LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Page 47

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 47

being held in late summer of 1974 or at the latest by 1975 as a
start.

In order that the new worship materials which are appearing
from the ILCW and other sources might be introduced to the
worship leaders of the church, someone must introduce them.
The best way is for such introducers to go from District to District
training the District's Committee on Worship so that these
leaders, in turn, might introduce the materials to the Circuits’
worship leaders—pastoral and musical. Budgetary limitations
have precluded this from happening. The best that the commis-
sion has been able to do thus far is to have about one third of
the District’s chairmen present for a meeting in St. Louis last
September. A similar training session is planned for this summer
to serve the balance of the Districts.

‘73 Conference on Worship

One of the most ambitious endeavors by North Americans
in the field of worship happens in Minneapolis June 11-15.
Under the sponsorship of the commissions on worship of the
LCMS, ALC, LCA, ELCC, and of the LSWMA (Lutheran Society
for Worship, Music, and the Arts) some 2,000 persons will have
opportunity to hear seven major lectures and participate in
some 50 workshops dealing with every possible aspect of wor-
ship. The conference is geared to the parish worship life rather
than being designed for professional worship leaders exclu-
sively. Interest in the conference has been evidenced also among
other Christians who recognize that the Lutherans have some-
thing worthwhile to offer them in the field of worship.

Communion Practices Statement

Pursuant to Res. 2-13 of the last convention, President Preus
appointed two members of the Commission on Worship and
three members of the CTCR to serve as the joint committee to
prepare a statement on Communion practices and policies. Staff
of the two commissions also serve on this committee. Preliminary
studies have been completed and an initial draft statement has
been circulated among members of the committee and its con-
sultants. Reactions and suggested emendations are still under
study. As background, members of the committee were pro-
vided with copy of all materials on Communion practice as
contained in both the Reports and Memorials and the Proceed-
ings of conventions during the last 30 years —so that the various
concerns of the Synod's members might be reflected in the pro-
posed statement.

One of the items which still needs more study is the matter
of the age for first communion, the Synod having taken an
ambivalent position in adopting Res. 2-47 at the last conven-
tion. As a result of this ambivalence, there is a disparity of
practice among the member congregations of the Synod.

The joint committee expects to have its statement ready
for submission to the members of the Synod by the end of this
year.

Statement on Vestments

In conjunction with its counterparts in the other churches
participating in the ILCW, the commission is working on prep-
aration of a statement on vestments for the guidance of members
of the Synod. The various statements are being checked to see
if a single statement might be presented to all the participating
church bodies.

Handbook Restriction

Upon request of the commission that its membership be
enlarged to consist of ‘ta total of seven members,” the last
convention (Res. 4-52) amended Handbook 11.111 a to say that
the commission ‘shall consist of seven men...” It has been
held that this precludes women from service on the commission.
The commission doubts that the Synod intended such exclusion
and asks the convention to rule officially on this matter by
appropriate action.

Executive Officer

In its meeting November 1972, the commission reappointed
the Rev. E. Theo. DeLaney as its executive secretary for another
term.

Warren G. Rubel, Chairman
E. Theo. DeLaney, Exec. Sec.

2-03

Report of Commission on Fraternal
Organizations

The nature of the work of the Commission on Fraternal
Organizations is determined largely by inquiries and re-
quests received in the commission office. The changing
American scene has produced thousands of new organiza-
tions, many of these of the ad hoc variety. These, in turn,
frequently change by combining, dividing and re-forming
with new goals and requirements of members. While in-
quiries regarding the “old-line” lodges continue to grow in
number, the various “movements” in society are attracting
the most attention.

Six categories of “movements” are receiving the commis-
sion’s attention: (1) the Jesus Movement with its wide
variety of definitions and expressions, (2) Satanism of two
kinds, the demonic and the hedonistic, (3) witcheraft and
the occult, (4) mysticism and the revival of Oriental reli-
gions, (5) the new humanistic systems that attempt to com-
bine science, philosophy, and world religions, and (6) the
religious colonies established in isolation in order to meet
various goals.

The commission's report on the Jesus Movement has re-
ceived wide attention and distribution among a number of
denominations. Reports have come to the commission office
of its having been reproduced and distributed on college
campuses and among gatherings of Jesus People. Because
of budget strictures and because the report requires con-
tinual updating to be of service, the commission has hesi-
tated to print it in large quantities.

A commission survey of pastors and congregations, par-
ticularly in the midwest, confirms what has been indicated
in correspondence received by the commission office, namely
that approximately one third of the Elks Lodges, and lesser
percentages of the Moose and Eagles, offer “social member-
ships” without ritual involvement to applicants who are
willing to pay dues but not attend meetings. Many of these
“initiate” in absentia. The national headquarters of these
lodges continue to insist that such memberships are almost
nonexistent and that where they occur, they constitute an
illegal activity that leads to immediate charter revocation.
“Social members” are, however, not reported to the head-
quarters, nor are they distinguished from “regular” members
in the cammunity where they live.

Relocation of the commission’s offices to the synodical
headquarters building will initiate a restructuring of the
commission’s service program. Less opportunity is afforded
for work with seminary students and pastors attending
seminary institutes and meetings. Tentative plans call for
increasing services offered through committees in each Dis-
trict of the Synod. New programs are being developed to
replace those that have been terminated.

John W. Constable, Chairman
Philip Lochhaas, Executive Secretary

2-04

Report of LCMS Representatives to Lutheran
Council in the U.S. A.
(See 2-05)

2-05

Report of Board of Directors
Re Participation in LCUSA
(Milwaukee Res. 3-18)

Res. 3-18 called for an interchurch study to evaluate
LCUSA. It also provided that after that study was com-
pleted the Board of Directors should in consultation with
the Missouri Synod representatives on that Committee make
recommendations to the next convention regarding the
future participation of the Synod in the activities of the
Council.

The request of the Missouri Synod convention was ac-
ceded to by the other two church bodies. An Interchurch