2026 LCMS convention news – Wednesday, July 22

Headlines

• 2026 Convention rewind video — Wednesday, July 22

• University education in focus

• Floor Committee 9 concludes work

• Convention feature stories, videos

• Finance wraps up business

• Consent Calendar, Day 4

• ‘Today’s Business’ and Convention Minutes

2026 Convention rewind video — Wednesday, July 22

PHOENIX — On July 22, the fourth day of the 69th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, delegates adopted a slew of resolutions from Floor Committees 7, 8 and 9. In addition, the convention was greeted by representatives from the Synod’s two auxiliaries, and delegates remembered the rostered church workers who were called to glory during the past triennium.

View all headlines

5:06 p.m. Mountain Standard Time

University education in focus

PHOENIX — During the first appearance of Floor Committee 7 (FC7, University Education) on the convention floor on Wednesday morning, July 22, delegates quickly adopted a series of resolutions by unanimous voice vote:

Res. 7-01, “To Commend the Concordia University System”;

Res. 7-02A, “To Amend Bylaw 3.10.6.2.2”;

Res. 7-03A, “To Amend Bylaw 3.6.6.1”;

Res. 7-04, “To Clarify Prior Approval Protocols for University Theological Faculties”; and

Res. 7-05, “To Clarify Prior Approval Protocols for University Presidential Candidates.”

Res. 7-02A and 7-03A clarify Bylaw language related to the training of members of the boards of regents for the institutions of the Concordia University System (CUS) and the administration of professional church work programs at CUS schools.

FC7 then introduced Res. 7-06A, “To Encourage University Worship Practices That Form Students to be Faithful to Scriptures and Lutheran Confessions.” An amendment was proposed striking the word “should” and replacing it with “must” in the second Resolved:

“Resolved, That use of LSB is encouraged as the benchmark, and that other worship materials and practices should be doctrinally pure (Const. Art. VI 4).”

After brief discussion, the amendment was adopted by nearly unanimous voice vote. Delegates then returned to considering Res. 7-06A as amended, with another brief round of discussion centering around balancing outreach to non-Lutheran students on campus with providing faithful spiritual care and formation to LCMS students. The resolution was adopted by 90.66%.

With the orders of the day fast approaching, FC7 introduced Res. 7-07, “To Clarify Lutheran Identity in Connection with the Concordia Universities.” The resolution will be taken up again when FC7 returns to the convention floor Wednesday afternoon.

View all headlines

3:02 p.m. Mountain Standard Time

Floor Committee 9 concludes work

PHOENIX — Floor Committee 9 (FC9, Structure and Administration) returned to the convention floor today and completed its business. The resolutions passed by the delegates were:

Res. 9-10A, “To Revise the Membership of the Pastoral Formation Committee” (adopted by voice vote) — This Bylaw change adds a parish pastor (appointed by the LCMS president) and a district president (appointed by the LCMS Council of Presidents) to the Pastoral Formation Committee and removes the LCMS chief mission officer.

Res. 9-12, “To Amend Bylaws Exclusive to Lutheran Church Extension Fund to Clarify That It May Provide Real Estate Evaluation and Redevelopment Services in Support of Synod Mission and Ministry” (adopted by voice vote) — This Bylaw change requested by Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) inserts language identifying one purpose of LCEF as providing “real estate … resources and services,” affirming that such services they have already been providing to ministries of the Synod are appropriate.

Res. 9-13, “To Adopt Recommendations of 2023 Res. 9-06A Task Force on Electoral Circuit Parameters” (adopted by voice vote, after an adopted amendment from the floor) — This resolution updates the parameters for electoral circuits of the LCMS in order to align the number of convention delegates more closely with the actual size of the Synod and the number of its parishes. The original resolution removed the ability for the president of the Synod to grant exceptions to these requirements; but an amendment from the floor, passed at 54.33%, reinstated the possibility of such exceptions.

Res. 9-14A, “To Amend Constitution Article XII 15 as to Call of Special District Conventions” (adopted by 97.37%) — This amendment to the LCMS Constitution would grant the ability to call special district conventions to specified others in the district, rather than solely to the district president. This change resolves the problem of an inability to convene the district in the case of a district president’s sudden removal. As this is a constitutional amendment, it will now be sent as a ballot to the Synod’s congregations, where it must receive a two-thirds majority of the congregational votes received within six months in order to be ratified.

Res. 9-15, “To Increase Congregation Participation in Election of Synod President” (adopted by 69.40%) — This resolution, originally proposed by FC9, was supplanted by the new Res. 9-18 brought to the convention by FC9 at the request of LCMS President Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison. Res. 9-18 would have returned the election of the LCMS president to the convention and its delegates (since 2010, it has been held electronically, with each congregation in the Synod eligible to vote). However, a delegate brought the original Res. 9-15 to the floor as a substitute resolution for Res. 9-18, and it was adopted, retaining the electronic, pre-convention election of LCMS president. Res. 9-15 seeks to address the low congregational participation rates of congregations in the presidential vote and proposes various means of encouraging more congregations to vote.

Res. 9-17, “To Respectfully Decline Overtures” (adopted by voice vote) — This resolution declines 20 overtures made to the convention, providing the reason for each declination.

FC9’s remaining resolutions, 9-01B (“To Amend Bylaws 1.5.3.2–4 and Add Bylaw 4.7.6 regarding Regulations for Committees”) and 9-16A (“To Amend Bylaws to Enhance Responsibilities of Synod Mission Boards and To Direct Board of Directors, Board for National Mission, Board for International Mission, and Chief Mission Officer to Review Overture 9-11”), were passed as a part of Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s Consent Calendars.

View all headlines

12:59 p.m. Mountain Standard Time

Convention feature stories, videos

PHOENIX — In addition to the daily running convention news being shared in this space, Reporter is publishing longer feature stories about a variety of topics as well as sharing videos created by the LCMS video team.

Visit the Reporter landing page at reporter.lcms.org to see the latest convention stories and videos about:

• Convention affirms current Synod paths for ordination and pastoral training;

• LCMS paves the way for full fellowship with Lutheran Mission–Australia;

• ‘We are not alone’: Kenya’s archbishop greets LCMS convention;

• LCMS endorses fellowship with Evangelical Lutheran Christian Church of Bolivia;

• Convention voices video: Volunteer pages at the LCMS convention;

• Youth ‘represent’ at convention;

• Floor Committee 11 wraps up elections with CUS regents, Commission on Worship;

• Synod elects regents for CSL, CUC, CUI, CUNE;

• Volunteer pages at the LCMS convention;

• And more.

All convention coverage is also available at reporter.lcms.org/category/convention. Check back often for constantly updated content.

View all headlines

10:55 a.m. Mountain Standard Time

Finance wraps up business

PHOENIX — Resolutions from Floor Committee 8 (FC8, Finance) came before the convention on the morning of July 22. Four resolutions were adopted:

Res. 8-04A, “To Expand Access to the Lutheran Confessions” (adopted by unanimous voice vote);

Res. 8-02A, “To Amend Bylaw Section 3.7 to Clarify Additional Assigned Responsibilities and Provisions on the Board of Trustees—Concordia Plans / Board of Directors—Concordia Plan Services” (adopted by nearly unanimous voice vote);

Res. 8-07, “To Address Concordia Publishing House Shipping Charges” (adopted by voice vote); and

Res. 8-01, “To Encourage Transparency and Accountability in Legal Judgments and Settlements” (adopted by nearly unanimous voice vote).
A resolution brought to the floor by James Runzheimer, lay delegate for the LCMS Texas District, “To Require Transparency and Accountability Regarding Concluded HotChalk Litigation,” failed, receiving 46.47% of the vote.

As the three other resolutions brought by FC8 were adopted by Consent Calendar earlier in the morning, all resolutions brought by FC8 have now been adopted.

View all headlines

10:45 a.m. Mountain Standard Time

Consent Calendar, Day 4

PHOENIX — For an explanation of the Consent Calendar and how it works, please see Consent Calendar, Day 1.

On July 22, six resolutions were presented to the convention of part of today’s Consent Calendar:

Res. 3-07, “To Give Thanks to God for Synod Congregations Engaging in Mercy Ministries”;

Res. 5-12, “To Conclude Created Male and Female Task Force and Receive Its Recommendations”;

Res. 8-03, “To Fund our Synod’s Seminaries”;

Res. 8-05A, “To Give Thanks for Concordia Publishing House’s Use of Bible Translations”;

Res. 8-06, “To Commend Concordia Publishing House for Prioritizing Mission and Distribution”; and

Res. 9-16A, “To Amend Bylaws to Enhance Responsibilities of Synod Mission Boards and To Direct Board of Directors, Board for National Mission, Board for International Mission, and Chief Mission Officer to Review Overture 9-11.”

After a motion to remove Res. 5-12 narrowly failed just shy of the required 15% threshold, the Consent Calendar was adopted, as presented, by voice vote.

View all headlines

8 a.m. Mountain Standard Time

‘Today’s Business’ and Convention Minutes

Follow the progress of the convention through Today’s Business and the official Convention Minutes. Review daily agendas, resolutions, election updates, reports and the official record of convention actions.

• View Today’s Business issues

• View Convention Minutes

View all headlines

2026 LCMS Convention

Under the theme “Christ Is Risen Indeed,” the 69th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod met July 18–23, 2026, at the Phoenix Convention Center in downtown Phoenix.

There are several ways to get convention news, including:

Web

• lcms.org/convention/national

Video

• lcms.org/convention/national/livestream

Audio

• kfuo.org

Social media

• facebook.com/lcmsconvention

Email

• lcms.org/reporter-signup

Posted July 22, 2026