LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 331

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OPINIONS OF COMMISSION ON CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS 331

Example:

. The name of this congregation shail be [Name] Lutheran Church
of [City,] [County,] [State].

2.0 MISSION

In the constitution of a Christian congregation it is desirable to state
the mission or purpose for which it exists. Such a paragraph should con-
tain the fundamental purposes included in the following example.

Example:

The purpose of this congregation shall be to give honor and
glory to the Triune God, to carry out His will, to proclaim the
Gospel of Jesus Christ to all the world, to manifest the unity of our
faith in Jesus Christ as God and Savior, to foster Christian fellow-
ship and love, to extend a helping hand to human need, and to
achieve its objectives by the preaching of the Word of God, by the
administration of the sacraments, and by the religious instruction of
all its members according to the confessional standard of the Evan-
gelical Lutheran Church.

3.0 CONFESSIONAL STANDARD

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod requires that its member
congregations accept the confessional standard of the Synod. It is rec-
ommended that Article II of the Synod’s Constitution be adapted for in-
clusion in congregations’ constitutions. A congregation’s confessional
standard must not go beyond that of the Synod.

Example:
This congregation accepts without reservation:

3.1 Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament as the written
Word of God and the only rule and norm of faith and practice.

3.2 the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
as a true and unadulterated statement and exposition of the Word of
God, to wit: the three Ecumenical Creeds (the Apostles’ Creed, the
Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed), the Unaltered Augsburg Con-
fession, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Ar-
ticles, the Large Catechism of Luther, the Small Catechism of
Luther, and the Formula of Concord.

4.0 SYNODICAL MEMBERSHIP

Although not essential, since membership in the Synod is not deter-
mined by a statement in a congregation’s constitution, congregations
are advised to designate their membership in the Synod.

Example:

This congregation shall be a member of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod as long as the Synod conforms to the congrega-
tion’s confessional standards as set forth in this constitution.

5.0 MEMBERSHIP

Synod congregations often distinguish between three types of con-
gregational membership”: baptized, communicant, and voting.” Voting
membership may be open to all communicant members but may also
be limited to males only*. Care should be taken that the age at which
individuals may hold voting membership conforms to any requirements
of state law. Many congregations restrict voting membership to persons
who have reached the age of legal majority. This is especially important
when decisions involving contracts and other legal matters are made.
Again, membership in organizations whose principles and conduct con-
flict with the Word of God shall be prohibited (Bylaw 3.9.6.3.1 [a])™.
Also, congregations are not to deny membership or other congregational
privileges to any Christian because of race or ethnic origin (Bylaw 2.3.1
{a])”.

Example:

This congregation distinguishes between three types of congre-
gational membership

5.1The membership of this congregation includes the following:

5.1.1 Baptized members are all who have been baptized in the
name of the Triune God and who are under the spiritual
care of the pastor of this congregation, including the chil-
dren who have not yet been confirmed into communicant
membership.

5.1.2 Communicant members are those baptized members who
have been instructed and are familiar with the contents of
Luther’s Small Catechism, have been confirmed in the
Lutheran faith, and accept the confessional standard of
Section of this Constitution.

5.1.3. Voting members are communicant members who have
reached the age of years.

5.2 The members of this congregation are received in the fol-
lowing manner:

5.2.1 Baptized members are received through the Sacrament of
Holy Baptism or through the consent of one or both par-
ents in the case of children who have been baptized in an-
other Christian congregation.

5.2.2 Adult members are received through the,rite of confirma-
tion and Sacrament of Holy Baptism as appropriate,
through transfer from a sister congregation, or through
profession of faith or reaffirmation of faith.

5.2.3 Eligible communicant members may be received as vot-
ing members upon application for such privilege upon ap-
proval of the voters assembly.

5.3 Members of this congregation shall conform their entire
lives to the authority of God’s Word and to that end shall
make diligent use of the means of grace, exercise faithful
stewardship of God’s many gifts and talents, impart and ac-
cept fraternal admonition as the need of such admonition be-
comes apparent, and be readily available for service in the
kingdom of Christ within and beyond the congregation.
Membership in organizations whose principles and conduct
conflict with the Word of God is prohibited.

5.4 Membership in this congregation shall be terminated as fol-
lows:

5.4.1 Membership shall be terminated by transfer to a sister con-
gregation, by joining a congregation outside the fellow-
ship of this congregation, by excommunication or self-ex-
clusion, or by death.

5.4.2 Communicant members who conduct themselves in an un-
Christian manner shall be admonished according to
Matthew 18:15-20 and the congregation’s stated and
adopted guidelines.5 If they remain impenitent after proper
admonition, they shall be excommunicated. Each case of
excommunication or self-exclusion shall be presented to
the voters assembly for a decision. A two-thirds majority
vote of the voters assembly shall be required.

6.0 CALLED CHURCH WORKERS

Member congregations of the Synod are required to call and be
served only by ordained ministers who are members of the Synod
(Bylaw 2.5.2)". They may also only call commissioned workers who
are members of the Synod® (Bylaw 2.5.3)"", This article establishes
how the congregation extends such calls and should indicate who is el-
igible to be called, the manner of removal from office, and how vacan-
cies in called positions are to be handled (Bylaw 2.5.1)””.

Example:

The voters assembly of this congregation shall have the exclu-
sive right to call ordained ministers. The right to call commissioned
ministers also belongs to the congregation and ordinarily shall not
be delegated to a smaller body and never to an individual.

6.1 The pastoral office shall be conferred only upon pastors or
candidates who profess and adhere to the confessional stan-
dard set forth in this constitution, who are qualified for the
work of the ministry, and who have been endorsed by and
are members of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

6.2 Only those commissioned ministers shall receive a call who
adhere to the confessional standard set forth in this constitu-
tion, who are qualified for the work of the ministry to which
they are called, and who have been endorsed by and are
members of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

6.3 The right of calling ordained or commissioned ministers
shall be vested in the voters assembly and shall not be dele-
gated otherwise.

6.4 Called ordained or commissioned ministers may be removed
from office in Christian and lawful order by a two-thirds ma-
jority ballot vote of the voters assembly for one of the fol-
lowing reasons: persistent adherence to false doctrine, scan-
dalous life, willful neglect of the duties of office, or the
inability to perform those duties.

6.5 When a vacancy occurs in an office of an ordained or com-
missioned minister, the congregation shall notify the presi-
dent of the district to receive assistance in temporarily filling
the vacancy and to receive his counsel in calling a new pas-
tor, teacher, or other church worker (Bylaw 2.5.1).

7.0 AUTHORITY OF AND WITHIN THE CONGREGATION

At times there is lack of clarity in a congregation regarding the ex-
tent of the authority within the congregation to make certain decisions.

2007 Convention Workbook