Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1973 · 50th Convention › Page 95
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Page 95

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

THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 95

2-165A

To Initiate Action to Resume Fellowship
with Wisconsin and Evangelical Lutheran
Synods

Wuereas, The Ev. Lutheran Synod and Wisconsin Ev. Lu-
theran Synod discontinued fellowship with The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod for reasons they found compel-
ling; and

Wuereas, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod has for
the past 10 years had no continuing dialog about outstanding
doctrinal differences with these, our former brethren in fel-
lowship since the time that the break occurred; and

Wuereas, It is neither in keeping with God’s will nor in
the interest of our Synod that those with whom we have
had fraternal relations for a hundred years should now be-
come strangers to us; and

Wuereas, It would be good for our floor committee at
New Orleans to hear representative voices from the Wis-
consin Ev. Lutheran Synod and Evangelical Lutheran Synod;
therefore be it

Resolved, That the President of The Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod officially invite the president of the Evan-
gelical Lutheran Synod and the Wisconsin Ev. Lutheran
Synod to address the delegates of The Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod in convention assembled at New Orleans on
the state of our relationship and their vision of its future;
and be it further

Resolved, That the convention's floor committee on doc-
trine and church relations invite the representatives of these
two members of the former Synodical Conference, with
whom our Synod has had a blessed fellowship for genera-
tions, to explain fully the obstacles in the way of a resump-
tion of such fraternal fellowship as well as their God-

leasing removal.
P & re a IMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH

Olivette, Mo.
Kenneth Eckert, Secretary
Walter Hoffmann, Pastor

Identical:

2-165B

Mount Hope Lutheran Church, Casper, Wyo., Frank D.
Stewart, President; J. B. Brown, Pastor.

2-166
To Stress Cooperative Welfare Services

Wuereas, It is in keeping with the mission of the church.
to serve the whole man in the total society in which we live;
and

Wuereas, Experience both in the U.S. and in other fields
in which our church is at work have shown that it is often
necessary and often desirable to cooperate in programs of
social ministry with other Christians and especially with
Lutherans belonging to other church bodies; and

Wuereas, Cooperation and coordination of social ministry
services with other Lutheran groups, and at times other
Christian groups, can and is done in ways which are con-
sistent with the Sacred Scriptures and the Lutheran Con-
fessions; therefore be it

Resolved, That Synod commend those Lutheran social
ministry agencies which are carrying out their mission and
the mission of the church on a pan-Lutheran basis, while
observing the guidance of the Sacred Scriptures and the
Lutheran Confessions; and be it further

Resolved, That Synod urge all Lutheran social ministry
programs to be alert for opportunities for extending the
influence of the Gospel and sharing the love of God through
cooperative efforts; and be it further

Resolved. That Synod continue to work through LCUSA
in joint social ministry planning development and consulta-
tion: and be it finally

Resolved, That Synod commend those who study and
work to develop models of Christian cooperation in social
ministry consistent with the Scriptures and the Confessions.

Cross LuTHERAN CHURCH
St. Paul, Minn.
Arlin Paulson, Chairman

2-167

To Pursue Closer Relationship with Other
Lutheran Bodies

Wuereas, Our church has shown its willingness to estab-
lish pulpit and altar fellowship with the ALC, recognizing
that sufficient doctrinal agreement exists; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Northwest District memorialize the
LCMS in convention in 1973 to continue with or enter into
serious study with all other Lutheran bodies in America
to work for a closer relationship and Scriptural unity; and
be it further

Resolved, That the members of the Northwest District
pray the Lord of the church for greater unity among the
Lutherans of America and in their lives and parishes work
toward that end.

NorTHWEST DISTRICT
Wayne H. Brandmire, Secretary

2-168
To Celebrate and Express Unity of Faith

Wuereas, All who are intimately involved in the life
(present and future) of the LCMS, Lutheranism in America,
and the entire body of Christ are troubled and dismayed by
the increasing polarization taking place in Synod; and

Wuereas, It is difficult to see how an already seriously
divisive situation can become anything but increasingly
schismatic when evangelical procedures are negated and
where authoritarian procedures have been instituted; and

Wuereas, It is an injunction of Scripture to “maintain the
unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”; and

Whereas. We deplore any disregard of this divine in-
junction (in our relationships with Lutherans as well as
other Christians) as leading us into sectarianism; there-
fore be it

Resolved, That we rejoice in the unity that exists be-
tween Lutherans under the Scriptures and Confessions, and
seek to express this unity more completely; and be it further

Resolved. That, with vigor and enthusiasm, we continue
to work together with other Christians as long as coopera-
tion does not deny God's Word: and be it finally

Resolved, That we celebrate the gift of unity we already
enjoy within our Synod, with other Lutherans, and with
other Christians, and earnestly and frequently implore God,
the Holy Spirit, to grant us this gift in ever-increasing
measure.

Srerra-NEVADA PASTORAL CONFERENCE
CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA DISTRICT
Oren Geiger, Chairman

James A. Kabel, Secretary

2-169
To Seek Fellowship with Other Christians

Wuereas, The history of Christianity as a whole and
Lutheranism in particular is a history of engaging in joint
studies and discussions with others seeking mutual under-
standing and growth; and

Wuereas, Our Synod has often held dialogs with other
bodies in the Christian world; and

Wuereas, Mutual understanding of both those areas of
agreement and disagreement have come into areas where
salutary results may be noted (i.e. talks with Episcopalians,
ALC, etc.) and