LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 148

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

DISTRICT AND CONGREGATIONAL SERVICES 149

2-19

To Study and Adopt Theses on Worship Practice

WHEREAS, There exists in The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod, including the South Dakota District and the Sioux Falls Cir-
cuit, a diversity of worship practices; and

Wuereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, at its 2001
convention, adopted Resolution 2-05A, “To Continue to Foster
Discussion on Worship,” that stated:

That congregations and their pastors, musicians, and other
worship planners be reminded that worship practices in their
local setting have broader implications which affect other con-
gregations throughout the Synod and the church-at-large; and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod at its 1998
convention, adopted Res. 2-10, “To Build Consensus in Worship,”
that stated:

That we remind one another of the promise we have made to
use “doctrinally pure agenda, hymnbooks, and catechisms,” both
to preserve the truth and for the sake of good order.

That everyone heed the advice of Dr. Martin Luther who, in
writing to the Christians in Livonia, penned words that speak
directly to our time and place:

I pray all of you, my dear sirs, let each one surrender his
own opinions and get together in a friendly way and come to a
common decision about these external matters, so that there will
be one uniform practice throughout your district instead of dis-
order. (Luther’s Works, 53, 47).

and

Whereas, Dr. Martin Luther, in the above quoted letter to the
Livonian Christians, also states:

Now when your people are confused and offended by your
lack of uniform order, you cannot plead, “Externals are free.
Here in my own place I am going to do as I please.” But you
are bound to consider the effect of your attitude on others. By
faith be free in your conscience toward God, but by love be
bound to serve your neighbor’s edification, as also St. Paul says,
Romans [15:2], “Let each of us please his neighbor for his good,
to edify him.” For we should not please ourselves, since Christ
also pleased not Himself, but us all.

But at the same time a preacher must watch and diligently
instruct the people lest they take such uniform practices as di-
vinely appointed and absolutely binding laws. He must explain
that this is done for their own good so that the unity of Christian
people may also find expression in externals which in them-
selves are irrelevant. Since the ceremonies or rites are not
needed for the conscience or for salvation and yet are useful and
necessary to govern the people externally, one must not enforce
or have them accepted for any other reason except to maintain
peace and unity between men. For between God and men it is
faith that procures peace and unity.

Nevertheless, both you and your preachers should diligently
seek to promote unity and to hinder this work of the devil, because
God appoints the devil to do this in order to give us occasion to
prove our unity and in order to reveal those that have stood the
test. For in spite of all our efforts, enough factions and disunity
will remain. St. Paul also points this out when he says, 2 Timothy
2 [:20], that there are both noble and ignoble vessels in the same
house, and immediately adds, ‘‘If a man purge himself of such peo-
ple, he shall be a vessel sanctified for noble use, useful to his mas-
ter and ready for every good work” [vs. 21]. (Luther’s Works:
Liturgy and Hymns, J. J. Pelikan, H: C. Oswald: & H. T. Lehmann,
Ed., vol. 53, pp. 47-50. Fortress Press: Philadelphia)

and
WHEREAS, Our Synod’s first Constitution stated:

Synod holds in accordance with the seventh article of the
Augsburg Confession that uniformity in ceremonies is not es-
sential; yet on the other hand Synod deems such a uniformity
wholesome and useful, namely for the following reasons:

a. because a total difference in outward ceremonies would

cause those who are weak in the unity of doctrine to
stumble;

b. because in dropping heretofore preserved usages the
Church is to avoid the appearance of and desire for inno-
vations;

Furthermore, Synod deems it necessary for the purification
of the Lutheran Church in America, that the emptiness and the
poverty in the externals of the service be opposed, which, hav-
ing been introduced here by the false spirit of the Reformed, is
now rampant.

All pastors and congregations that wish to be recognized as or-
thodox by Synod are prohibited from adopting or retaining any
ceremony which might weaken the confession of the truth or con-
done or strengthen a heresy, especially if heretics insist upon the
continuation or the abolishing of such ceremonies. The desired
uniformity in the ceremonies is to be brought about especially by
the adoption of sound Lutheran agendas (church books).

and

WHEREAS, Our congregation’s practices are, by God’s grace,
faithful to Holy Scripture and the Lutheran confessions; and

WHEREAS, Our congregation has recently studied the theses con-
tained in the document, “Worship in Our Congregation”; and

WHEREAS, Our congregation desires to give witness to the cor-
rect understanding of worship to fellow-members of our Circuit,
District, and Synod; therefore be it

Resolved, That Christ Lutheran Church adopts “Worship in Our
Congregation” as the correct understanding of worship; and be it
further

Resolved, That copies of “Worship in Our Congregation” be
made available for anyone who desires to read and study it; and be
it finally

Resolved, That congregations in the Sioux Falls Circuit, the
South Dakota District, and The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
be encouraged to likewise study and adopt these theses and put
them into practice so that peace and unity may again prevail in our
midst, according to God’s mercy.

Worship in Our Congregation

The Triune God serves us in the Divine Service with His Word
and sacraments

Thesis 1

We confess that worship (Gottesdienst) is our triune God’s
service to us, and our faithful responses always direct us back
to God from whom all blessings flow.

We deny that worship is primarily a human activity, which
is constituted by contrived efforts at emotion-centered adora-
tion and praise. (Matt. 20:28; Luke 22:24-27; Acts 1:1-2)

What does this mean at Christ Lutheran congregation of Sioux
Falls?

Worship at Christ Lutheran congregation is always centered in
our triune God’s actions—thus the hymns, liturgies and sermons
must always convey God’s work and not be seen as human activi-
ties. The hymns, liturgies and sermons are to be evaluated on how
well they bring an awareness of God’s gracious activity into the
consciousness and appreciation of the congregation.

Worship is by and for those who have a living faith. It is there-
fore a faith-strengthening activity for the congregation as God
comes to His people through the means of grace. Those served by
God in this way are then prepared to bear witness about Christ in
their various callings.

Because worship is the central activity in the life of the Chris-
tian, daily personal devotions flow from and lead toward partici-
pation in the weekly Divine Service.

Trinitarian creeds and catechetical statements should be regu-
larly incorporated into the Divine Service of the congregation so
that the ecumenical nature of worship is appreciated, yet the clarity
of our Lutheran focus is evident.

Worship practices or sermons which are overtly designed to ma-
nipulate hearers emotionally are inappropriately geared toward the
worshipper and not the One being worshipped.