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LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 353

2026 Convention Workbook
318 LIFE TOGETHER
side, we unanimously reject and condemn all the following errors 
… That the external visible elements of bread and wine in the holy 
sacrament should be adore d” (FC Ep VII 40 [Tappert]; emphasis 
added); and 
WHEREAS, Chemnitz rejects “the carrying about, the reservation, 
and the adoration of the bread , all of which are beyond the usage 
instituted by Christ” (Martin Chemnitz, The Lord’s Supper, J. A. O. 
Preus, tr. [CPH, 1979], 50; emphasis added); and 
WHEREAS, While it has been a Lutheran custom that the 
congregation kneels during the entire Words of Institution 
(Friedrich Lochner, The Chief Divine Service [CPH, 2020], 253), it 
has not been a Lutheran custom until the late 20th century that the 
presiding minister would elevate the host and cup and then kneel to 
adore them; and 
W
HEREAS, Teachers of the Synod have repeatedly rejected this 
practice throughout our history, such as when Eugene Klug and 
Otto Stahlke call the adoration of the “external visible elements of 
bread and wine” (FC Ep VII 19; SD VII 126) “false adoration” 
(Eugene F. Klug and Otto F. Stahlke, Getting into the Formula of 
Concord [CPH, 1977], 115); and 
W
HEREAS, This practice has not been in any of the Synod’s 
hymnals; and 
WHEREAS, Despite this, the adoration of the host is practiced in 
several of our congregations, educational institutions, conventions, 
and convocations of the Synod today; and 
WHEREAS, Regarding the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, our Lord 
Jesus Christ told us to baptize in the name of the Father and of the 
Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19); and 
W
HEREAS, St. Paul writes that there is one baptism (Eph. 4:5); 
and 
WHEREAS, There is no reference in the New Testament to people 
splashing water in remembrance of their Baptism; and 
WHEREAS, Dipping and making the sign of the cross in holy 
water is a practice of the Roman Catholic Church; and 
WHEREAS, In the Small Catechism, Luther writes that the water 
in Baptism is plain water unless it is combined with the Word of 
God in an actual Baptism, and that we remember our Baptism 
through daily contrition and repentance (SC IV, Holy Baptism); and 
W
HEREAS, The practice of placing a baptismal font or basin at 
the entrance of the church and encouraging worshippers to dip their 
fingers and make the sign of the cross was not practiced in the 
Lutheran church until the late 20th century; and 
WHEREAS, Until recently, baptismal fonts were dry unless there 
was a baptism; and 
WHEREAS, There is nothing special about the water in a 
baptismal font unless it is being used to baptize; and 
WHEREAS, This practice has also crept into many congregations, 
educational institutions, conventions, and convocations of the 
Synod in the last several years; therefore be it 
Resolved, That the Commission on Theology and Church 
Relations (CTCR) be requested to study the practices of Eucharistic 
adoration and the dipping of fingers in the baptismal font, 
examining them in light of Holy Scriptures, the Lutheran 
Confessions, and the historic practice of the church; and be it further 
Resolved, That the CTCR report its findings and 
recommendations to the Synod in convention; and be it finally 
Resolved, That  congregations, educational institutions, 
convocations, and conventions of the Synod be encouraged to 
refrain from these practices pending the report. 
Benediction 
Milwaukee, WI 
Ov. 4-30 
To Condemn Delivery of Children’s Sermons  
in Divine Service by Laity 
WHEREAS, Children’s sermons in the Divine Service are often 
delivered by laity; and 
WHEREAS, Our C onfessions state that no one should publicly 
teach, preach, or administer the S acraments without a proper 
[public] call (AC XIV); and 
WHEREAS, The delivery of children’s sermons in the Divine 
Service has the character of public teaching and preaching and 
includes as its audience not only the children to whom the sermon 
is directly addressed, but also the adults present; therefore be it 
Resolved, That the North Dakota District in convention condemn 
the delivery of children’s sermons in the Divine Service by laity; 
and be it further 
Resolved, That the Praesidium of the district rebuke 
congregations that make use of laity to deliver children’s sermons 
in their Divine Service; and be it finally 
Resolved, That the Synod in convention condemn the delivery of 
children’s sermons in the Divine Service by laity. 
North Dakota District 
Ov. 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