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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2026, Page 317

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

LIFE TOGETHER
Ov. 4-27

To Require Use of Synod-Approved Agendas
and Hymnbooks at Concordia University System
Chapels, Lutheran Summer Camps,
and Youth Gathering
WHEREAS, Constitution Article VI 4 requires as a condition of
membership in the Synod, “exclusive use of doctrinally pure
agenda, hymnbooks, and catechisms in church and school”; and
WHEREAS, The Synod makes available for use by our churches
and schools hymnbooks whose doctrinal purity has been established
to the satisfaction of all concerned; and
WHEREAS, Corporate worship assemblies occurring under the
official auspices or promotion of Synod entities by nature fall under
the category of “church” and are therefore constitutionally bound to
the use of “doctrinally pure … hymnbooks”; and
WHEREAS, Chapel services at Concordia University System
(CUS) schools, Lutheran summer camps, and the Youth Gathering
are included in the category of corporate worship assemblies
occurring under the official auspices or promotion of the Synod; and
WHEREAS, CUS chapel services, Lutheran summer camps, and
the Youth Gathering do not exclusively use worship materials taken
from sources published under the authority and doctrinal approval
of the Synod; doctrinal purity of other materials is used is therefore
in doubt; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod in convention instruct all persons and
groups responsible for planning the corporate worship assembles
listed above henceforth to draw all worship materials strictly from
hymnals and other worship resources published under the authority
of the Synod.
Circuit 5 (Mitchell)
South Dakota District
Ov. 4-28

To Recommend Review of Worship Practices
WHEREAS, The Synod continues to decline in numbers with
congregations closing or declining in attendance in many
congregations, resulting in fewer guests and opportunities for
outreach/evangelism; and
WHEREAS, Many once growing and viable congregations are
now struggling from lack of willing and active members to carry
out ministry goals in every area of parish life; and
WHEREAS, There are many opportunities to adapt worship
services without compromising sound doctrine while being more
visitor friendly and inclusive of those in changing/multicultural
neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, The “dyed in the wool” Lutherans who have attended
from infant Baptism to later decades may be reluctant to change
decades old habits to allow for our worship services to be modified
to accommodate new ideas and procedures; and
WHEREAS, The Great Commission commands us to “Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19) and Paul
says, “I have become all things to all people, that by all means I
might save some” (1 Cor. 9:22); therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod conduct a study to determine if current
worship practices are serving ourselves and not considering the
needs of the unchurched; and be it further

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Resolved, That congregations make it a priority to determine the
worship style that the people in their neighborhoods would like to
hear and see in church services, without compromising doctrine,
and implement some of those changes to attract and minister to
those who join them for church services; and be it further
Resolved, That in the preparation of the weekly sermon, the
pastor present three to four easily understood key points for listeners
to live by during the week in hopes the energized members, inactive
members, and visitors will return to receive Word and Sacrament
ministry; and be it finally
Resolved, That congregation members, young and old, support
the pastor and ministry in the congregation by inviting their
neighbors and friends, the unchurched and delinquent.
Faith
Hot Springs Village, AR
Ov. 4-29

To Properly Examine New Worship Practices
within the Synod
WHEREAS, With regard to the Lord’s Supper, when our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ instituted the Sacrament, He said, “Take and eat;
this is my body … Drink from [the cup] all of you. This is My blood
of the covenant …” (Matt. 26:26–28 NIV); and
WHEREAS, St. Paul writes, “For whenever you eat this bread and
drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1
Cor. 11:26 NIV); and
WHEREAS, The Scriptures therefore declare that we eat and drink
the body and blood of the Lord in Holy Communion and do not
speak of adoring either the host or the cup; and
WHEREAS, At the time of the Reformation until this day the
Roman Catholic Church has practiced the adoration of the host and
cup when bells are rung during the Words of Institution; and
WHEREAS, Luther affirmed the adoration of Christ as present in
the Sacrament as distinguished from the Roman practice of the
adoration of the host in his 1523 paper entitled “The Adoration of
the Sacrament” (Luther’s Works, 36:269–305); and
WHEREAS, By the 1530s the adoration of the host was no longer
practiced in Lutheran churches. It is not in any of the early church
orders, including those of Luther; and
WHEREAS, It is stated in Luther’s Table Talk, under the heading
“Elevation of the Host Abolished in Wittenberg, No. 5589, Spring,
1543”:
Thereupon somebody asked, “Are there other reasons than
adoration [of the host] for abolishing elevation?” He answered,
“I know no other.” The former suggested, “Doctor, in places
where the gospel has not been preached so long one might
tolerate this patiently and not abolish elevation, especially where
the people are not yet established in their faith.” The doctor
replied, “Yes, it’s of little consequence to us. We don’t care if
it’s abolished or not, provided the abuse—that is, the
adoration—is not there. Some churches have seen that we have
dropped the elevation [in Wittenberg] and have imitated us. We
are pleased with that.” (Luther’s Works 54:462, emphasis
added);
and
WHEREAS, The Formula of Concord specifically rejects and
condemns the adoration in Article VII, which states, “On the other
2026 Convention Workbook