Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 2001 · 61st Convention › Page 151
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 151

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

CONGREGATIONAL SERVICES 151

2-56

To Commend Commission on Worship

Wuereas, The LCMS Commission on Worship has been labor-
ing faithfully to unite our Synod around good. solid worship prac-
tices; and

WHEREAS, The LCMS Commission on Worship is working on
preparing a new hymnal for our Synod; therefore be it

Resolved, That the LCMS in convention affirm and encourage
the LCMS Commission on Worship; and be it further

Resolved, That the LCMS convention express its support and
encouragement for the work of the executive director, Rev. Dr.
Pau] Grime, and the associate director, Rev. Jon Vieker.

Lamb of God
Pleasant Prairie, WI

2-57

To Direct Commission on Worship re Use of Creeds

WuHereas, We are commanded in Scripture to “stand fast and
hold to the traditions which you were taught” (2 Thess. 2:15); and

Wuereas, The three ecumenical Creeds are major confessional
symbols of the Lutheran church and not merely ordinary parts of
the church ceremony subject to treatment as adiaphora under the
Formula of Concord: and

WHEREAS, The versions of the three ecumenical Creeds found in
Lutheran Book of Worship (ELCA) are not new translations but
contain changes which cannot be harmonized with the Latin, Ger-
man, or English texts as they are given in the Book of Concord to
which every Lutheran pastor and congregation subscribes without
reservation; and

WHEREAS. The versions of the three ecumenical Creeds found in
Lutheran Book of Worship were condemned in 1978 by the Spe-
cial Hymnal Review Committee of The Lutheran Church—Mis-
souri Synod. subsequently causing them to be rejected for usage in
Lutheran Worship; and

WHEREAS. The versions of the three ecumenical Creeds found in
Lutheran Worship are accurate and faithful with an exception as
noted in the second resolve below; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con-
vention direct the Synod to adhere to the exegesis of the transla-
tions of the three ecumenical Creeds presented in the 1978 Report
of the Special Hymnal Review Committee; and be it further

Resolved, That the Liturgy Committee of the Lutheran Hymnal
Project and the Commission on Worship be directed to include the
versions of the three ecumenical Creeds found in Lutheran Wor-
ship with the exception that in the Apostles’ Creed as written “the
holy Christian Church, the communion of saints” be replaced with
“the holy Christian Church—the communion of saints.”

Bethlehem
Fairborn, OH

2-58

To Approve Field-Testing Plan for New Hymnal

WHEREAS, The 1998 synodical convention encouraged the
Commission on Worship to “begin the task of developing and test-
ing materials” for a new hymnal; and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran hymnal project has already completed
a Significant amount of work and has begun the process of testing
these materials; and

WHEREAS, Bylaw 3.929 a requires that final approval of an of-
ficial hymnal must be preceded by a “process of exposure and test-
ing decided upon by the Synod in convention”; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Commission on Worship continue to de-
velop materials for both a new hymnal and agenda; and be it further

Resolved, That the Commission on Worship make available at
the congregational, Circuit, and District level during the next tri-
ennium for study and testing

* all liturgical orders:
* all new hymns;

* detailed summary of changes to hymns in our current hymnals
and supplements;

«all rites for the new agenda; and be it further

Resolved, That a process be developed to receive and evaluate
comments and suggestions that result from the field testing: and be
it finally

Resolved, That delegates at the 2004 convention be provided a
final version of the materials listed above along with a summary
report on the field testing.

Commission on Worship

2-59

To Research and Address Members’ Attitudes
re Historic Liturgy

WHEREAS, Divergent practices in and attitudes toward worship
are currently exercised in the Synod in every District; and

WHEREAS, Attitudes are to some unknown extent entrenched be-
tween (1) a desire for the Synod to use hymnals and the historical
liturgy or (2) a desire for contemporary (so-called evangelical) wor-
ship forms; and

WHEREAS, All practice and theology in all of the Synod is a lov-
ing concern of all members of the Synod (LCMS Constitution, Art.
II 7) because we are all responsible for voluntary membership in
the Synod: therefore be it

Resolved, That the Commission on Worship survey members
of the Synod, that is. every rostered pastor and congregation, to ask
them to identify themselves with one of the following opinions:

(1) I believe that the historical liturgy as found in our hymnals,
The Lutheran Hynmal and Lutheran Worship (or faithful transla-
tions of the same), is Christ-centered worship and God’s Word and
is therefore fit and able to create and feed faith in all the elect.

(2) [believe that the historical liturgy as found in The Lutheran
Hymnal and Lutheran Worship is an impediment to the Gospel for
large segments of the population that are lost; we need to leave the
liturgy behind, at least to some extent. in order to reach them.

(3) Lam not aware of the significance of using the historical
liturgy vis a vis contemporary (so-called evangelical) worship
forms and would like to learn confessional and biblical principles
to guide me in choosing what pleases God and serves God’s peo-
ple: and be it further

Resolved, That the Commission on Worship publish the entire
data and results of this survey and evaluate the significance of the
results, bringing to bear both biblical and confessional principles
that establish the unity of the Synod, according to our Constitution;
and be it finally

Resolved, That the Commission on Worship prepare instruc-
tional materials to pastors and congregations who respond in the
third category.

Emmanuel
Dearborn, MI

To Encourage Careful but Evangelical
Attitude Toward Worship Practice

WHEREAS, Many congregations within The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod are using a variety of different worship services,
including those from synodically accepted hymnals: and

2001 Convention Workbook