Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1975 · 51st Convention › Page 246
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 246

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

246 CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS

5-102

To Deal with Prince of Peace Lutheran
Church, Claremont, N. H.

WHEREAS, For the sake of good order in our Synod we have
agreed that congregations which are members of the Synod, in
conformity with Article III, 3 or Constitution of the Synod, shall
call and be served only by pastors and called teachers who have
been admitted to these respective ministries in accordance
with the rules and regulations set forth in the synodical Hand-
book and have thereby become members of the Synod (“Con-
gregations which violate this requirement and persist in such
violation shall after due admonition forfeit their membership
in the Synod.” Bylaw 4.01): and

WHEREAS, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Claremont,
N. H., was urged for the sake of unity in the Synod not to
install Thomas Colley until he had been certified for ordination
by the Synod: and

WHEREAS, Thomas Colley for the sake of conscience will not
submit to any program of certification ‘“‘which allows Concordia
Seminary, 801 De Mun, to serve as final judge of our qualifica-
tion for the Ministry in The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod”
(Seminex IV-year class resolution of May 20, 1974): and

WHEREAS, Thomas Colley continues “to speak a strong word
of judgment against Concordia Seminary, 801 De Mun, and the
synodical administration which supports it, and will not allow
that word of judgement to be silenced” (op. cit.): and

WHEREAS, Thomas Colley was ordained and installed on July
21, 1974, as pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Clare-
mont, N. H.: and

WHEREAS, The New England District resolutions urging the
District President to authorize the ordination and installation
were ruled unconstitutional and null and void; therefore be it

Resolved, That Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Claremont,
N. H., be urged to have their pastor Thomas Colley apply for
certification for the pastoral ministry in The Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod; and be it further

Resolved, That if Thomas Colley remains as pastor but does
not apply for such certification by Oct. 15, 1975, Prince of Peace
Lutheran Church, Claremont, N. H., be declared expelled from
The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod.

Christ Lutheran Church
Troy, New Hampshire
Edwin G. Mattson, President
Kenneth Luopa, Secretary
Douglas May, Pastor

5-103

To Require Colloquy of Seminex
Graduates

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod exists
to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world; and

WHEREAS, The Synod is in need of trained ministers to
preach and teach the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ: and

WHEREAS, The Synod has established seminaries at St. Louis,
Mo., and Springfield, Ill., to train ministers for its member
churches and missions: and

WHEREAS, These seminaries exist to train future ministers in
the historical doctrines of the Lutheran Church, which are
based on the infallible written Word of God: and

WHEREAS, The historical-grammatical method of Bible inter-
pretation is the accepted Lutheran method of Bible interpreta-
tion; and

WHEREAS, During the past several years certain students at
the St.Louis seminary have by their actions expressed dis-
satisfaction with the present method of instruction in historical
Lutheran doctrine and Bible interpretation and have elected
of their own free will to leave the campus of the St. Louis semi-
nary and to attend a newly formed rival seminary commonly
known as “Seminex’’; and

WHEREAS, Certain graduates of this rival seminary desire to

become ordained ministers of The Lutheran Church -— Missouri
Synod; therefore be it

Resolved, That any graduate of the rival seminary ‘““Seminex”’
who desires to become an ordained minister of The Lutheran
Church -— Missouri Synod must submit to the regular colloquy
procedures of the Synod: and be it further

Resolved, That any seminary student who by his actions
elects not to submit to such colloquy procedures shall not be
eligible to be ordained a minister in The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod and shall not be eligible to accept a call from
a member congregation of the Synod.

Mount Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church
San Antonio, Tex.

Arthur S. Jones, President

Charles T. Davis, Secretary

5-104A4

To Urge Seminex Graduates to Be
Certified

WHEREAS, Many young men have voluntarily left the synod-
ical seminaries in their preparation for the ministry: and

WHEREAS, These young men are gifts that God has given for
the ministry in His church: and

WHEREAS, The LCMS District Presidents together with the
synodical administration and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis,
have arranged ways for the men attending Seminex to be
certified for ministry in the LCMS: therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod encourage these men to use the
methods available for certification for ministry in the LCMS.

Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer
Cushing, Okla.

Palmer C. Kise, President

Michael D. Holsten, Pastor

Identical or similar:

5-104B and 5-104C

Emmanuel, Kingfisher, Okla.
St. Paul’s, Paterson, N. J.

V.H. Mickow
J. V. Kimpel

5-105

To Require Certification of
Seminex Graduates

WHEREAS, Seminex graduates have entered into the work of
congregations and other agencies of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod without being properly certified (see Bylaw
4.01 for congregations violating this matter, and see Bylaw 4.15 a
1—6 for proper eligibility for the ministry of The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod): and

WHEREAS, Such men now have no status as pastors in The
Lutheran Church-— Missouri Synod and legally cannot function
as pastors; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod ask congregations and agencies
now served by uncertified men to direct these men to seek
proper certification; and be it further

Resolved, That these men be given one final opportunity to
be properly certified by a review board of the faculty of Con-
cordia Seminary, St. Louis, Mo.; and be it finally

Resolved, That all uncertified men failing to avail themselves
of proper certification after 6 months be recognized as not
eligible for the ministry in The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod and that the District President responsible in each case
see that the Constitution of the Lutheran Church— Missouri
Synod and its Bylaws and resolutions be carried out.

Immanuel Lutheran — Olivette
St. Louis, Mo.

T.-R. Hanske, Chairman
Gary A. Spieler, Secretary
Walter J. Hoffmann, Pastor