Harrison opens Missouri Synod’s 65th Regular Convention

For Immediate Release
Contact:    Vicki Biggs, 314-996-1236, 314-556-3829 (cell), @theLCMS

Photo: LCMS President Harrison opens Synod convention with historic gavel: http://ow.ly/naNyh.
Photo courtesy: LCMS

Three bangs of historic gavel invoke presence of Father, Son, Holy Spirit

ST. LOUIS, July 21, 2013—Banging once, twice, three times with a historic gavel, the Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, formally opened today the first business session of the church’s 65th Regular Convention “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

Like every LCMS president since 1911, Harrison used the intricately carved gavel — bearing the likenesses of Martin Luther and the Rev. Dr. C.F.W. Walther, the Synod’s first president — to mark the official opening of the convention, the church’s principle legislative assembly.

The gavel is made from the wood of the first log cabin built by German Lutherans who settled in Perry County, Mo., in 1839 and went on to join in founding the LCMS. After the convention, the gavel will be returned to its display at the Concordia Historical Institute museum at the LCMS International Center in St. Louis.

Over the next five days, convention delegates will hear official reports and guest greetings, pray together, elect national officers and vote on more than 100 resolutions prepared by Floor Committees on Witness, Mercy, Life Together, Theology and Church Relations, Seminary and University Education, Administration and Finance, and Structure and Ecclesiastical Matters.

The Synod convention, which included an opening worship service on the evening of July 20 and runs through July 25, serves as the principal legislative assembly for the church body. Meeting under the theme, “Baptized for This Moment,” at the America’s Center Convention Complex in St. Louis, attendees will consider resolutions and join together for worship and fellowship. Convention participants include 1,174 clergy and lay voting delegates.

To learn more about the Synod convention, visit www.lcms.org/convention. Live streaming video is available at www.lcms.org/convention/live.

About The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is a biblical, confessional, witness-oriented Christian denomination with 2.3 million members – 600,000 households – in 6,200 congregations. Through acts of witness and mercy, the church carries out its mission worldwide to make known the love of Jesus Christ. Learn more at www.lcms.org.

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