LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 21

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MINUTES OF THE CONVENTION
Session 1
Sunday, July 11, 2004
Sunday Morning Worship
The opening worship service of the 62nd Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod was
hosted by Webster Gardens Lutheran Church of Webster
Groves, Missouri. The Reverend Joel Christiansen presided
for the service which was held in the convention auditorium
of the St. Louis America’s Center of St. Louis, Missouri. The
Council of Presidents and the Presidents and Bishops of
LCMS partner churches participated in the distribution of
the Sacrament.
The Rev. Dr. Gerald B. Kieschnick, President of the
Synod, preached the sermon. Basing his message on Isaiah
49:5–6, he spoke of “One Mission Ablaze to the Ends of the
Earth.” He emphasized that the goal of the Ablaze! effort is
not about numbers but about people who are lost, noting
that Israel was always getting lost and needed to be called
back, underscoring the words of the text that it was “too
small a thing” to stop with calling Israel back, that Gentiles
also needed to be reached with the truth of God’s grace.
Today we are in constant need of being called back, but
there is also a need to reach out and move the Gospel beyond ourselves. Dr. Kieschnick encouraged that the LCMS
be a bright and shining light to the ends of the earth,
“ablaze” with the Gospel.

Secretary Raymond L. Hartwig

Church—Missouri Synod in session in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Committee 9: Registration, Credentials, Elections
Convention Schedule

Dr. Gerald Kieschnick called the assembly to order and
introduced Rev. William Klettke, chairman of Floor Committee 9, Registration, Credentials, and Elections. Chairman Klettke walked the assembly through an exercise to
learn the use of the voting keypads to prepare for early decisions to be made.
Chairman Klettke then provided the initial registration
report:
Total pastoral voting delegates:
613
Total lay voting delegates:
616
Total voting delegates:
1,229
Total advisory delegates:
Total special guests:
Total District Presidents:
Total registration:

Dr. Kieschnick briefly introduced those with him on the
podium and pointed out the presence of the Council of Presidents, the Board of Directors, and partner church Presidents
and Bishops. He called attention to the convention schedule
printed on pages 4–5 of Today’s Business. Delegate Roy Gonzalez of San Antonio, Texas moved to adopt the agenda as
printed. After the motion was seconded, an amendment was
offered to amend the schedule by placing consideration of the
omnibus resolutions toward the end of the convention, on
Thursday at 12:40. After discussion, a motion to cease debate
on the amendment was carried [Y: 1,067; N: 134]. The motion
to amend was then adopted [Y: 702; N: 501]. The motion as
amended was likewise adopted [Y: 1,049; N: 159].

259
104
34
1,626

Standing Rules
The chair called attention to the proposed standing rules
printed on pages 9−10 of Today’s Business. After a motion
was introduced to adopt the rules as printed, a request was
made that Rules 6 and 15 be voted on separately because they
had been changed from the 2001 convention. The chair noted
that Rules 5 and 10 also had been changed. A motion to
amend Standing Rule 16 to delete all but the first sentence
was defeated [Y: 537; N: 634]. A proposal to adopt all of the
standing rules except for Rules 5, 6, 10, and 15, those rules to
be voted on separately, was carried [Y: 1,141; N: 62].
The chair presented Rule 5 to the convention. The rule
was adopted as printed [Y: 1,006; N: 172]. After the chair

The chair called for questions or discussion regarding the
report. With no discussion, the report of the Registration,
Credentials, and Elections Committee was adopted as presented [Yes: 1,177; No: 18].
Convention Opening and Presentation of Gavel
Dr. Kieschnick introduced Dr. Martin Noland, Director
of the Concordia Historical Institute, who in keeping with
long-standing tradition presented to the chair the historical
Walther gavel for use at the convention.
Noting the presence of a quorum, Dr. Kieschnick declared the 62nd Regular Convention of The Lutheran

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2004 Convention Proceedings