LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 155

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shall be proposed at convention of the Synod by the Board
for International Mission with the approval of the commission [Commission on Theology and Church Relations].
and
Whereas, In compliance with 2013 Bylaw 3.9.5.2.2 (d), the
Board for International Mission has requested and received the
approval of the CTCR to propose to the 2016 LCMS convention
that the Iglesia Luterana de Venezuela be recognized as a self-governing partner church; and
Whereas, Appropriate protocol documents guiding interactions between the LCMS and the Iglesia Luterana de Venezuela
have been developed; therefore be it
Resolved, That the LCMS formally recognize the Iglesia Luterana
de Venezuela as a self-governing partner church; and be it further
Resolved, That the LCMS give thanks to God for the efforts of its
missionaries and Venezuelan national pastors of the Iglesia Luterana de Venezuela; and be it further
Resolved, That the LCMS give thanks that God, by His grace,
has equipped and prepared the members of the Iglesia Luterana de
Venezuela to give a faithful, confessional Lutheran witness in Venezuela; and be it further
Resolved, That we give thanks for the growth of this former
“daughter church” of the LCMS and its ongoing vitality as a
self-governing Lutheran church body; and be it further
Resolved, That we acknowledge with gratitude the unity of confession that has been given to our churches under the guidance of
the Holy Spirit; 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 Iglesia Luterana de Venezuela; and be it
finally
Resolved, That in celebration and thanksgiving of this partnership in the Gospel, the 2016 LCMS convention assembly signify its
approval by rising and singing the Common Doxology.
Action: Adopted (3)
(Res. 5-04, bundled with two similar resolutions, 5-03 and 5-05,
into one action, was adopted after brief debate [the vote announced
unanimous by the chair].)

To Recognize Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Almaty and the District of Almaty—Republic
of Kazakhstan as a Self-Governing
Partner Church
RESOLUTION 5-05
Overture 5-05 (CW, p. 344)
Preamble
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Almaty and the District
of Almaty—Republic of Kazakhstan (ELC-RK) traces its origin to
the efforts of LCMS missionaries. Rev. Alexander Burtsev, ELC-RK
president and pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Lutheran Church in
Almaty, in a November 11, 2015, letter stated:
The Missouri Synod sent her first missionary to Kazakhstan in 1994. For the past 21 years, the Missouri Synod
has operated the mission work in Kazakhstan. We are very
grateful for the work of the Missouri Synod and appreciate
her as our mother. Due to the changing laws in Kazakhstan,
it is difficult if not impossible for an American missionary
to do work in Kazakhstan. The best we can hope is for people from the Missouri Synod to drop in now and then. Yet
this sort of arrangement is not the best for the day-to-day
operations of a church.
Currently, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kazakhstan
is not a legal entity within Kazakhstan, and likely cannot
be so for some time. Our church has five congregations legally registered with the government. … The five congregations, while not legally recognized as a church body in
Kazakhstan, have banded together under an agreement to
function as a church body. In total, we have approximately
500 members.
We should request that the Missouri Synod recognize the
ELC-RK to be recognized as a self-governing church. …
If possible, we would like you to bring the recognition of
the Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELC) as a “self-governing church” before your Synod convention in July 2016.
Whereas, The ELC-RK has committed itself to be faithful to
the inerrant Scriptures and has subscribed without reservation to
the writings of the Book of Concord; and
Whereas, The ELC-RK seeks in every way to be and remain
a scripturally faithful, confessional Lutheran church body; and
Whereas, The ELC-RK is established as an independent
Lutheran church and has shared its Agreement on Spiritual Unity,
Partnership, and Collaboration of Churches and a representative
example of an ELC-RK congregation’s Articles of Association with
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) leadership; and
Whereas, Rev. Alexander Burtsev, ELC-RK president, in conversation with Synod leadership and in his November 2015 letter,
has confirmed the church’s desire to receive formal recognition of
its status as a self-governing partner church under LCMS bylaws;
and

“5. Theology and Church Relations”

U P O N T H I S R O C K • Resolutions

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