LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 26

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

A motion was introduced and carried to adopt the report of the
committee [Yes votes: 1,037; No votes: 14]. The chair declared the
presence of a quorum and then introduced those seated at the front
who would be the most participant in the convention: the Council
of Presidents, the Commissions on Handbook and Constitutional
Matters, the Board of Directors, executive directors and staff, special international guests, Parliamentarian Chris Dickey, Secretary
Raymond Hartwig, Assistant Secretary Marvin Temme, convention timekeepers Paul Philps and David Totsky, and those assisting
the chair during the convention, including First Vice-President
Herbert Mueller, Jon Vieker, Barbara Below, and Dorothy Krans.

Adoption of Standing Rules
First Vice-President Herbert Mueller assumed the chair and
called attention to the proposed Special Standing Rules for the convention, printed on pages 329–331 in Part 2 of the Sunday issue of
Today’s Business (TB) [and printed elsewhere in these 2016 Convention Proceedings]. After a motion to adopt the Special Standing
Rules was introduced and during discussion, a motion was introduced to amend Rule 15 by adding a second-last sentence to the
existing rule: “To ensure transparency and provide for greater harmony and unity in the convention, the queue will be made visible to
the convention floor.” After discussion, the motion to amend Rule
15 was carried [Yes: 796; No: 241]. A second motion was introduced
to amend Rule 2 by deleting the word “normally” in the first line.
After discussion, a motion to end debate was introduced and carried [Yes: 993; No: 62], and the motion to amend Rule 2 failed [Yes:
95; No: 959]. This was immediately followed by the introduction
of a motion to end debate on the main motion. This motion carried [Yes: 914; No: 145], and the main motion to adopt the Special
Standing Rules as amended was also carried [Yes: 1,013; No: 52].

Convention Schedule
The chair called attention to the Convention Schedule as published on pages 332–333 in Part 2 of the Sunday issue of Today’s
Business, noting changes from the tentative schedule that had been
published previously. A motion to adopt the Convention Schedule
was formally introduced. During discussion, a motion was introduced to “amend the Convention Schedule by moving all voting on
resolutions related to Floor Committee 12 to no later than the end
of business on Wednesday.” After clarification and discussion, a
motion to end debate was carried [Yes: 971; No: 83] and the motion
to amend the schedule also was carried [Yes: 527; No: 518]. Discussion continued on the main motion as amended until a motion to
end debate was introduced and carried [Yes: 971; No: 84]. The Convention Schedule was then adopted as amended [Yes: 974; No: 80].
A quorum being present and the Convention Schedule having
been adopted, Vice-President Herbert Mueller, using the historic
gavel, declared the 66th Regular Convention of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod to be in session “in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

President’s Report (Part 3)
After offering numerous examples of atrocities and cultural
decline past and present, President Harrison recalled that Jesus
said, “Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell
will not prevail.” This we believe even as we also believe Jesus’ words
26

|

UPON THIS ROCK

of forgiveness and promise. Even as Jesus and the apostles were
bold, we, too, must go on the offensive and be bold.
President Harrison detailed a number of statistics from recent
studies related to decline in numbers in the Synod due to societal
changes, especially birthrate. But he also reminded the convention
that our Synod and its congregations are greatly blessed, second
to no other church body in message and capacity to make a difference worldwide.
President Harrison listed a number of outstanding issues to be
addressed by the convention: lay deacon ministry; ecclesiastical
supervision; Bylaw 3.8.3 and the Board for International Mission; movement toward a confederacy of districts and the role of
ecclesiastical supervision; etc. He stated that one purpose of the
Synod presidency is to keep districts together as one Synod and
encouraged that we together boldly confess our faith so loudly that
the nations may hear. He advocated the reelection of the current
vice-presidents, speaking of their good working relationship and
the support that he has received. He spoke similarly of the current
Board of Directors. He also spoke of the difficulties and challenges
faced by his family and how his family has benefitted from the
experience.
[The entire text of Part 3 of the President’s Report is printed elsewhere in these 2016 Convention Proceedings.]

Welcome and Greetings from the South Wisconsin District
South Wisconsin District President John Wille welcomed delegates back to Milwaukee, noting it had been 45 years since the
convention last met in his city. Calling President Harrison’s and
Vice-President Mueller’s wives to the podium, he presented flowers to recognize the support they have provided to their husbands.

Convention Essay: “Upon This Rock: Repent, Confess,
Rejoice”
[The entire text of the essay by Dr. Larry Rast, President of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, is printed elsewhere in
these 2016 Convention Proceedings.]

Committee 2: International Mission
Minnesota North District President Donald Fondow, Chairman
of Committee 2, introduced the work of his committee, advocating that now is the time to expand mission efforts in spite of all
that would discourage us in our day, this time of crisis requiring
movement forward. Res. 2-01 “To Thank God for Faithful Service
of LCMS Missionaries” (TB, p. 49—preconvention issue) was read
and introduced by the committee. During discussion, a motion to
amend the resolution by striking its final resolve paragraph was
introduced but failed [Yes: 178; No: 820] and discussion continued. When the chair advocated ending debate, he was supported
by show of hands, and Res. 2-01 was adopted as presented [Yes:
928; No: 96].
Res. 2-02 “To Thank God for Increase in Number of LCMS
Career Missionaries and Invite Further Increase and Support for
Synod’s Mission Work” (TB, p. 49—preconvention issue) was intro“Convention Minutes”