To Honor and Guard Chief Divine Service of Local Congregation

Official Workbook overture source text

4-31 
To Honor and Guard Chief Divine Service  
of Local Congregation 
WHEREAS, The Chief Divine Service is the primary time and 
place in which the faithful gather to receive the Lord’s gifts, His 
holy Word and Sacraments, in a particular locale (Heb. 10:25; SC 
1, Third Commandment; Matt. 18:20); and 
WHEREAS, In the Chief Divine Service, offered and delivered is 
the forgiveness of sins, and thereby life and salvation; and where 
and when the Lord’s Supper is celebrated, our Lord’s very body and 
blood are present upon the altar, distributed, and received; therefore, 
to be absent from this gathering is a grave thing not to be taken 
lightly, both due to the need for our own faith to be constantly 
strengthened and due to our neighbors’ need for our presence, 
encouragement, and support; and 
WHEREAS, The devil and the world delight to keep the faithful 
away from the Chief Divine Service, offering any number of 
alternatives, many of which are not sinful in and of themselves, but 
are still unbecoming of the Church due to their conflict with the 
principal gathering of her people and with her Lord’s service to her 
there; therefore be it 
Resolved, That the Synod and its districts, congregations, 
auxiliaries, and recognized service organizations not offer other 
activities or events of general interest and intentional appeal, 
including (but not limited to) conventions, conferences, speakers’ 
presentations, educational programs, camps, meals, fundraisers, and 
anniversary observances, that conflict with the Chief Divine 
Services of those congregations that are proximate to the activity or