Official Workbook PDF page source text

LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 386

2026 Convention Workbook
351THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS
WHEREAS, Online or virtual worship is not a substitute for 
corporate worship (Heb. 10:24 –25; 2023 Res. 5 -08A, “To Affirm 
In-Person Communion”); and 
WHEREAS, These responses taught God’s flock and the world at-
large that public, communal, in -person worship is nonessential 
(while allowing grocery stores, liquor stores, and cannabis 
dispensaries to remain open), that such public worship of God by 
those who wish to do so can be forbidden by the consciences of 
others who do not wish to gather in public worship, and that public 
opinion or government demand can forbid public worship; and 
WHEREAS, Great societal distress over the COVID-19 pandemic 
ought to have instead compelled the Church to keep her doors open 
instead of closing them and to remain faithful in her vow to “intend 
to continue steadfast in this confession … and to suffer all, even 
death, rather than fall away from it” (Rite of Confirmation, 
Lutheran Service Book, 273); therefore be it 
Resolved, That  we commend the desires of faithful pastors to 
care for their flocks in a time of pandemic, granting charity and a 
wide latitude of understanding to our brothers in the public exercise 
of the Office of the Holy Ministry due to the emergency nature of 
the situation at that time confronting us all; and be it further 
Resolved, That pastors and congregations recognize that not 
offering public worship was sinful, even if done in ignorance, and 
repent where necessary; and be it further 
Resolved, That the Synod President and the Council of 
Presidents (COP) publicly encourage pastors, congregations, and 
educational institutions of the Synod to stay and do their duty by 
holding public worship services during any pandemic for those who 
wish to attend; and be it further 
Resolved, That in the future, the Synod President and the COP 
should give proper concern and understanding to the doctrine of the 
two kingdoms, especially as it relates to resistance to government 
tyranny (Brief Statement); and be it further 
Resolved, That the Synod President, the COP, and those who 
assist them be counseled and urged to instruct our pastors and 
congregations on the basis of Holy Scripture’s example and 
exhortation to gather and meet together and also celebrate the 
Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:42; Heb. 10:25) on the basis of the examples 
found in the Augsburg Confession VII and XXIV; and be it finally 
Resolved, That in the future the Church should stay and do her 
duty and not abandon her people in such a crisis and instead exhort 
pastors and congregations not to abandon the holy, faithful people 
of God even if it should bring persecution, but rather that the sheep 
be gathered together accompanied by their pastors and comforted 
by the Word of God, by the Sacraments, by fellowship, and by 
prayer. 
Wyoming District 
Ov. 5-25 
To Publicly Acknowledge Theological  
and Ecclesial Errors in Church’s  
Response to COVID-19 Pandemic 
WHEREAS, God commands, “Remember the Sabbath day, to 
keep it holy” (Ex. 20:8); and 
WHEREAS, Our Lord and Savior proclaims, “Man shall not live 
by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of 
God” (Matt. 4:4); and 
WHEREAS, The apostle Peter declares, “We must obey God 
rather than men” (Acts 5:29); and 
WHEREAS, The Scriptures admonish Christians to “consider how 
to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet 
together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and 
all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Heb. 10:24–25); and 
WHEREAS, One’s Christian liberty should not be determined by 
someone else’s conscience (1 Cor. 10:29); and 
WHEREAS, Regarding the Sacrament of the Altar, the Large 
Catechism (LC) teaches that “some allow themselves to be hindered 
and held up by the excuse that we have taught that no one should 
approach the Sacrament except those who feel hunger and thirst, 
which drive them to it. Some pretend that it is a matter of liberty 
and not necessary. They pretend it is enough to believe without it. 
For the most part, they go so far astray that they become quite 
brutish, and finally despise both the Sacrament and God’s Word.” 
(LC V 41); and 
WHEREAS, During the years 2020, 2021, and 2022, responses to 
the COVID- 19 pandemic by congregations, pastors, Synod 
leadership, and affiliated educational institutions included the 
cancellation of communal, in -person worship, the erroneous 
administration of the Sacrament of the Altar virtually or online, the 
urging of experimental and controversially- sourced vaccinations, 
and submission to overreaching governmental mandates; and 
WHEREAS, These responses inculcated in God’s flock and the 
world at large the ideas that communal, in -person worship is 
nonessential, that worship of God should give way to earthly fear, 
and that public opinion or government demand can supersede the 
command of God; and 
WHEREAS, These responses undoubtedly led to a burdening of 
Christian consciences and false accusations of not loving one’s 
neighbor as oneself; and 
WHEREAS, The alarming extent of closures was documented in 
the December 2020 issue of Reporter, stating, “Only 15% of LCMS 
congregations held in- person church services on Easter Sunday” 
(Stacy Eising, “BNM business includes church worker recruitment, 
COVID-19, race,” Reporter Online , December 3, 2020, 
reporter.lcms.org/2020/bnm-business-includes-church-worker-
recruitment-covid-19-race); and 
WHEREAS, The great societal distress over the COVID -19 
pandemic ought to have compelled the Church to keep her doors 
open; and 
WHEREAS, The examples of Daniel, Nehemiah, and the 
Ninevites (Dan. 9:1 –19; Neh. 1:4 –11; Jonah 3:6– 10) show 
corporate repentance to be God-pleasing and salutary; therefore be 
it 
Resolved, 
That we commend the desires of faithful pastors to 
care for their flocks in a time of pandemic, granting charity due to 
the nature of the situation confronting the Church because “the 
blood of Jesus [God’s] Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7); 
and be it further 
Resolved, That in such future crises, the Church with her pastors 
would be encouraged to neither prohibit nor suspend the 
opportunity for communal, in-person worship, but allow the sheep 
who desire the comfort and strength of the G ospel to accompany 
their pastors; and be it further 
Resolved, That those who are hindered from receiving the 
Sacrament be encouraged to reject the online or virtual