Version History
Current published version
Today's Business, Issue 2B. pp. 288-291. Revised published proposal.
Official Resolution Source Text
Resolution: 4-06
Canonical number: 4-06
Committee: Life Together
Source: Today's Business, Issue 1
Printed pages: pp. 88-91
PDF pages: 88-91
Version: original, superseded
Source reference: Issue 1, pp. 88-91
Line numbers follow Today's Business, Issue 1, with numbering reset on each printed page, so delegates can compare this page with the official PDF.
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- To Amend Bylaws to Reinstate Commission on Worship
- RESOLUTION 4-06
- Overtures 4-23–31, 40–42, 46 (CW, 314–19, 324–27)
- Preamble
- The Word of God and the Sacraments are the means by which God has promised to deal with us (SA III VIII 10). It is by
- these means that justifying faith is obtained (AC V). In order to obtain this faith, the ministry of purely teaching the Gospel
- and rightly administering the Sacraments was established and continues in the church, serving as the marks of the true
- Christian Church and its unity (AC V; VII).
- The public teaching of God’s Word and administration of the Sacraments in Christian congregations is commonly referred
- to as “worship.” Such worship is the essential and necessary public activity for every Christian congregation. In faithful
- public worship the following common purposes of the members of the Synod (congregations and individual ministers) are
- enacted: to “conserve and promote the unity of the true faith” (Const. Art. III 1), to strengthen one another “in giving bold
- witness by word and deed to the love and work of God” (Const. Art. III 2), to educate and nourish Christians of all ages
- (Const. Art. III 5), and to recognize, promote, express, conserve, and defend confessional unity in the true faith (Const.
- Art. III 6). “Worship” necessarily encompasses a variety of faithful church practices and customs. Holy Scripture does not
- require precise uniformity in these. Neither is the true unity of the Church to be found by outward uniformity (AC VII 2).
- Nevertheless, the Synod from inception has consistently affirmed that a recognizable uniformity of order and church
- practice is desirable and worthy of pursuit (Const. Art. III 7).
- In fact, the Synod has found this pursuit of recognizable uniformity and faithfulness of such importance that it has
- conditioned membership in the Synod concerning the prayers and rites, songs and hymns used in worship. The Synod
- requires (based on the confessional basis of Const. Art. II) that its members “exclusive[ly] use … doctrinally pure agenda,
- hymnbooks, and catechisms in church and school” (Const. Art. VI 4).
- Furthermore, we have the clear teaching of Holy Scripture regarding being united by God’s Word in worship. For example,
- Scripture teaches that we are to “let the word of Christ dwell in [us] richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all
- wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in [our] hearts to God” (Col. 3:16). The unity
- we have in God’s Word (John 17:20–21; Eph. 4:11–13) finds expression in our worship.
- To assist its members in these things, the Synod adopts official hymnbooks and agenda, and gives attention to the conduct
- of rites, preaching, administration of the Sacraments, and music by her members (e.g., 2016 Res. 4-04A, “To Appeal to
- the LCMS Congregations, Workers, and Institutions within Christian Freedom and for Love’s Sake to Retain a Common
- Order of Service for the Lord’s Supper”). Recognizing the vital importance of worship, the Synod maintained a
- Commission on Worship from the 1930s until 1981, although it was first acknowledged in Synod Bylaws in 1960. After
- a brief hiatus, the Commission on Worship was reinstated in 1983 and continued until the Synod’s restructuring in 2010.
- The Commission on Worship was historically appointed in its entirety by the President of the Synod.
- Such a Commission on Worship is clearly desirable: to coordinate, guide, and instruct the Synod by efforts that faithfully
- carry forward the Lutheran heritage of worship in the present day; to assure broad input and knowledgeable expertise from
- the Synod’s membership in matters of worship and future hymnal projects; to coordinate the aims of the Synod, the
- President of the Synod, and Concordia Publishing House; to pursue what is excellent in each new generation so that the
- church’s song would neither become novel nor stagnant; and to do so faithfully and cost-effectively.
- WHEREAS, Worship in Word and Sacrament is a mark of the church and as such is a “vital function of the church and
- as such its importance must be strongly emphasized” (1983 Res. 5-06, “To Reinstate Commission on Worship”); and
- WHEREAS, The Constitution of the Synod, reflecting this emphasis, directs congregations of Synod “to strive for
- uniformity in church practice,” “to develop an appreciation of a variety of responsible practices and customs which are in
- harmony with [the Synod’s] common profession of faith” (Const. Art. III), and to make “exclusive use of doctrinally pure
- agenda, hymnbooks, and catechisms in church and school” (Const. Art. VI 4); and
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- WHEREAS, The Synod was served regularly by a Commission on Worship prior to 2010 to assist it in meeting such
- objectives and conditions for membership, and faithfully in the interim by the LCMS Office of National Mission’s Worship
- Ministry area; and
- WHEREAS, With the elimination of the Commission on Worship in 2010, there now exist no bylaw guidelines or
- processes for the production and adoption of agendas, hymnbooks, supplements, or other worship resources for use by the
- members of the Synod; therefore be it
- Resolved, That the Synod reinstate a Commission on Worship as a separate commission; and be it further
- Resolved, That Bylaw 3.9.1 be amended as follows:
- PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
- 3.9 Commissions
- 3.9.1 The commissions of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod are the following:
- 1. Commission on Constitutional Matters
- 2. Commission on Doctrinal Review
- 3. Commission on Handbook
- 4. Commission on Theology and Church Relations and be it further
- 5. Commission on Worship
- and be it further
- Resolved, That Bylaw 3.9.6 be added as follows:
- PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
- Commission on Worship
- 3.9.6 The Commission on Worship exists to provide guidance and materials in matters of worship to the members
- of the Synod to assist them in their responsibility to make exclusive use of doctrinally pure agenda,
- hymnbooks, and catechisms in church and school (Const. Art. VI 4) and in their objective to strive for
- uniformity in church practice and appreciate responsible practices and customs in harmony with the Synod’s
- common profession of faith (Const. Art. III 7).
- 3.9.6.1 The Commission on Worship shall consist of seven voting members including ordained and commissioned
- ministers and laypersons:
- 1. One ordained minister who is a parish pastor
- 2. One commissioned minister who is a director of parish music or parish teacher
- 3. One layperson
- 4. One additional ordained minister
- 5. One additional musician who is either a commissioned minister or a layperson
- 6. Two additional members
- 3.9.6.2 The commission may solicit the assistance of other persons who are well qualified to render valuable and
- necessary service to the church through the commission. Such persons may serve as advisory members.
- 3.9.6.3 The members of the Commission on Worship shall be selected as follows:
- (a) The parish pastor, the Director of Parish music or parish teacher, and the layperson shall be elected
- by a convention of the Synod.
- (b) The additional ordained minister, additional musician, and two additional members shall be
- appointed by the President of the Synod after consultation with the Council of Presidents.
- 3.9.6.4 The Commission on Worship may create an executive director position and fill it in accordance with the
- Bylaws of the Synod and the human resources policies of corporate Synod.
- (a) The executive director shall serve at the pleasure of the commission.
- (1) Upon the formation of the Commission on Worship, the appointment of the executive director
- shall be made by the President of the Synod. Thereafter, the initial appointment of the executive
- director shall be selected by the commission in consultation with and with the mutual concurrence
- of the President of the Synod.
- (2) In the event of a vacancy, the commission and the President of the Synod shall act expeditiously
- to fill the vacancy. This commission shall present its list of candidates to the President.
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- (3) The commission shall conduct an annual review of its executive director and, before the
- expiration of five years, conduct a comprehensive review.
- (4) At the conclusion of each five-year period, the appointment shall terminate unless the
- commission takes specific action to continue the person in the office, each subsequent term not to
- exceed five years.
- (b) Any interim executive director appointment by the commission shall follow a process similar to the
- initial appointment of the executive director.
- (1) Such interim appointee must be approved by the President of the Synod in consultation with the
- commission and may not serve more than 18 months.
- (2) Such interim appointee shall be ineligible to serve on a permanent basis, excepting the process
- of filling a vacancy in Bylaw 3.9.6.4 (a)(2) being followed, with the interim appointee having been
- included on the commission’s list.
- (c) The executive director of the commission shall normally attend all meetings of the commission
- except when his own position is being considered.
- (d) The commission may create and fill other staff positions in accordance with the human resources
- policies of corporate Synod adopted pursuant to Bylaw 1.5.5. Such staff may attend meetings of the
- commission upon request of the commission.
- 3.9.6.5 The commission shall embrace, recognize, and pursue opportunities to provide guidance, resources, and
- events that deepen understanding, participation, and excellence in the preparation and conduct of Lutheran
- worship.
- (a) It shall consult with the practical theology and the music departments of Synod colleges, universities,
- and seminaries to assist them to establish and affirm principles and practices in liturgy, church music,
- and church art that best express the true confessional theology of worship in Word and Sacrament of the
- Lutheran church.
- (b) It shall support the growth of congregations’ and church workers’ discernment in selecting worship
- resources that edify the church.
- (c) It shall facilitate the development, adoption, and revision of agenda and hymnbooks to be adopted
- as official agenda and hymnbooks of the Synod.
- (1) All agenda and hymnbooks that are to be accepted as official agenda and hymnbooks of the
- Synod shall be given such status only by a convention of the Synod.
- (2) All such agenda and hymnbooks shall be considered by the convention only after a process of
- exposure and testing decided upon by the Synod in convention.
- (3) It shall represent the Synod in the preparation of agenda and hymnbooks in which the Synod
- may engage in cooperation with other synods.
- (4) Revisions to adopted official agenda and hymnbooks shall be made only by a convention of the
- Synod after requesting an evaluation and subsequent recommendations by the Commission on
- Worship.
- (d) It shall review and at its discretion exercise approval over all material related to corporate worship
- in liturgy and hymnody made available through the Synod’s various boards, mission offices, and
- commissions. The commission shall be available to review materials from recognized service
- organizations upon request.
- (e) It shall maintain regular coordination and consultation with Concordia Publishing House to provide
- guidance and alignment of its worship-related offerings.
- and be it further
- Resolved, That the 2026 Synod convention, upon adoption, would proceed with the filling of the elected positions on
- the newly constituted Commission on Worship, and, in order to achieve continuity through a plan of staggered terms, the
- constituting election shall elect the layperson to a half term of three years and the remaining elected members to a full six-
- year term; and be it finally
- Resolved, That the following overtures, which request action for which responsibilities are herein designated to the
- Commission on Worship, be referred to that Commission upon its constitution for consideration and possible response:
- Ov. 4-24–31, 40–42, 46.
- The Chief Financial Officer and LCMS Accounting and Financial Services staff, in consultation with the Finance
- Committee, anticipate the annual cost to be $175,000, including regrading the LCMS Worship director position to
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- executive director, travel for quarterly commission meetings, part-time chaplaincy/counseling support for the
- International Center previously handled by the LCMS Worship director, and misc. other costs (estimate required by
- Bylaw 3.1.7 [g]).
