Friday, April 23, 2010

Two Convention Workbook Overtures on Worship

From Page 160


2-15


To Encourage Responsible Worship

Whereas, The Lord has commanded His people to worship Him

in spirit and in truth; and

Whereas, There is diversity in expression of that same spirit as

the one Lord of the Church comes to His people in the Means of

Grace; and

Whereas, The Church has been engaged in worship since her

inception (Acts 2); and

Whereas, The Lutheran confessors did not seek to violate this

“Great Tradition” but instead desired to affirm their catholicity in the

proclamation of Christ crucified, risen, ascended, and returning; and

Whereas, The Council of Presidents has produced the Theses on

Worship for guidance for congregations of the Synod; and

Whereas, The CTCR and the Commission on Worship have conducted

a Model Theological Conference on theology and worship

that has generated dialogue and conversation about worship in the

Synod; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod affirm the Great Tradition and the ongoing

development of resources for worship within the Great Tradition;

and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod recognize responsible diversity in worship;

and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod encourage congregations to follow the

historic practices of the ancient and Reformation churches in celebrating

the Lord’s Supper at each Divine Service (1995 Res. 2-08A, “To

Encourage Every Sunday Communion”); and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod affirm Eucharistic centrality in the

Divine Service (see Acts 2:42; 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:20, 33; the CTCR’s

Theology and Practice of the Lord’s Supper, p. 28; and the 1986

translation of Luther’s Small Catechism) within appropriate and

responsible cultural contextualization; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod encourage “responsible use of freedom

in worship” (2004 Res. 2-04) so that the Great Tradition is not lost

nor are people restricted from employing diverse resources that are

doctrinally sound; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod foster a confessional unity and unified

confession in the unity and diversity of worship that respects the

Great Tradition as it is expressed in contemporary and contextual

ways throughout the Synod.

Board of Directors

Atlantic District
 
 
 
To Remain Faithful to Lutheran Worship Practices


Whereas, Disunity exists in our Synod because some Lutheran

congregations and pastors are using non-Lutheran materials and forms

of worship; and

Whereas, The clear witness of God’s Word states: “Now I exhort

you brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you

agree with one another so that there be no divisions among you, so

that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment”

(1 Cor. 1:10); and

Whereas, Lutheran congregations and pastors have bound themselves

to the “[e]xclusive use of doctrinally pure agenda, hymnbooks,

and catechisms in church and school” (Constitution, Art. VI 4); and

Whereas, The practice of a congregation in worship affects its

doctrine; and

Whereas, A Lutheran congregation that uses different forms of

worship that are not doctrinally pure deceives the members into thinking

there are no important doctrinal issues that separate it from those

who are in error; and

Whereas, This is harmful to the salvation of the soul and robs the

Christian of the assurance of that salvation; and

Whereas, According to Romans 16:17, Christians are urged to

“watch out for those who cause divisions” and “keep away from

them”; therefore be it

Resolved, That the congregations of the Wyoming District memorialize

the Synod to instruct the Council of Presidents to come up with

a responsible way of ensuring that pastors and congregations who are

introducing heterodox forms of worship be disciplined according to

the Word of God in a manner that reflects Jesus’ words in Matthew

18:14–17.

Wyoming District