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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2026, Page 351

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

THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS
WHEREAS, Online or virtual worship is not a substitute for
corporate worship (Heb. 10:24–25; 2023 Res. 5-08A, “To Affirm
In-Person Communion”); and
WHEREAS, These responses taught God’s flock and the world atlarge that public, communal, in-person worship is nonessential
(while allowing grocery stores, liquor stores, and cannabis
dispensaries to remain open), that such public worship of God by
those who wish to do so can be forbidden by the consciences of
others who do not wish to gather in public worship, and that public
opinion or government demand can forbid public worship; and
WHEREAS, Great societal distress over the COVID-19 pandemic
ought to have instead compelled the Church to keep her doors open
instead of closing them and to remain faithful in her vow to “intend
to continue steadfast in this confession … and to suffer all, even
death, rather than fall away from it” (Rite of Confirmation,
Lutheran Service Book, 273); therefore be it
Resolved, That we commend the desires of faithful pastors to
care for their flocks in a time of pandemic, granting charity and a
wide latitude of understanding to our brothers in the public exercise
of the Office of the Holy Ministry due to the emergency nature of
the situation at that time confronting us all; and be it further
Resolved, That pastors and congregations recognize that not
offering public worship was sinful, even if done in ignorance, and
repent where necessary; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod President and the Council of
Presidents (COP) publicly encourage pastors, congregations, and
educational institutions of the Synod to stay and do their duty by
holding public worship services during any pandemic for those who
wish to attend; and be it further
Resolved, That in the future, the Synod President and the COP
should give proper concern and understanding to the doctrine of the
two kingdoms, especially as it relates to resistance to government
tyranny (Brief Statement); and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod President, the COP, and those who
assist them be counseled and urged to instruct our pastors and
congregations on the basis of Holy Scripture’s example and
exhortation to gather and meet together and also celebrate the
Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:42; Heb. 10:25) on the basis of the examples
found in the Augsburg Confession VII and XXIV; and be it finally
Resolved, That in the future the Church should stay and do her
duty and not abandon her people in such a crisis and instead exhort
pastors and congregations not to abandon the holy, faithful people
of God even if it should bring persecution, but rather that the sheep
be gathered together accompanied by their pastors and comforted
by the Word of God, by the Sacraments, by fellowship, and by
prayer.
Wyoming District
Ov. 5-25

To Publicly Acknowledge Theological
and Ecclesial Errors in Church’s
Response to COVID-19 Pandemic
WHEREAS, God commands, “Remember the Sabbath day, to
keep it holy” (Ex. 20:8); and
WHEREAS, Our Lord and Savior proclaims, “Man shall not live
by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of
God” (Matt. 4:4); and

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WHEREAS, The apostle Peter declares, “We must obey God
rather than men” (Acts 5:29); and
WHEREAS, The Scriptures admonish Christians to “consider how
to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet
together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and
all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Heb. 10:24–25); and
WHEREAS, One’s Christian liberty should not be determined by
someone else’s conscience (1 Cor. 10:29); and
WHEREAS, Regarding the Sacrament of the Altar, the Large
Catechism (LC) teaches that “some allow themselves to be hindered
and held up by the excuse that we have taught that no one should
approach the Sacrament except those who feel hunger and thirst,
which drive them to it. Some pretend that it is a matter of liberty
and not necessary. They pretend it is enough to believe without it.
For the most part, they go so far astray that they become quite
brutish, and finally despise both the Sacrament and God’s Word.”
(LC V 41); and
WHEREAS, During the years 2020, 2021, and 2022, responses to
the COVID-19 pandemic by congregations, pastors, Synod
leadership, and affiliated educational institutions included the
cancellation of communal, in-person worship, the erroneous
administration of the Sacrament of the Altar virtually or online, the
urging of experimental and controversially-sourced vaccinations,
and submission to overreaching governmental mandates; and
WHEREAS, These responses inculcated in God’s flock and the
world at large the ideas that communal, in-person worship is
nonessential, that worship of God should give way to earthly fear,
and that public opinion or government demand can supersede the
command of God; and
WHEREAS, These responses undoubtedly led to a burdening of
Christian consciences and false accusations of not loving one’s
neighbor as oneself; and
WHEREAS, The alarming extent of closures was documented in
the December 2020 issue of Reporter, stating, “Only 15% of LCMS
congregations held in-person church services on Easter Sunday”
(Stacy Eising, “BNM business includes church worker recruitment,
COVID-19, race,” Reporter Online, December 3, 2020,
reporter.lcms.org/2020/bnm-business-includes-church-workerrecruitment-covid-19-race); and
WHEREAS, The great societal distress over the COVID-19
pandemic ought to have compelled the Church to keep her doors
open; and
WHEREAS, The examples of Daniel, Nehemiah, and the
Ninevites (Dan. 9:1–19; Neh. 1:4–11; Jonah 3:6–10) show
corporate repentance to be God-pleasing and salutary; therefore be
it
Resolved, That we commend the desires of faithful pastors to
care for their flocks in a time of pandemic, granting charity due to
the nature of the situation confronting the Church because “the
blood of Jesus [God’s] Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7);
and be it further
Resolved, That in such future crises, the Church with her pastors
would be encouraged to neither prohibit nor suspend the
opportunity for communal, in-person worship, but allow the sheep
who desire the comfort and strength of the Gospel to accompany
their pastors; and be it further
Resolved, That those who are hindered from receiving the
Sacrament be encouraged to reject the online or virtual
2026 Convention Workbook