LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — March 23, 2000, Page 3

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The Synod requires that its member congregations accept the Synod's confessional standard. At the same
time the congregation's own standard must not go beyond the Synod's confessional standard. The best
procedure would be to adapt Article II of the Synod's own Constitution to the congregation's constitution.
Example:
This congregation accepts without reservation:
3.1 The Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament as the written Word of God and the
only rule and norm of faith and of practice;
3.2 All the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church as a true and
unadulterated statement and exposition of the Word of God, to wit: the three Ecumenical
Creeds (the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed), the Unaltered
Augsburg Confession, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles,
the Large Catechism of Luther, the Small Catechism of Luther, and the Formula of
Concord.
4.0 MEMBERSHIP
The Synod distinguishes between three types of membership: baptized, communicant, and voting. In the
last named category options are recognized, allowing voting membership to be limited to males only or
open to all communicant members. Most congregations restrict voting membership to persons who have
reached the age of legal majority. Care should be taken that the age at which individuals may hold voting
membership conforms to any requirements of state law. This is especially important with reference to
decisions involving contracts and other legal matters. Care should also be taken to prohibit membership in
organizations whose principles and conduct conflict with the Word of God.
Example:
4.1 Membership
The membership of this congregation includes the following:
4.1.1 Baptized members are all who have been baptized in the name of the Triune God
and who are under the spiritual care of the pastor of this congregation, including the
children who have not yet been confirmed.
4.1.2 Communicant members are those baptized members who have been in the
Lutheran faith, accept the confessional standard of Section _______ of this constitution,
are familiar with the contents of Luther's Small Catechism, and are not members of
organizations whose principles and conduct conflict with the Word of God.
4.1.3. Voting members are communicant members who have reached the age of ______
years, have been received by the voters assembly, and have signed the constitution of the
congregation.
4.2 Reception
Baptized and communicant members are received through the Sacrament of Holy
Baptism, through the consent of one or both parents in the case of children who have
been baptized in another Christian congregation, through the rite of confirmation, through
transfer from a sister congregation, or through profession of faith or reaffirmation of
faith.
The reception shall be approved by the voters assembly. Eligible communicant members
may be received as voting members upon application for such privilege, upon approval
by the voters assembly, and upon signing the constitution.
4.3 Duties
Members of the congregation shall conform their entire lives to the rule of God's Word
and to that end make diligent use of the means of grace, exercise faithful stewardship of
God's many gifts and talents, impart and accept fraternal admonition as the need of such
admonition becomes apparent, and be readily available for service in the kingdom of
Christ within and beyond the congregation.
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