LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2013, Page 132

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retain the right of calling, electing, and ordaining ministers.
This right is a gift given exclusively to the church, and no human authority can take it away from the church. [ibid 67]
And
Whereas, There continue to be issues of concern and controversy regarding the Office of the Holy Ministry; therefore be it
Resolved, That in faithfulness to God’s Word and Article XIV
of the Augsburg Confession regarding the Office of the Holy Ministry, the President of Synod would direct the CTCR to develop
resources for use on the congregational, district, and Synod levels
concerning this issue; and be it further
Resolved, That the President of the Synod, who has the responsibility “to promote and maintain unity of doctrine and practice
in all the districts of the Synod” (Constitution, Art. XI B 3), be
encouraged to use all means at his disposal to promote study and
discussion of this vital issue; and be it further
Resolved, That the President of the Synod establish a task force
consisting of members from the Commission on Theology and
Church Relations, the Council of Presidents, the Praesidium, and
seminary faculties to develop a plan anchored in the Word, in consultation with licensed lay deacons and those who supervise and are
served by them, to resolve questions about the service of licensed lay
deacons serving congregations of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod with the Word and Sacraments of Christ; and be it finally
Resolved, That the plan and its proposed implementation be
reported to the Synod one year before the 2016 convention.
Action: Adopted (8)
(During initial discussion of Res. 4-06A in Session 4, an amendment to replace the wording of the second-last resolve paragraph
with “Resolved, That the President of the Synod establish a task
force consisting of members from the Commission on Theology
and Church Relations, the Council of Presidents, the Praesidium,
and seminary faculties to develop a plan anchored in the Word in
consultation with licensed lay deacons and those who supervise
and are served by them to ensure that by a date certain all who are
administering the Word and Sacraments of Christ in the congregations of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod will be rightly
called (prepared, examined, called, and ordained); and be it further” was defeated [Yes: 337: No: 641]. When discussion resumed
during Session 8, an amendment to insert the words “those district presidents currently utilizing licensed lay deacons” in place
of “Council of Presidents” in the third resolve paragraph was also
defeated [Yes: 252; No: 769]. A motion to amend the final resolve
paragraph by replacing the words “one year before the 2016 convention” with the words “before the 2015 district conventions” also
failed [Yes: 351; No: 658]. After debate was ended, Res. 4-06A was
adopted as presented [Yes: 920; No: 100].)

To Address Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Rostered Workers Communing
at Heterodox Altars
RESOLUTION 4-07
Overtures L4-73, L4-77 (TB, pp. 34–35; 37–38)
Whereas, “The CTCR has addressed the matter of a Lutheran
communing at the altar of a church with which his or her church
body is not in doctrinal agreement. On page 25 of its 1983 report
Theology and Practice of the Lord’s Supper the Commission on
Theology and Church Relations asks: ‘Is it proper for a Lutheran to
attend the Lord’s Supper at the altars of churches not in doctrinal
agreement with the church body of which he/she is a member?’”
and answers in the negative (2013 Convention Workbook, p. 83); and
Whereas, The Commission on Theology and Church Relations has identified the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America
(ELCA) as a heterodox church body (2010 Convention Workbook,
page 65); and
Whereas, “Because ‘communing regularly at the altar of a
heterodox (ELCA) church body’ is ‘church fellowship with the
adherents of false doctrine,’ such action is unionism” (2013 Convention Workbook, CTCR Report p. 84); therefore be it
Resolved, That rostered LCMS church workers shall not commune at ELCA altars.
Action: Withdrawn by committee (4)
(Res. 4-07 was withdrawn by the committee with the following
statement published in Today’s Business [p. 231]: “Since the Commission on Constitutional Matters suspended its Opinion 11-2598,
Floor Committee 4 will not offer Resolutions 4-07 and 4-09 on the
floor of the convention.”)

To Provide Responsible Pastoral Care with
Regard to Practices Surrounding Holy Baptism
RESOLUTION 4-08A
Overtures 4-11–12 (CW, pp. 167–168)
Whereas, Holy Baptism has been instituted by our Lord Christ
as a means of grace (Matt. 28:19–20; Titus 3:5; Acts 2:38; Rom. 6:3–
5; etc.); and
Whereas, The Lord God says, “You shall have no other gods”
and has revealed His Name to us (Ex. 3:14); and
Whereas, Christ our Lord has given us the baptismal formula,
commanding us to baptize “in the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19–20); and
Whereas, This Trinitarian formula in administering Holy Baptism is “by all means to be retained and that no one should be
permitted capriciously to change these words and use other words
in baptizing” (Pieper, Vol. III, p. 261); and

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