LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 146

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DISTRICT AND CONGREGATIONAL SERVICES 147

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod not ap-
prove any liturgy that imports the human tradition of eucharistic
prayers into the Ordinary of Holy Communion.

St. Peter
Monte Vista, CO

2-16

To Remove Proposed Liturgy
for Early Communion from New Hymnal

WHEREAS, The new hymnal materials are proposing an order of
service that would allow the early Communion of children who are
partially instructed in the Six Chief Parts of Christian doctrine
(Lutheran Hymnal Project Field Test Materials 2003, pp. 24-25,
79-80: “This rite is intended to be used to admit to the Lord’s Sup-
per baptized children who have not yet been confirmed. Candidates
for admission to the Lord’s Supper have learned the Ten Com-
mandments, the Creed, and the Lord’s Prayer. They have received
careful instruction in the Gospel and the Sacraments”); and

WHEREAS, If these children have been fully instructed in the Six
Chief Parts of Christian doctrine, they should be confirmed (the
church’s traditional rite for being admitted to the Lord’s Supper),
thus making this new rite unnecessary; and

WHEREAS, The wording of the proposed rite indicates that such
full instruction has not been sufficient for the Rite of Confirmation
(“You will continue to be instructed and nurtured in the Christian
faith and life.” “Do you intend to continue to hear and receive the
instruction of your Lord ...” “... the ongoing instruction and spiri-
tual care of these young people ...”), it then raises the question as to
whether these individuals have been sufficiently instructed to re-
ceive the Lord’s Supper as Holy Scripture teaches; and

WHEREAS, Some individuals who receive early admittance to
Holy Communion receive instruction only in the Lord’s Supper
without adequate instruction in the other parts of Christian doctrine;
and

WHEREAS, A number of individuals who have been admitted to
the Lord’s Supper prior to thorough instruction do not complete
that instruction and yet continue to receive the Lord’s Supper; and

WHEREAS, The Scriptures teach that thorough instruction is nec-
essary for receiving the Lord’s Supper (Matt. 28:18—20, “teaching
them to observe all things that I have commanded you”; and 1 Cor.
11:27~29); and

WHEREAS, Our Confessions teach the same: “Now when these
three parts [the Ten Commandments, the Creed, and the Lord’s
Prayer] are apprehended, it behooves a person also to know what to
say concerning our Sacraments, which Christ Himself instituted,
Baptism and the holy body and blood of Christ” (LC Short Pref-
ace, 20); and

Whereas, Our Confessions further state of the Supper: “What is
it? What are its benefits? And, who is to receive it? And all these
are established by the words by which Christ has instituted it, and
which every one who desires to be a Christian and to go to the
Sacrament should know. For it is not our intent to admit to it and to
administer it to those who know not what they seek, or why they
come” (LC V, 1-2); and

WHEREAS, Our Confessions further say: “With us many use the
Lord’s Supper [willingly and without constraint] every Lord’s Day,
but after having been first instructed, examined [whether they know
and understand anything of the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed and the
Ten Commandments], and absolved. ... With the adversaries there
is no catechization of the children whatever, concerning which
even the canons give commands. With us the pastors and ministers
of the churches are compelled publicly [and privately] to instruct
and hear the youth; and this ceremony produces the best fruits” (Ap
XV, 41-42); and

Wuereas, Allowing inadequately instructed individuals to re-
ceive the Lord’s Supper is open Communion, and is harmful spiri-
tually (1 Cor. 11:27—30); and

Whereas, Our Synod has historically opposed open Commu-
nion (allowing noninstructed individuals or partially instructed in-
dividuals—whether children or adults—to receive the Lord’s Sup-
per); and

WHEREAS, This proposed rite raises the question of how we can -
deny partially instructed adult converts the Lord’s Supper; there-
fore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention remove from the new
hymnal materials the service for Early Communion Before Confir-
mation in order to maintain its historic closed Communion policy,
which requires thorough biblical instruction before being allowed
to receive the Sacrament of the Altar.

St. Paul
Waseca, MN

2-17

To Reconsider New Hymnal List of Commemorations

WHEREAS, The list of commemorations for the new hymnal in-
cludes the commemoration of St. Gregory the Great, Pastor, on
September 3; and

WHEREAS, Students of church history are well aware that Greg-
ory the Great, the first pope to have been a monk, marked his pe-
riod of the papacy by his claim to “universal” jurisdiction over
Christendom in a controversy with the Patriarch of Constantinople;
and

WHEREAS, This false teaching of the church hindered the procla-
mation of the Gospel, and since the Reformation has been main-
tained as a false teaching contrary to Scripture and the Confessions;
and

WHEREAS, Luther’s advice and direction on the recognition of
the saints’ days included the following: “All the festivals of the
saints are to be discontinued. Where there is a good Christian leg-
end, it may be inserted as an example after the Gospel on Sunday.
The festivals of the Purification and Annunciation of Mary may be
continued, and for the time being also her Assumption and Nativ-
ity, although the songs in them are not pure. The festival of John
the Baptist is also pure. Not one of the legends of the apostles is
pure, except St. Paul’s” (LW 53, p. 14) and “But we in Wittenberg
intend to observe only the Lord’s days and the festivals of the Lord.
We think that all of the feasts of the saints should be abrogated, or
if anything in them deserves it, it should be brought into the Sunday
sermon. We regard the feasts of Purification and Annunciation as
feasts of Christ, even as Epiphany and Circumcision. Instead of the
feasts of St. Stephen and of St. John the Evangelist, we are pleased
to use the office of the Nativity. The feasts of the Holy Cross shall
be anathema. Let others act according to their own conscience or in
consideration of the weakness of some—whatever the Spirit may
suggest (LW 53, p. 19); therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod direct
the Commission on Worship to remove Gregory the Great from the

list of commended saints; and be it further

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod direct
the Commission on Worship and Concordia Publishing House to
support the regular appointed lectionary in worship-assistance ma-
terials, offering the commemorations only as an additional option
to the regular public worship of the church.

Immanuel
Brookfield, WI

2-18

To Encourage Uniformity in Worship Practice

WHEREAS, Art. III 7 of the Constitution of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod states as one of the objectives of our
Synod, “Encourage congregations to strive for uniformity in church
practice, but also to develop an appreciation of a variety of respon-
sible practices and customs which are in harmony with our com-
mon profession of faith” and Art. II 1 states as another objective of