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
