ST. LOUIS — Wednesday (July 14) afternoon, delegates at the 62nd Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod here passed five resolutions presented by the floor committee on district and congregational services.
Those resolutions call for:
* celebrating the 125th anniversary of Black ministry in the Synod, which was actually last year, and asking the LCMS Board for Black Ministry Services to plan a 130-year celebration for 2008;
* affirming “responsible use of freedom in worship,” including “diversity in worship practices” and discussion of such diversity;
* supporting “parish pastoral ministry,” which encourages pastors serving in administrative positions for the Synod, districts and schools to “remain active” in congregation-based ministry;
* reaffirming support of Lutheran schools and educators, especially “the vital role they serve in our ‘One Mission’ of telling the Good News about Jesus;” and
* committing to “strengthening doctrinal education” by encouraging rostered church workers to bolster their knowledge of the Scriptures and Lutheran Confessions, congregations and schools to offer “continuous educational programs in the Scriptures and confessions, and for districts and circuits to include education in the use and teaching of the Confessions in gatherings of pastors.
Delegates passed all five resolutions by wide margins.
They also discussed a resolution to commend preaching and teaching Biblical creation of the world. However, they decided to replace it with a delegate’s substitute resolution that went into more specific detail about various other teachings, including forms of evolution.
Delegates finally asked the floor committee to refine the substitute resolution and bring it back to the floor for consideration. However, that committee was not scheduled to bring any more business to the floor before the convention ends this afternoon.
Posted July 15, 2004
