LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 247

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STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION 247

cused or correct the public damage done to the church workers rep-
utation through the conduct of the Synod’s officers (District Presi-
dents and their agents); and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod will recognize the neighbor’s (the
church worker) right to seek civil remedies to right the wrongs and
protect others against similar treatment.

Immanuel
Peoria, IL

To Urge District Presidents
to Carry Out Resolutions of Synod

WHEREAS, The office of District President is an extension of the
office of the synodical President; and

WuereaS, Each District President has taken a sacred oath of of-
fice faithfully to uphold the Word of God; and

WHEREAS, The District Presidents have also taken a sacred oath
to uphold the teaching of the Synod to carry out only those duties
prescribed to them in the Handbook of the Synod and none that
would be in conflict with the Handbook or the synodical stance;
and

WHEREAS, It is the duty of the District President to publicly con-
fess and to carry out in actual fact the doctrine of the Synod and
the resolutions of the Synod in convention throughout his District;
and

Wuergas, A number of our current District Presidents have re-
fused to carry out the teachings of the Synod in their oversight and
administration of their Districts, despite brotherly admonition to do
so; therefore be it

Resolved, That when it is necessary for the President and/or
Praesidium of the Synod to counsel with a District President be-
cause he has refused to carry out the public doctrine and practice of
the Synod and the resolutions of the Synod in his district, that he be
required to cooperate immediately and fully with such counsel; and
be it further

Resolved, That if any District President is unwilling to or cannot
follow the directives of the Synod’s President and/or the Praesid-
ium as a matter of conscience, that he step down from his office
until such time as the conflict can be resolved by the Synod in con-
vention; and be it finally

Resolved, That in the event a District President does not take
the action prescribed in the foregoing resolved, and also refuses to
resign, that the Synod in convention empower the Praesidium of
the Synod to suspend any such District President from office until
the next meeting of the Synod, where the matter shall be heard and
decided by the entire Synod in convention.

Bethany, Fort Wayne, IN; St. John, Topeka, KS

To Encourage District Presidents to Uphold
Synod’s Stand Concerning Close Communion

WHEREAS, The District President is chief executive officer of
the District (Bylaw 4.71); and

WHEREAS, The District President is to be adviser of his District
in accordance with the Constitution of the Synod (Bylaw 4.73); and

WHEREAS, Bylaw 4.73 says that the District President shall su-
pervise the doctrine and life of the congregations of his District:
and

WHEREAS, All pastors and congregations of the Synod solemnly
promise that the duties of the pastoral office will be performed in
accordance with the Confessions, or Symbols, and that all their
teachings and administration of the Sacraments will be in confor-
mity with the Holy Scriptures; and

WHEREAS, Art. VI of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s
Constitution lists among conditions of membership, “the renuncia-

tion of unionism and syncretism of every description, such as ...
Taking part in the services and sacramental rites of heterodox con-
gregations or congregations of mixed confession”; and

WHEREAS, Open Communion causes offense and confusion
among individuals and congregations: therefore be it

Resolved, That where pastors, or congregations, continue to
allow these abuses that the District President exercise the neces-
sary pastoral counsel and discipline to effect a God-pleasing, uni-
form practice of administering Holy Communion; and be it further

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con-
vention request the synodical President to use proper channels to
counsel and take action in regard to District Presidents that are al-
lowing the abuse of open Communion; and be it further

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con-
vention encourage our congregations and pastors to practice close
Communion in accordance with Holy Scripture (Rom. 6:17); and
be it further

Resolved, That if pastors or laity witness open Communion
practices within a congregation of Synod that they give brotherly
admonition to the pastor and congregation according to Matt. 18;
and be it finally

Resolved, That together we affirm an understanding that this
overture in no sense detracts from the necessity for intentionally
responsible pastoral care.

Midstate Circuit Forum
Southern Illinois District

7-27

To Authorize President to Remove District Presidents
and Circuit Counselors Who Violate Synod’s
Constitution

WueRrEAS, Our Constitution, Art. VI 2. clearly states that a con-
dition for acquiring and holding membership in the Synod is the
“renunciation of unionism and syncretism of every description”;
and

WHEREAS, Art. VI, 2 a-c, describes examples of such unionism
and syncretism, including taking part in the services of congrega-
tions of mixed confessions; and

WHEREAS, The ELCA and LCMS are of different confessions
on many teachings of the Bible such as the inerrancy of Scripture,
abortion, homosexuality, doctrine of Lord’s supper, fellowship,
women pastors, etc.; and

WHEREAS, The LCMS has recognized that we are not in church
fellowship with the ELCA due to the sad doctrinal differences; and

WHEREAS, Some District Presidents and Circuit Counselors of
the LCMS have participated in worship services with clergymen
from the ELCA, are permitting dual LCMS/ELCA membership of
some congregations, and have ignored the admonitions of the syn-
odical President in these matters; and

WHEREAS, It is the duty of the District President to “exercise su-
pervision over the doctrine, life, and administration of the office of
the ordained and commissioned ministers of the District” (Art. XII
7), which supervision is rendered hypocritical when a District Pres-
ident flagrantly violates the Synod’s Constitution: and

WHEREAS, It is the duty of the Circuit Counselor to assist the
District President in doctrinal supervision; therefore be it

Resolved, That “unionism of every description” would prohibit
the dual ELCA/LCMS membership status of congregations, and
the public participation of ELCA clergy or others not in fellowship
with the LCMS in divine services in any manner including, but not
limited to, participating in the vested clergy procession, Scripture
reader, laying on of hands, liturgist, preacher, celebrant, and recep-
tion of Holy Communion in any divine services of the LCMS, in-
cluding ordinations, installations, weddings, funerals, or joint ser-
vices of the Districts or Circuits: and be it further

Resolved, That in order to restore the proper supervision of the
Districts of Synod, the synodical President is hereby directed to re-