LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 281

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STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION 281

7-139

To Address Congregations Holding Membership
in LCMS and ELCA

WHEREAS, Reports continue to trouble the Synod that some con-
gregations and pastors who are members of the LCMS are also
members of the ELCA; and

WHEREAS, The ELCA has joined in confession with church bod-
ies that teach false doctrine and also tolerates false doctrine in its
midst; and

WHEREAS, A congregation cannot make confession in two
church bodies at the same time; and

WHEREAS, It is a requirement of membership in the LCMS to
“renounce unionism and syncretism of every description” (LCMS
Constitution, Art. VI); therefore be it

Resolved, That the Secretary of Synod ascertain which individ-
ual members of Synod, and which congregational members of
Synod are, in fact, holding “dual membership” in the LCMS and
ELCA, and communicate to them within 90 days from the end of
this 1998 convention that this arrangement is no longer acceptable;
and be it further

Resolved, That any individual member, active or emeritus, or
congregational member of the LCMS who is also a member of the
ELCA be notified of the fact that this arrangement is no longer sat-
isfactory, and be given ninety days in which to resign membership
in the ELCA; and be it further

Resolved, That failure to comply will result in the forfeiture of
membership in, and continued fellowship with, the LCMS; and be
it further

Resolved, That District Presidents are charged with ensuring
that this happens; and be it finally

Resolved, That if a District President fails to carry out his duties
in this matter, the Praesidium of the Synod shall remove the pastor
and the congregation from the Synod’s roster.

Our Saviour
Evansville, IN

7-140

To End Dual Membership in ELCA and LCMS

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has a few
congregations that are presently members both in the ELCA and
the LCMS, or conduct their ministries in altar and pulpit fellow-
ship with congregations of the ELCA; and

WHEREAS, The Synod has been very patient in dealing with
these situations, speaking to them as early as 1977 in Res. 5-01;
and

WHEREAS, The Synod’s biblical and confessional doctrine and
practice do not permit such arrangements; and

WHEREAS, The Synod’s Commission on Constitutional Matters
tuled as recently as April 1992 that such arrangements “are not per-
mitted”; and

WHEREAS, These arrangements have persisted for decades, well
beyond the amount of time that one would wish to allow for these
arrangements to be resolved and ended; therefore be it

Resolved, That all LCMS congregations in dual membership
arrangements as described in this overture be required to end the
arrangement or else withdraw from membership in the LCMS; and
be it further

Resolved, That congregations unwilling to terminate their dual
membership arrangement be regretfully informed by the Synod’s
President that they are regarded to have removed themselves from
the roster of the LCMS and that this be effected within six months
of the conclusion of this convention.

Mount Hope
Casper, WY

7-141

To Address Concerns about Synodical
Nominations Committee

WHEREAS, The current method of electing the synodical Nomi-
nations Committee has resulted in the election of individuals who
have expressed public disagreement with the Synod’s official doc-
trine and practice on such clearly defined issues as the ordination of
women and the doctrine of close(d) Communion; and

WHEREAS, The LCMS formerly elected the synodical Nomina-
tions Committee via the national synodical convention; therefore
be it

Resolved, That the former system of electing the synodical
Nominations Committee be reinstated at the 1998 synodical con-
vention; and be it further

Resolved, That no individual be permitted to stand for election
or to serve on the synodical Nominations Committee that takes
issue, publicly or privately, with any of the doctrines and practices
of the LCMS.

Hope
Akron, Ohio

7-142

To Elect Synodical Nominations Committee

WHEREAS, The Synod in convention regularly elected the syn-
odical Nominations Committee until 1989; and

WHEREAS, The current system of electing the synodical Nomi-
nations Committee has only been in use less than a decade, is actu-
ally less democratic than the old system, and has produced com-
mittees consisting in part of individuals who have publicly taken
exception to the stated doctrine and practice of the church; there-
fore be it

Resolved, That individuals who have publicly called into ques-
tion the historic confessional doctrine and practice of the Synod are
herewith barred from service on the synodical Nominations Com-
mittee; and be it further

Resolved, That the synodical Nominations Committee for the
immediate triennium and henceforth be elected by the Synod in
convention.

Zion
Fort Wayne, IN

7-143

To Elect Synodical Nominating Committee
at National Level

WHEREAS, The members of the synodical Nominating Commit-
tee’s function is to prepare a list of candidates for synodical offices
drawn from names that have been submitted for nomination
throughout the Synod; and

WHEREAS, The members of the synodical Nominating Commit-
tee are themselves presently elected at District conventions; there-
fore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention adopt that the members
of the synodical Nominating Committee be nominated and elected
not at the District level, but rather at synodical level during the con-
vention beginning in 2001 for 2004.

Trinity
Westville, IN

7-144

To Elect Synodical Nominations Committee
WHEREAS, For most of its history the Synod has chosen to elect
the synodical Nominations Committee via the national convention;
and