2026 LCMS convention news – Tuesday, July 21

Headlines

• 2026 Convention rewind video — Tuesday, July 21

• Floor Committee 6 wraps up business

• FC10 makes second appearance of the day

• Floor Committee 5 celebrates two new partner churches, opens doctrinal discussions

• Convention feature stories, videos

• Floor Committee 10 makes first appearance

• Consent Calendar, Day 3

• National Witness turns to church planting, campus ministry

• ‘Today’s Business’ and Convention Minutes

7:16 p.m. Mountain Standard Time

2026 Convention rewind video — Tuesday, July 21

On July 21, the third day of business at the 69th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), international guests were introduced to the delegation. The Synod in convention recognized fellowship with the Evangelical Lutheran Christian Church of Bolivia and acknowledged the unity of confession the LCMS shares with Lutheran Mission—Australia. In addition, delegates adopted resolutions from Floor Committees 6, 10 and 11.

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6:55 p.m. Mountain Standard Time

Floor Committee 6 wraps up business

PHOENIX — Floor Committee 6 (FC6, Pastoral Ministry and Seminaries) returned to the floor today and completed its business. The resolutions taken up by the delegation were:

Res. 6-09A, “To Implore Council of Presidents to Fulfill 2019 Resolution 6-03A re Oversight of Specific Ministry Pastors” (passed, unamended, by voice vote);

Res. 6-10, “To Amend Bylaws to Address Seminary Adjunct Faculty”;

Res. 6-11, “To Embed Church Work Formation and Recruitment in the Culture of the LCMS,” brought to the floor and passed with unanimous voice vote after a short presentation and video on Set Apart to Serve;

A new delegate resolution, “To Direct Seminaries to Publish Annual Enrollment Numbers Every Fall,” (see Ov. 6-74 in CW, 408–8) was moved from the floor (after discussion, it passed with 62.47% of the vote);

Res. 6-12B, “To Amend Bylaws to Reinsert 2007 Pastoral Colloquy Bylaws from Policy Manual” (passed by voice vote); and

Res. 6-13, “To Affirm that the Lord has Ordained that Those Who Preach the Gospel Should Make their Living from the Gospel.”

Note: After some discussion, Res. 6-10 was referred back to the committee during FC6’s morning session. FC6 returned in the evening and the motion passed without being amended.

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6:40 p.m. Mountain Standard Time

FC10 makes second appearance of the day

PHOENIX — In its second appearance before the convention on July 21, Floor Committee 10 (FC10, Ecclesiastical Supervision and Dispute Resolution) brought three resolutions to the floor:

Res. 10-04A, “To Seek Unity and Peace in the Synod and to Establish a Practical Statement for God-Pleasing Use of Digital Communications,” which was adopted by voice vote after a proposed amendment failed;

Res. 10-01A, “To Seek Commission on Theology and Church Relations Opinion regarding Usage of Matthew 18:15–20,” which was adopted at 55.90%; and

Res. 10-05A, “To Amend Bylaw 4.2.4 regarding Installation of District Presidents,” which was returned to the floor committee after the orders of the day had been reached. (Earlier in the day, the resolution was removed from the day’s Consent Calendar.)

July 23, 2026, update — On July 22, at the beginning of convention business, it was announced that a parliamentary error had led to Res. 10-05A being returned to the floor committee. In actuality, the resolution was adopted by 81.63%.

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6:08 p.m. Mountain Standard Time

Floor Committee 5 celebrates two new partner churches, opens doctrinal discussions

PHOENIX — Floor Committee 5 (FC 5, Theology and Church Relations, chaired by LCMS Iowa District East President Rev. Dr. Brian S. Saunders) took the convention stage for the first time on Tuesday afternoon to present resolutions related to international church relations and specific doctrinal questions.

The first two resolutions brought forward concerned partner church bodies. Res. 5-01 endorsed the Synod’s 2025 decision to recognize altar and pulpit fellowship with the Evangelical Lutheran Christian Church of Bolivia. Res. 5-02 offered LCMS support and encouragement for recognizing altar and pulpit fellowship with the newly formed Lutheran Mission—Australia (LM—A), a partnership to be formalized when LM—A holds its first convention in August. Each of these resolutions passed unanimously by voice vote and was followed by standing ovations and a singing of the Common Doxology.

The third matter under discussion, Res. 5-10, requested the Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) to prepare a new report on human organ donation and transplantation. This resolution passed by a strong majority voice vote, though the decision was not unanimous.

Delegates also opened discussion on Res. 5-11, regarding in vitro fertilization, but time expired before they could vote to close debate. When FC5 was granted additional time later in the afternoon, the resolution passed by majority voice vote.

Four additional FC5 resolutions were passed by unanimous consent via inclusion in the Consent Calendar earlier in the day.

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3:10 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:

• National Offering tops $740,000 to ‘Tell the Next Generation’;

• Synod elects members to BNM, BIM, CTCR, CHI;

• Synod elects CPH, LCEF, Foundation, CUS, CTSFW board members;

• Admiral Gregory Todd honored at the LCMS convention;

• Caring for military-connected people;

• Celebrating partners in ‘God’s Mission Here’;

• Erin Bode highlights new Themba Choirs album during convention performance;

• And more.

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

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2:30 p.m. Mountain Standard Time

Floor Committee 10 makes first appearance

PHOENIX — Floor Committee 10 (FC10, Ecclesiastical Supervision and Dispute Resolution) came before the convention for the first time Tuesday, July 21.

FC10 Chairman Rev. Robert Beinke introduced the committee members and turned to the first item of business: Res. 10-02A, “To Create a Task Force to Clarify Relationship Between Bylaw 1.10 and 2.14 and Consider Bylaw Changes for Dispute Resolution (Bylaw 1.10) and Expulsion of Congregations or Individuals from Membership in the Synod (Bylaw 2.14).” The full resolution, which is available in the July 20 edition of Today’s Business, was adopted by near unanimous voice vote.

Beinke then invited FC10 Vice-Chairman Rev. Mark Chepulis and committee member Deaconess Jennie Asher forward to present Res. 10-03A, “To Respond to Sexual Misconduct by Rostered Workers and Make Provision for Spiritual Care of Those Affected.” Before the resolution was read to the assembly, Chepulis offered a prayer, noting the wide-ranging and harmful effects to the church when sexual misconduct occurs: “All sin has a blast radius.”

Chepulis continued, speaking directly to those who have suffered the consequences of such mistreatment by rostered workers — “The hearts of the members of this floor committee bleed for you” — and assuring them that “when one hurts, we all hurt. When one suffers, we all suffer.”

Chepulis then pointed all to the only source of healing, both for those who have been harmed by sexual misconduct and those who bear the deep guilt of having committed it: “What can we do but behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world?”

Asher read the amended resolution, which included some changes that were made after the July 21 edition of Today’s Business was printed. After some discussion, the resolution was adopted, with 93.01% voting in favor. It will be included in its final form in the July 22 edition of Today’s Business.

FC10 will appear before the convention again on Tuesday afternoon, July 21.

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10:14 a.m. Mountain Standard Time

Consent Calendar, Day 3

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

On July 21, as the day’s Consent Calendar came before the convention, a motion was made to raise the threshold for removal of a resolution from 10% to 15%. There was no discussion, and the motion was adopted by voice vote. Thus, going forward, the removal of a resolution from the Consent Calendar will now require 15% of the body to vote in favor of removal.

The new threshold for removal was immediately put to the test as the Rev. Michael Schuermann, voting delegate from the LCMS Central Illinois District, made a motion to remove Res. 10-05A, “To Amend Bylaw 4.2.4 regarding Installation of District Presidents,” from the Consent Calendar. The resolution calls for elected or re-elected district presidents to be installed prior to the conclusion of the district convention in which they are elected. The motion carried by a vote of 26.54% in favor, and Res. 10-05A was removed from the Consent Calendar and returned to Floor Committee 10.

There were no more motions to remove, and the remainder of the Consent Calendar was adopted by voice vote with the following resolutions included:

Res. 4-10, “To Celebrate Concordia Historical Institute Centenary and Renew the Synod’s Commitment to Treasure and Trumpet Its Redeemed History”;

Res. 5-03, “To Give Thanks for the Mission Province in Sweden”;

Res. 5-06A, “To Amend Bylaw 3.9.5.2.2 (b)”;

Res. 5-07, “To Refer ‘Sister Church’ Nomenclature Change to Commission on Handbook”;

Res. 5-13A, “To Give Thanks to God for 1700th Anniversary of First Council of Nicaea”;

Res. 9-01B, “To Amend Bylaws 1.5.3.2–4 and Add Bylaw 4.7.6 regarding Regulations for Committees”; and

Res. 10-06, “To Amend Bylaw 2.11.2.2 (c).”

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9:13 a.m. Mountain Standard Time

National Witness turns to church planting, campus ministry

PHOENIX — In the final session of voting on July 20, three resolutions from Floor Committee 1 (FC1, National Witness) were adopted by nearly unanimous voice vote:

Res. 1-07A, “To Increase Church Planting at the Parish Level”;

Res. 1-12, “To Support Campus Ministry”; and

Res. 1-09A, “To Promote Ministry Among Youth and Young Adults.”

Prior to these votes, the convention heard a presentation from LCMS Church Planting.

“We do not claim that church planting is easy. Church planting is a difficult project, but a worthwhile effort,” said the Rev. Dr. Quintin Cundiff, director of LCMS Church Planting. “Hear me when I say that this work can be done by anyone. … However, it does require one thing: dedication. You must be dedicated to see this through, dedicated to being faithful through to what God has given us as Lutherans.”

During the floor discussion regarding Res. 1-12, “To Support Campus Ministry,” the Rev. Sean Kilgo, pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Lawrence, Kan., which also has a ministry to students from the University of Kansas, said: “This is an incredibly important part of our life, especially our emphasis on telling the next generation — this is purely what campus ministry does, and those of us that work in [campus ministry] get to see it all the time.

“We get to see those who are Lutheran sons and daughters grow in their confession, but also people who’ve never encountered the Lutheran confession before encounter it for the first time and get baptized, … go through instruction [and] receive the Lord’s Supper.”

More resolutions from FC1 will be considered later this week.

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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

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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 21, 2026