Pfotenhauer said that the world owes its existence to the church. “If God had not decided to build a Church for Himself on earth, the world would have gone to pieces after the Fall.”

The gavel that will be used during the 69th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is more than 100 years old.

Each of these topics — from pastoral formation to artificial intelligence to the structure and authority of the Synod’s mission boards — has gathered a number of overtures to watch, discuss and weigh in on.