 18, 1963, the Rev. Martin A. Buerger
was removed from the pastorate of First Lutheran
Church, Birmingham, Ala. The charge against him was
promoting false doctrine, specifically, denying the doc-
trine of the Priesthood of Believers. This charge came
after Pastor Buerger, together with the other Lutheran
pastors of Birmingham, had called for repentance and

concerted action to love our fellowmen in the wake of
the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birm-
ingham, Ala., on Sept. 15, 1963, which resulted in the
death of four black Sunday school children.

Resolution

Wuereas, The Rev. Martin A. Buerger was dismissed
as pastor of First Lutheran Church, Birmingham, Ala.,
on Nov. 18, 1963; and

Wuereas, The charges for dismissal as compiled by
the Board of Deacons and adopted by the congregation,
including a charge of false doctrine, have never been
rescinded and still stand against Pastor Buerger; and

Wuereas, Even with these charges against Pastor
Buerger the Southern District brought no charges
against him but readily transferred him to another syn-
odical District; and

Wuereas, The then Western District of The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod (now Missouri District) au-
thorized his installation as pastor of Bethlehem Lu-
theran Church, St. Louis, Mo.; and

Wuereas, Many efforts have been made over the
years by Pastor Martin Buerger, synodical Vice-Presi-
dent Roland Wiederaenders, Missouri District President
Herman Scherer, the North St. Louis Circuit Coun-
selor, Roy Moeller, and others through Southern Dis-
trict officials and officers of First Lutheran Church,
Birmingham, to have these charges rescinded without
fully satisfactory results; and

Wuereas, Eight years surely should have been suf-
ficient time for such action; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Missouri District convention of
June 1972 reaffirm the intent of Resolution 6, Proceed-
ings, pp. 54—55, Missouri District convention, 1970; and
be it further

Resolved, That the Missouri District does not accept
the validity of these charges made against Rev. Martin
A. Buerger; and be it further

Resolved, That the Missouri District in convention
at St. Louis, Mo., June 19 to 21, 1972, petition The Lu-
theran Church — Missouri Synod in the 1973 synodical
convention to charge the Southern District, and its
presidium to cause First Lutheran Church of Birming-
ham, Ala., to rescind or substantiate all charges against
the Rev. Martin A. Buerger, unless resolved in the in-
terim; and be it finally

Resolved, That if no satisfactory solution is possible,
The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod and the Dis-
tricts involved admit failure, and publicly declare that
the problem cannot be solved.

Missourr DISTRICT
Herman C. Scherer, President