LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 50

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Special Presentation: Flame
President Harrison welcomed Christian rap artist and
LCMS congregation member Marcus “Flame” Gray, author
of Extra Nos: Discovering Grace outside Myself (St. Louis: CPH,
2023), whose lyrics President Harrison considers to be the
“most intensely Lutheran lyrics since the great chorales of
the 16th and 17th centuries—they just happen to be
accompanied with rap.” With First Vice-President Lange
taking the chair, Flame shared some of his art and spoke of
his youthful discovery of the form’s value as a medium for
“edutainment.” He described also his journey from an
interest in “Christian rap” as a means of obtaining God’s
favor, of obtaining assurance that God was for him—a
struggle for internal assurance that led from a Pentecostal
fervor through the “I could if I would” of Calvinism, to a
master’s program at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, to
justification by faith, to the Baptism “that saves you,” to the
theology of the cross, to light and hope and Good News, the
pure Gospel—to, that is, his present Lutheran faith and to a
new practice of his art form that is full of that faith, handing
on what has been handed down to him in the Lutheran
confession of the faith. He thanked the convention for
“enduring meetings like this for people like me,” for
preserving the preaching and teaching of the pure Gospel in
the midst of many less-than-pure and less-than-hope-filled
alternatives.
Committee 6: Pastoral Ministry and Seminaries
The President recognized Chairman John E. Hill to
resume the report of his committee.
Res. 6-03A, “To Affirm and Strengthen the Synod’s
Commitment to Well-Formed Clergy for the Sake of the
Gospel” (TB, 4:414–16), was read, with some background
information provided, and introduced by the committee.
It was moved and seconded to amend the resolution, on
TB, 4:415, line 24, to strike the word “strongly” and to strike
ll. 36–37 and in place of those to insert instead “2. the SMP
route and all Synod-approved routes to ordination be
understood as necessary for the Synod and for the
preparation and ordination of her pastors.” The question
was called, with the rule’s twenty minutes elapsing. Closure
of debate was carried [Yes: 848; No: 93]. The amendment
failed [Yes: 325; No: 617]. The question being called under
the rule, it was carried by voice vote. Res. 6-03A was adopted
[Yes: 856; No: 92].

Session 9
Thursday a.m., August 3, 2023
Matins
The Rev. Josemon Hoem, pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran
Church, Fort Wayne, Ind., and member of the Board of
Directors, preached on 1 Timothy 2:1–7 in the Office of
Matins; Chaplain Daenzer served as liturgist and Kantor
Machemer provided accompaniment, with a choir providing
special music.
[The entire text of Rev. Hoem’s sermon is printed in the
2023 Convention Proceedings.]
With President Harrison taking the chair, the chair called
the body’s attention to Standing Rule 24 and announced the
“Proposed Schedule to Act on Necessary Business” printed
on the front page of TB 6. Without objection, the body
agreed to proceed on this schedule.
It was moved and seconded to suspend the rules to bring
the resolution on TB 2:340–41, “To Address Release and Use
of Luther’s Large Catechism with Annotations and
Contemporary Applications,” for consideration. The motion
failed of adoption by voice and hand vote.
The resolution, “To Call for Repentance and Forgiveness
by All Parties to the Concordia Texas Conflict” (TB, 6:493–
94), was moved and seconded. The President briefly
addressed the convention. The chair called the question,
hearing an affirmative vote; a division was called for and the
motion to close debate was carried [Yes: 629; No: 204]. The
resolution failed of adoption [Yes: 393; No: 460].
The President recognized Dr. George Gude, 13-year
member and 10-year chairman of the Commission on
Constitutional Matters for his tireless and churchmanly
service to the Synod.
Committee 13: Registration, Credentials, and Elections –
Balloting for Other Boards and Commissions
The chair called Committee 13 Chairman Scott Sailer to
the podium to update the credential report, which read as
follows:
Voting delegates
Advisory delegates
Advisory representatives

1006
155
156

The report was accepted by voice vote.

Responsive Prayer I

Minutes

Chaplain Daenzer led the convention in Responsive
Prayer (I), with the text, Exodus 34:5–9; Kantor Machemer
provided accompaniment.

The chair called the body’s attention to the minutes of
Wednesday’s Sessions 7 and 8. A delegate raised a question
regarding an attempted incidental motion not recorded,
which question was not acted upon by the body. The
minutes were adopted by consent.
Committee 4: Life Together
The chair recognized Chairman Christopher S. Esget to
resume the report of his committee.

50 | PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2023 (68TH) LCMS CONVENTION

Minutes