LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 243

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STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION 243

7-13

To Deal with Southern District President

WHEREAS, The Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration XI,
clearly states that true unity comes only through agreement in doc-
trine (See Tappert, paragraphs 94-96, p. 632); and

WHEREAS, Until such unity exists, altar and pulpit fellowship as
a formal expression of unity must wait while doctrinal differences
are properly resolved; and

WHEREAS, Art. VI 2 b of the synodical Handbook therefore
gives as one of the “conditions for acquiring and holding member-
ship in the Synod: ... Renunciation of unionism and syncretism of
every description, such as: .. . Taking part in the services and
sacramental rites of heterodox congregations or of congregations
of mixed confession’’; and

WHEREAS, Participation in worship services with clergymen of
church bodies with whom we are not in altar and pulpit fellowship
is a serious breach of our synodical agreement to walk together as a
Synod, especially for a District President who has promised to up-
hold and promote the decisions of the Synod; and

WHEREAS, Southern District President Orval Mueller refused,
after being asked on several occasions by South Dakota District
President Raymond Hartwig, to change his plans to participate in a
joint wedding service in South Dakota with a clergyman of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; and

WHEREAS, President Orval Mueller, although repeatedly warned
of his error, has refused to repent and renounce the aforementioned
heterodox practice; and

WHEREAS, Synodical President A. L. Barry, according to the di-
rectives of the synodical Handbook and in accordance with
Matthew 18, has brought this action to the attention of the Synod;
and

WHEREAS, Love for God, love for our erring brother, and love
for Christ’s church compel us to deal with error in a God-pleasing
manner; and

WHEREAS, The Word of God teaches that we are to warn a fel-
low Christian who falls into error, and if, after such warnings, he
still refuses to repent and renounce his error, we are to bring this
matter to the church, and, if he still refuses to repent, we are to have
nothing to do with him (Titus 3:10; Matt. 18:15ff); therefore be it

Resolved, This congregation, Concordia Ev. Lutheran Church,
U.A.C, of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod memorialize the
1998 synodical convention of the LCMS to admonish President
Orval Mueller to publicly acknowledge his error, repent of his
unionistic activity, and renounce unionism; and be it further

Resolved, That the synodical President and Vice-Presidents be
directed to approach President Mueller yet again concerning the
biblical and confessional basis for the church’s teaching, the grav-
ity of his error, and the desire of God’s people that he repent and be
absolved of this sin; and be it further

Resolved, That the 1998 synodical convention and all pastors
and congregations of the LCMS be directed to pray for President
Barry, the Praesidium, and President Mueller as they seek a God-
pleasing resolution to this incident; and be it further

Resolved, That should President Mueller refuse the loving ad-
monition of the 1998 synodical convention of the LCMS, President
Barry, and the synodical Praesidium, and persist in his error, that
the synodical President be required to uphold the biblical and con-
fessional teaching concerning unionism and our Synod’s practices
based on that teaching by removing President Mueller from his of-
fice as President of the Southern District and any other position of
authority in the Synod; and be it further

Resolved, That, if he yet persists in his error, the synodical Pres-
ident be given the authority to remove Rev. Mueller from the
clergy roster of the LCMS; and be it finally

Resolved, That the 1998 synodical convention assure President
Mueller of its genuine brotherly love and concern and its desire to
recognize him as a Christian brother.

Concordia, Sioux City, IA; Fall Pastors Conference, South
Dakota District; St. Paul, Chesterton, IN; St. John,
Hubbard, IA; St. Paul, Ferney, SD; Our Saviour,
Evansville, IN

7-14

To Support and Encourage Synodical President
in Exercise of Ecclesiastical Supervision

WHEREAS, Art. III of the Constitution of the LCMS lists as ob-
jectives of our Synod to “conserve and promote the unity of the
true faith’’ and “provide a united defense against schism, sectari-
anism (Rom. 16:17) and heresy’’; and

WHEREAS, Article VI of the LCMS Constitution lists as condi-
tions of membership in the Synod “renunciation of unionism and
syncretism of every description’’; and

WHEREAS, Article XI B gives the President of Synod the super-
vision regarding the doctrine and administration of all the officers
of Synod and encourages him to admonish all who in any way de-
part from the Synod’s Constitution and report to Synod all cases
where admonition is not heeded; and

WHEREAS, It is apparent from the official notice in the Febru-
ary 1997 Reporter that the Southern District President, Orval
Mueller, violated the doctrine of our Synod by participating in a
unionistic service on Aug. 10, 1996, and has refused to heed the
admonitions of the synodical President and Vice-Presidents (this
in turn serves to undermine the unity of our common faith and con-
fession and encourages schism); therefore be it

Resolved, That the Iowa District East in convention register its
concern that an elected officer of the Synod, who should be an ex-
ample of right doctrine and practice to the whole church, would
publicly violate our doctrine and practice and, then having done so,
would refuse to repent when admonished; and be it further

Resolved, That in accordance with Article XI of the Constitu-
tion (which says, “The Synod at all times has the right to call its
officers to account and, if circumstances require it, to remove them
from office in accordance with Christian procedure’’) that the Iowa
District East in convention petition the Synod in convention to au-
thorize the synodical President to take steps to discipline the afore-
mentioned District President and if necessary to declare the office
of the Southern District President vacant; and be it finally

Resolved, That we humbly encourage one another to walk to-
gether in our agreed-upon doctrine and practice and show concern
for the souls of the weak who might be led astray by examples of
false doctrine or careless practice.

Iowa District East; St. Paul, Scotland, SD; Circuit 16
Forum, South Wisconsin District; Central Illinois District

7-15

To Commend Statement Regarding
District President Mueller to Synod

WHEREAS, An official report on the matter of Southern District
president Orval Mueller’s participation in a wedding with a cler-
gyman of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has been
made to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in the February
1997 issue of the Reporter, and

WHEREAS, St. Matthew Congregation of Gulfport, MS, feels
that it has a responsibility to respond to this report; therefore be it

Resolved, That St. Matthew congregation adopt the following
statement as its own and commend it to the convention of the
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod for adoption: