To Affirm That Functions of Pastoral Office Belong to That Office

Official Workbook overture source text

6-88 
To Affirm That Functions of Pastoral Office 
Belong to That Office 
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Confessions state that no one should 
publicly teach, preach, or administer the Sacraments without a 
rightly ordered public call (AC XIV); and 
W
HEREAS, The regular services of the Church publicly gathered 
are the primary forum for that public teaching, preaching, and 
administering of the Sacraments; and 
W
HEREAS, Rare emergency situations, which at times may in a 
sinful and fallen world necessitate that an exception be made, are 
not justification for the alteration or revocation of biblical and 
confessional doctrine or practice; and 
WHEREAS, It has become normalized among us even in the 
Church to justify the altering of theology and practice by appealing 
to emergency, perceived present reality, or other non-biblical, non-
confessional bases; therefore be it 
Resolved, That Synod in convention condemn the use of those 
not rightly called into the Office of the Public Ministry to perform 
the principal duties of that office in our congregations, recognizing 
that the assistance of laymen in congregational services is not 
hereby excluded when such occurs under the direction of the 
pastor(s) called to that particular altar (e.g., an elder assisting the 
pastor in the distribution of Holy Communion, the use of acolytes 
in the service, and the like) and under the persona lly present 
direction of the pastor(s) in the case of the Chief Divine Service; 
and be it further 
Resolved, That circuit visitors and district presidents give special 
attention to this matter in their advisory and disciplinary roles. 
Circuit 14 (Austin) 
Minnesota South District 
 
2026 Convention Workbook
415PASTORAL MINISTRY AND SEMINARIES