Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1973 · 50th Convention › Page 82
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Page 82

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

82 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

volve the functions of a church, but the council has in fact
been functioning often as a church rather than as a council
by conducting various activities together, such as joint cam-
pus ministries, seminaries in mission fields, etc.; and

Wuereas, In the opinion of many not much work is being
accomplished by the council for the Kingdom; and

WuereaS, The Lutheran Council is a very large item in
the budget of Synod, costing almost $1 million every year;
and

Wuereas, Synod has had to curtail various important ac-
tivities in the past, even foreign mission work because of
lack of funds; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
withdraw from the Lutheran Council in the U.S.A. as soon
as this can prudently be done.

Mr. Catvary LUTHERAN CHURCH
Richfield, Minn.

Henry Trebelhorn, President
Erwin Bruesehoff, Secretary

Similar:
2-119B

Peace Lutheran Church, Sussex, Wis., J. Goehner, Pastor;
H. Neumann, Chairman.

2-119C

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Sanford, Mich., Earnest Sutton,
President; Lynn Robinette, Secretary.

2-119D

St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Slater, Ma, Wayne Blum-
horst, Chairman; Virgil Borgman, Secretary.

2-119E

Peace Lutheran Church, Slater, Mo., Warren Kisco,
Chairman; Gus Granneman, Secretary.

2-120A
To Sever Connection with LCUSA

Wuereas, “The conservation and promotion of the unity
of the true faith ... and a united defense against schism
and sectarianism” (Art. TI 1) is the first objective spelled
out in our synodical Constitution; and

WueREAS, The “renunciation of unionism and syncretism
of every description” (Art. VI 2) is additionally a condition
for membership in the Synod as defined in her Constitu-
tion; and

WuHereas, The fervent hope of Dr. J. W. Behnken and
others that involvement in the Lutheran Council in the
U.S.A. would be the instrument through which basic, fun-
damental discussion of doctrinal differences could be ex-
plored with the Lutheran Church in America has been can-
celled by the patent unwillingness of the LCA to do so: and

WHEREAS, Membership in LCUSA involves us in unionism
with the LCA through joint campus ministries, joint training
of missionaries, etc.: and

Wuereas, The initially moderate financial costs involved
in LCUSA have skyrocketed to more than 34 million dol-
lars per year since the decision to become involved was
reached in Detroit in 1965; and

WuereEas, Synod finds herself increasingly distressed
financially to the point of having to curtail her missionary
program by slashing budgets essential to the primary func-
tion and purpose of the Synod (Art.I1e): and

Wuereas, LCUSA has produced and published Who Can
This Be? and The Ordination of Women, both of which
position themselves against clear teaching of Scripture in
matters involving the deity of Christ and the ordination of
women clergy, and we have been made unwilling partners
in such promotion through LCUSA membership: therefore
be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
at its New Orleans convention take the necessary steps to

sever her connection with the Lutheran Council in the

U.S. A. without delay. Messtau Ev, LUTHERAN CHURCH

Sterling, Ill.
Harold Nelson, Secretary
Eldor Mueller, Pastor

Similar:

2-120B

Trinity Lutheran Church, Easthampton, Mass., Francis
Belle, President: Glenmore Carr, Secretary.

2-120C

Trinity Lutheran Church, Sturgis, Mich., Bruce Schaeffer,
Chairman; H. M. Heidenreich, Pastor.

2-121

To Cut Support to LCUSA

Wuereas, It has been definitely proven that LCUSA is
unionistic in its approaches to the work of the church at
large, by its activities; and

WuHeREAS, It has moved beyond to propagate false doc-
trine as seen in Who Can This Be? and “Women’s Ordina-
tion”; and

Whereas, It is obvious to anyone that the council is
working toward the concept of a “Super Church,” not heed-
ing its original purpose; and

WuHerEAS, The monies expended by LCMS for its mem-
bership in LCUSA definitely could be put to better use, as
in keeping our missionaries in foreign fields, instead of re-
calling them because of lack of funds; and

Wuereas, The LCUSA is not held accountable to anyone
but to itself; therefore be it

Resolved. That we, the members of St. John’s Lutheran
Congregation of Chaska, Minn., in a lawfully called Voters’
Assembly on Feb. 27, 1973, memorialize The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod, at its convention in New Orleans,
July 1973, to restudy the activities of LCUSA, and to ask
that LCUSA return to its original purpose of existence, and
to ask the LCMS to cut its obligations in half of its former
support, limiting its support to LCUSA not to exceed $500,-

000. St. JOHN’s LUTHERAN CHURCH

Chaska, Minn.
Henry Wrase, Chairman
Robert Berkey, Secretary

ALC
2-122A

To Encourage Practice of Fellowship
with ALC

Resolved, That we rejoice and thank God for the oppor-
tunities we have had in the Atlantic District for the prac-
tice of fellowship which exists between the LCMS and the
ALC; and be it further

Resolved, That the Atlantic District petition LCMS as-
sembled in convention in New Orleans in July, 1973, to en-
courage the increase of the practice of the declared fellow-
ship with the ALC wherever feasible throughout the Synod.

Reasons:

1. The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod at the Mil-
waukee convention expressed its gratitude to the Lord of
the church for His blessings and fellowship with the Amer-
ican Lutheran Church declared at the Denver convention
in 1969 and for every evidence of growth in the understand-
ing and practice of fellowship in both The Lutheran Church
— Missouri Synod and the American Lutheran Church.

2. Unused opportunities in The Lutheran Church — Mis-
souri Synod for practicing the fellowship which has been
declared with the American Lutheran Church.

ATLANTIC DISTRICT
Arlin A. Maas, Secretary