LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 152

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Whereas, The LCN has for several years enjoyed altar and pulpit fellowship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia, a
partner church of the LCMS; and
Whereas, While living in the United States, the Rev. Torkild
Masvie (now bishop of LCN) was a member of an LCMS congregation for three years, and LCN leaders and pastors have enjoyed
a working relationship in theological education with numerous
LCMS leaders, teachers, and lecturers; and
Whereas, The LCN was established as an independent Lutheran
church in 2006 and subsequently requested formal church fellowship discussions with the LCMS; and
Whereas, Representatives of the LCMS conducted several
formal visits to the LCN, and LCN representatives have, in turn,
visited the LCMS; and
Whereas, After visits, correspondence, and thorough consideration, the LCMS representatives concluded that there is complete
agreement between our two churches in doctrine and practice and
therefore no obstacle to altar and pulpit fellowship; and
Whereas, At its 2010 convention the Synod adopted Res. 3-04A
“To Amend Bylaw 3.9.6.2.2 re Altar and Pulpit Fellowship with
Small, Formative, or Emerging Confessional Churches,” which recognizes that in certain cases a streamlined approach to altar and
pulpit fellowship with such emerging churches would be beneficial; and
Whereas, Bylaw 3.9.5.2.2 (c) now provides:
When a small, formative, emerging confessional Lutheran church body (identified as such by the President of the
Synod as chief ecumenical officer) requests recognition of
altar and pulpit fellowship with the Synod, after consultation with the Praesidium and approval by the commission,
such recognition may be declared by the President of the
Synod subject to the endorsement of the subsequent Synod
convention.
and
Whereas, At its May 2014 meeting, the CTCR formally recommended church fellowship with the LCN to the President of
Synod; and
Whereas, President Harrison declared fellowship on November 7, 2014, after consultation with the Praesidium; and
Whereas, Necessary protocol documents guiding interactions
between the LCMS and the LCN have been adopted; therefore be it
Resolved, That we acknowledge with gratitude the unity of confession that has been given to the LCMS and the LCN under the
guidance of the Holy Spirit; and be it further
Resolved, That we give thanks that, despite significant cultural
and ecclesial challenges, God, by His grace, has equipped and prepared the LCN to give a faithful, confessional Lutheran witness in
Norway; and be it further
Resolved, That we give thanks to God that doctrinal discussions
between official representatives of the LCMS and the LCN have

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U P O N T H I S R O C K • Resolutions

revealed that complete agreement exists between our two churches
in doctrine and practice; and be it further
Resolved, That this convention endorse the Synod President’s
declaration of altar and pulpit fellowship between the LCMS and
the LCN; and be it further
Resolved, That we pray for God’s blessings in the coming years
on our agreement in the confession of the Gospel that we enjoy as
partner churches, and for the blessing of the Lord upon the members and leaders of the Lutheran Church of Norway; and be it finally
Resolved, That in celebration and thanksgiving of this partnership in the Gospel, the convention assembly signify its approval by
rising and singing the Common Doxology.
Action: Adopted (3)
(Debate was ended after brief discussion, and Res. 5-01 was
adopted by voice vote [announced unanimous by the chair].)

To Endorse Altar and Pulpit Fellowship
with Lutheran Church of Uruguay
RESOLUTION 5-02
Overture 5-02 (CW, pp. 342–343)
Preamble
Christianity came to Latin (or South) America through the
work of Spanish missionaries, beginning in the late 15th century.
The evangelization of the region where Uruguay is now located
followed the entry of the first Spaniards there in 1624. In 1830,
Roman Catholicism became the official religion of Uruguay. About
a century later, Uruguay became one of the first Latin American
countries to formally separate church and state in 1917. Today, Uruguay is one of the most secular countries in all of Latin America.
Less than 60 percent of the population identifies itself as Christian
(under 50 percent identify as Roman Catholic and slightly more
than 10 percent as Protestant—with over 40 percent of the population religiously unaffiliated, atheist/agnostic, or another religion).
A small Lutheran presence in Uruguay was established in 1936
through the efforts of Lutherans in Argentina. Since that time, the
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina (IELA) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil (IELB)—both The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) partner churches and members
of the International Lutheran Council—provided pastors to work
with the small Lutheran community in Montevideo, establishing
St. Paul [San Pablo] Lutheran Church and St. Paul Lutheran School.
The LCMS provided financial support for these efforts as early as
1945. The ministry of the school has consistently borne fruit, with
about 90 percent of the members of the Lutheran Church in Uruguay (LCU) having attended. In 1998, the congregation became a
member of the IELB and in 2004 formed an independent synod,
The Lutheran Church of Uruguay (LCU). While there is only one
congregation, this small, emerging, confessional Lutheran church
has called not only a pastor for its single congregation, Rev. André
Luiz Müller (the principal pastor for the LCU), but also a pastor
“5. Theology and Church Relations”