LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 45

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MINUTES OF THE CONVENTION

45

Recess

Committee 9: Registration, Credentials, and Elections

The Chair declared that the convention will stand in recess until eight o’clock tomorrow morning.

The chairman of the committee, Rev. William Hoesman,
presented Res. 9-01 (TB, p. 369), “To Revise Bylaws to Clarify Election Process at Synodical Conventions.” A motion
and second to end debate immediately followed but failed
to receive the necessary two-thirds vote (Y:646; N:392). As
debate continued, a motion was made and seconded to
change the word “one” in lines 28 and 38 to “two.” Discussion followed on the amendment until a motion was made,
seconded, and carried to refer this entire matter to the
Commission on Structure to work on during the next triennium (Y:949; N: 92).

Session 11
Friday, A.M., July 20, 2001
Devotion
The assembly was called to order and the morning devotion leader, Dr. Wallace Schulz, Associate Speaker of
Lutheran Hour Ministries and Fourth Vice-President of the
Synod, was introduced. In his meditation Dr. Schulz called
particular attention to Gao Zahn, sister in Christ and fellow
Missouri Synod Lutheran being held in a Chinese prison
because of her faith.
After the devotion, the Chair invited a motion to prohibit
reconsideration of items that have been adopted thus far in
the convention, explaining that this is a customary motion
adopted by our Synod’s conventions during the final sessions. The motion was made, seconded, and carried by a
voice vote.
Committee 6: Human Care
The Chair invited Rev. William Diekelman, President of
the Oklahoma District and chairman of Committee 6, to
present the committee’s business to the convention.
Res. 6-09 (TB, p. 181), “To Urge Action to Release Persecuted Christians in China,” was read by a member of the
committee in its entirety. A final Resolve was added by
common consent: “Resolved, That a copy of this resolution
be forwarded to the aforementioned individuals.” The question was called by voice vote. The resolution was adopted
by unanimous voice vote.
Res. 6-10 (TB, p. 181), “To Encourage Continued Emphasis on Prison and Jail Ministry,” was presented. Discussion followed. The question was called by voice vote and
the resolution was adopted (Y:980; N:2). The committee
chair called attention to the form on page 320 of the
Wednesday issue of Today’s Business, which provides opportunity for interested persons to become involved in
prison ministry.
Res. 6-11 (TB, p. 211), “To Support Refugee Resettlement,” was presented. After discussion, debate was ended
by a voice vote. The resolution was adopted (Y:983; N:15).
Res. 6-13 (TB, p. 308), “To Reject the Destruction of Embryos for Stem Cell Research,” was presented by the committee. After discussion, the question was called by voice
vote and the resolution was adopted (Y:963; N:53).
Res. 6-03 (TB, p. 106), “To Assure Reasonable Retirement Benefits,” was presented by the committee. The resolution was discussed. Mr. Dan Leeman, Executive Director
of Worker Benefit Plans, responded to specific questions.
Debate was ended by voice vote and the resolution was
adopted (Y:983; N:45).
Res. 6-06A (TB, p. 180), “To Implement and Coordinate
Salary Guidelines,” was presented. The question was called
by voice vote without debate. The resolution was adopted
(Y:973; N:54).

Committee 3: Theology and Church Relations
Attention was called to substitute Res. 3-16 (TB, p. 382),
“To Encourage Use of Fruit of the Vine in the Lord’s Supper,” by the committee, it having been introduced at the
very end of the committee’s last appearance before the convention. The convention voted to consider the substitute
motion (Y:533; N:473). The committee addressed the substitute motion, after which discussion followed in the procon mode. The question was called (Y:710; N:315) and the
substitute motion was defeated (Y:287; N:751). Discussion
returned to the original resolution (TB, p. 80) as amended,
“To Encourage Use of Only Wine in Administration of
Lord’s Supper.” The question was called by voice vote and
the resolution as amended was carried (Y:814; N:184).
Res. 3-21A (TB, p. 279), “To Address Cooperative Pastoral Working Arrangements with the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America,” was presented by the committee with the request that Standing Rule 6 be invoked.
The Chair granted the request and the committee made its
15-minute presentation, followed by the prescribed 30 minutes of pro-con debate by the assembly. As the final 45minute section of the debate continued, an amendment was
offered to strike the first Resolve from the resolution. Debate was ended on the amendment by voice vote. The
amendment was defeated (Y:465; N:567). Discussion continued on the resolution. An amendment was offered to the
final Resolve to insert the word “the” after the word “that”
and the words “heterodox position of the ELCA church body
and the” after the word “current.” Debate was ended on the
amendment by voice vote and the amendment failed (Y:210;
N:822). Discussion continued on the resolution. An amendment was offered to insert a new Resolve between the existing resolves that would read: “Resolved, That we of the
LCMS recognize that the vast majority of our brothers and
sisters of the ELCA remain faithful to the Gospel of our
Lord Jesus Christ and we resolve to reach out to them in
love and support.” At the suggestion of the committee, an
amendment to change the word “vast” in the amendment
to read “many” was carried (Y:939; N:76). The Chair put
the question of the amendment as amended to the assembly and it carried (Y:930; N:96). Time having expired, the
question was automatically called as required by Standing
Rule 6. The Chair called on the chaplain to lead the assembly in prayer before the vote was taken. A delegate asked
that the President-elect be provided opportunity to address
the convention. The Chair granted two minutes. A delegate
asked that the Standing Rules be suspended and that de200l Convention Proceedings