LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 166

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166 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

Resolved, By the 2007 LCMS convention that all church work-
ers and congregation members be encouraged, urged, implored, and
begged in Jesus’ name to support, defend, and speak well of each
other, always putting the best construction on each other’s min-
istries; and be it further

Resolved, That when items truly involving doctrinal concern
arise, we will approach one another in a loving way to discuss them
with open hearts and minds while continuing to serve our Lord and
His mission; and be it finally

Resolved, That we, by the adoption of this resolution, affirm to
our sisters and brothers in the church’s ministry, “While I may not
always agree with you, I trust you and pray God’s blessings upon
the ministry God has directed you to do.”

Trinity
Roselle, IL

3-38

To Develop Resources for Faithful
Administration of Lord’s Supper

WHEREAS, The Lord’s Supper expresses the deep union we have
with God and with each other, given through Christ’s body and
blood (1 Cor. 10:16--17); and

WHEREAS, We seek to maintain a clear confession of faith and
doctrine to maintain the unity of the church; and

WHEREAS, We continue to do ministry in a post-Christian,
highly transient, and extremely diverse culture, requiring difficult
pastoral decisions; and

WHEREAS, It is the desire of our district to establish faith com-
munities in order to enlarge the kingdom of God and bring the mes-
sage of Christ to our communities in broader ways, raising the issue
of how to faithfully administer the Lord’s Supper in this new set-
ting; and

Wuereas, The LCMS Ablaze! movement and its use of small
group ministry could raise similar issues; therefore be it

Resolved, That the California-Nevada-Hawaii District encour-
age its president and circuit counselors to work diligently with pas-
tors and congregations to develop practical ways of faithfully
administering the Lord’s Supper, and to carry out their responsi-
bilities of supervision; and be it further

Resolved, That we memorialize the LCMS in our 2007 conven-
tion to direct our president and Board for Mission Services to de-
velop resources to assist pastors and congregations in developing
practical ways of faithfully administering the Lord’s Supper in
these new mission settings.

California-Nevada-Hawaii District

3-39

To Affirm Proper Administration of the Lord’s Supper

Wuereas, The Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions clearly
reveal the true nature of the Lord’s Supper as a unique gift given by
God to His people; and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has repeat-
edly affirmed the doctrine of the Lord’s Supper in past LCMS con-
ventions (1967, 1981, 1986, 1995); and

Wuereas, The affirmation of pure doctrine (all doctrines which
are clearly taught in Scripture) has been the basis of unity among
the congregations of the Synod; and

Wuereas, There is significant disagreement about what consti-
tutes “extraordinary situations and circumstances,” which some
pastors and congregations interpret very broadly and others quite
narrowly; and

WHEREAS, The situation does exist where some Missouri Synod
congregations have allowed individuals to commune who have not
been properly instructed in the doctrine of the Lord’s Supper; and

WHEREAS, The situation has arisen in the Synod where some
Missouri Synod congregations deny the Sacrament to pastors and
members of sister congregations; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Texas District of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod affirm the historical scriptural and confessional un-
derstanding of the Lord’s Supper; and be it further

Resolved, That all pastors seek to be faithful in the administra-
tion of the Lord’s Supper in such a way as to be a blessing to the re-
cipients while at the same time seeking to give a positive witness to
the Gospel of Jesus Christ in all its parts; and be it further

Resolved, That all pastors and congregations who have estab-
lished a basis of Communion fellowship other than the public doc-
trinal statements of the Synod immediately cease such practice and
return to an evangelical and faithful administration of the Sacra-
ment; and be it further

Resolved, That the Texas District in convention encourage all
pastors and congregations to examine their Communion practices,
seek to instruct recipients in the Christian faith as expounded in
Luther’s Small Catechism, and seek to ensure the administration
of the Lord’s Supper is consistent with the Word of God and the
Lutheran Confessions; and be it finally

Resolved, That upon adoption by the 2006 Texas District con-
vention, this resolution be submitted to the 2007 LCMS conven-
tion.

Texas District

3-40

To Affirm Proper Administration
of the Lord’s Supper

WuEREAS, The Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions clearly
reveal the true nature of the Lord’s Supper as a unique gift by God
to His people; and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and South-
ern District have repeatedly affirmed the doctrine of the Lord’s
Supper in past conventions; and

WuerEaS, The affirmation of pure doctrine, clearly taught in
Scripture, has been the basis of unity among the congregations of
the Synod; and

WHEREAS, The situation has arisen in the Synod where some
LCMS congregations openly invite all baptized Christians to re-
ceive the Sacrament; and

WuereEAas, The situation has also arisen in the Synod where
some LCMS congregations deny the Sacrament to pastors and
members of sister congregations; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Southern District of the LCMS affirms the
historical scriptural and confessional understanding of the Lord’s
Supper; and be it further

Resolved, That all pastors seek to be faithful in the administra-
tion of the Lord’s Supper in such a way as to be a blessing to the re-
cipients while at the same time giving a positive witness to the
Gospel of Jesus Christ in all its parts; and be it further

Resolved, That all pastors and congregations who have estab-
lished a basis of Communion fellowship contrary to the Word of
God and the Lutheran Confessions are strongly urged to immedi-
ately cease such practice and return to an evangelical and faithful
administration of the Sacrament; and be it finally

Resolved, That upon adoption by the Southern District, this res-
olution be submitted to the 2007 LCMS convention.

Southern District

3-41

To Urge Evangelical Practice of Close(d) Communion
Whereas, Our historic practice of close(d) Communion has its
foundation in the pure Word of God and grows from our Lord’s
desire that there be no divisions among us, but that we all be per-