Official Workbook PDF page source text

LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 352

2026 Convention Workbook
317LIFE TOGETHER
Ov. 4-27 
To Require Use of Synod-Approved Agendas  
and Hymnbooks at Concordia University System 
Chapels, Lutheran Summer Camps,  
and Youth Gathering 
WHEREAS, Constitution Article VI 4 requires as a condition of 
membership in the Synod, “e xclusive use of doctrinally pure 
agenda, hymnbooks, and catechisms in church and school”; and 
WHEREAS, The Synod makes available for use by our churches 
and schools hymnbooks whose doctrinal purity has been established 
to the satisfaction of all concerned; and 
WHEREAS, Corporate worship assemblies occurring under the 
official auspices or promotion of Synod entities by nature fall under 
the category of “church” and are therefore constitutionally bound to 
the use of “doctrinally pure … hymnbooks”; and 
WHEREAS, Chapel services at Concordia University System 
(CUS) schools, Lutheran summer camps, and the Youth Gathering 
are included in the category of corporate worship assemblies 
occurring under the official auspices or promotion of the Synod; and 
WHEREAS, CUS chapel services, Lutheran summer camps, and 
the Youth Gathering do not exclusively use worship materials taken 
from sources published under the authority and doctrinal approval 
of the Synod; doctrinal purity of other materials is used is therefore 
in doubt; therefore be it 
Resolved, That the Synod in convention instruct all persons and 
groups responsible for planning the corporate worship assembles 
listed above henceforth to draw all worship materials strictly from 
hymnals and other worship resources published under the authority 
of the Synod. 
Circuit 5 (Mitchell) 
South Dakota District 
Ov. 4-28 
To Recommend Review of Worship Practices 
WHEREAS, The Synod continues to decline in numbers with 
congregations closing  or declining in attendance  in many 
congregations, resulting in fewer guests and opportunities for 
outreach/evangelism; and 
WHEREAS, Many once growing and  viable congregations are 
now struggling from lack of willing and active members to carry 
out ministry goals in every area of parish life; and 
W
HEREAS, There are many opportunities to adapt worship  
services without compromising sound doctrine while being more 
visitor friendly and inclusive of those in changing/multicultural 
neighborhoods; and 
WHEREAS, The “dyed in the wool” Lutherans who have attended 
from infant Baptism  to later decades may be reluctant to change 
decades old habits to allow for our worship services to be modified 
to accommodate new ideas and procedures; and 
W
HEREAS, The Great Commission commands us to “Go 
therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19) and Paul 
says, “I have become all things to all people, that by all means I 
might save some” (1 Cor. 9:22); therefore be it 
Resolved, That the Synod conduct a study to determine if current 
worship practices are serving ourselves and not considering the 
needs of the unchurched; and be it further 
Resolved, That congregations make it a priority to determine the 
worship style that the people in their  neighborhoods would like to 
hear and see in church services, without compromising doctrine , 
and implement some of those changes to attract and minister to 
those who join them for church services; and be it further 
Resolved, That in the preparation of the weekly sermon , the 
pastor present three to four easily understood key points for listeners 
to live by during the week in hopes the energized members, inactive 
members, and visitors will return to receive Word and Sacrament 
ministry; and be it finally 
Resolved, That congregation members, young and old, support 
the pastor and ministry in the congregation by inviting their 
neighbors and friends, the unchurched and delinquent. 
Faith 
Hot Springs Village, AR 
Ov. 4-29 
To Properly Examine New Worship Practices 
within the Synod 
WHEREAS, With regard to the Lord’s Supper, when our Lord and 
Savior Jesus Christ instituted the Sacrament, He said, “Take and eat; 
this is my body … Drink from [the cup] all of you. This is My blood 
of the covenant …” (Matt. 26:26– 28 NIV); and 
WHEREAS, St. Paul writes, “For whenever you eat this bread and 
drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 
Cor. 11:26 NIV); and 
WHEREAS, The Scriptures therefore declare that we eat and drink 
the body and blood of the Lord in Holy Communion and do not 
speak of adoring either the host or the cup; and 
WHEREAS, At the time of the Reformation until this day the 
Roman Catholic Church has practiced the adoration of the host and 
cup when bells are rung during the Words of Institution; and 
W
HEREAS, Luther affirmed the adoration of Christ as present in 
the Sacrament as distinguished from the Roman practice of the 
adoration of the host in his 1523 paper entitled “The Adoration of 
the Sacrament” (Luther’s Works, 36:269–305); and 
WHEREAS, By the 1530s the adoration of the host was no longer 
practiced in Lutheran churches. It is not in any of the early church 
orders, including those of Luther; and 
WHEREAS, It is stated in Luther’s Table Talk, under the heading 
“Elevation of the Host Abolished in Wittenberg, No. 5589, Spring, 
1543”:  
Thereupon somebody asked, “Are there other reasons than 
adoration [of the host] for abolishing elevation?” He answered, 
“I know no other.” The former suggested, “Doctor, in places 
where the gospel has not been preached so long one might 
tolerate this patiently and not abolish elevation, especially where 
the people are not yet established in their faith.” The doctor 
replied, “Yes, it’s of little consequence to us. We don’t care if 
it’s abolished or not, provided the abuse — that is, the 
adoration— is not there. Some churches have seen that we have 
dropped the elevation [in Wittenberg] and have imitated us. We 
are pleased with that.” ( Luther’s Works 54:462, emphasis 
added);  
and 
WHEREAS, The Formula of Concord specifically rejects and 
condemns the adoration in Article VII, which states, “On the other