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LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 3

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Preface
To the church of God gathered in the congregations of our Synod, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together 
with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from 
God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:1–3)! These pages contain reports and overtures, as well as the elected voting and 
advisory representation of the congregations and advisory members of the Synod, for the 69th Regular Convention of The Lutheran 
Church—Missouri Synod, to be held in Phoenix, Ariz., July 18–23, 2026. Please give them your careful attention. The delegate 
convention of the Synod is the member congregations’ chief means of governing their Synod—to keep everything tuned to their 
confession (Synod Constitution Article II) and aimed at achieving their objectives  (Const. Art. III). It “legislates policy, program, and 
financial direction to carry on the Synod’s work on behalf of and in support of the member congregations” (Bylaw 1.4.1). Thorough 
digestion of these materials is central to the delegates doing that well.
The theme for the convention—something of a traveling companion of last convention’s We Preach Christ Crucified , drawn from 
1 Cor. 1:18–25—is Christ Is Risen Indeed, drawn from 1 Cor. 15:20–22. Paul addresses a doctrinal dissension in Corinth, some saying 
“there is no resurrection of the dead” (FC Preface 7). Paul traces the implications of this error to Christology, to the heart of the Gospel, 
to the vicarious satisfaction—if the crucified Christ is not raised, he tells them, “your faith is futile and you are still in your sins, … and 
if in Christ we have hope for this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Cor. 15:11–18). “But in fact Christ has been raised 
from the dead” (v. 20) and “gives us the victory” (v. 56). He preaches—sternest Law and sweetest and most direct Gospel—that the 
Corinthians and we should have that precise faith that justifies (Ap XIIB 49, 60). Let us come together in this spirit, putting off what is 
perishable and taking up what is imperishable, seeing diligently and lovingly to one another’s doctrine and the practices that treasure and 
teach it, knowing that this doctrine is our life. For Christ is risen, indeed, and our faith is not futile, and the death of Jesus was enough for 
all sin—His resurrection proves both this and that all things are put in subjection under His feet. As we await at the last, therefore, we ask 
also for our church body as she gathers in convention: that our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, would “transform our lowly body to be like 
his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself” (Phil. 3:21; cf. Ephesians 4).
Delegates will note a diversity of impressions and even contested facts among some of the overtures. The President has again, out 
of respect for submitters who have taken care to participate even if not with full knowledge or information, taken a light hand in his 
assigned task of culling overtures that might be “materially in error” or containing “apparent misrepresentations” (Bylaw 3.1.6.2). No 
timely overtures were rejected for these reasons, and their submitters have been so informed. Publication does not attest the President’s 
verification of every detail; the committees and delegates must “weigh all things and hold fast to the good” (1 Thess. 5:21). The 
convention is the place for elected delegates to address forthrightly concerns and disagreements in the Synod. Let us only do that in the 
fear of God and the love of one another, “following the example of the apostolic church. Acts 15:1–31” and in keeping with “our Lord’s 
will that the diversities of gifts should be for the common profit. 1 Cor 12:4–31” (LCMS Const. Preface).
We received significantly more on-time submissions (464 vs. 322 in 2023), resulting in 374 unique overtures for the Workbook 
(279 in 2023), many of them clearly carefully labored over. Sadly, some showed the handiwork of artificial intelligence (AI), which 
mangled or manufactured facts and references, laying a significant and unnecessary burden on editors. We have worked with submitters 
to rectify the worst issues. To make an on-time Workbook possible for future conventions, the Secretary may have to require submission 
of clear references and advise the President to take a sharp knife to material error, rejecting overtures with “facts” that cannot be 
substantiated. The process cannot be expected to bear the burden of AI’s spaghetti thrown at the ceiling to see if it will stick. Respect for 
the convention, moreover, demands that submitters be certain of what they submit as rationale for their proposed actions. Involvement of 
AI in overture production without complete human verification renders this impossible. Better not to use it at all and to enjoy researching 
the material and perhaps learning a thing or two. Why leave all the learning to a machine that can’t and won’t?
Convention floor committees, listed in the prefatory material of this volume, will be meeting in St. Louis May 29–June 1, 2026. 
Any member of the Synod (congregation, commissioned or ordained minister) or any lay delegate may offer comment to a floor 
committee regarding the content of reports and overtures by sending a memo to me by email, noting in the subject that it is “ATTN Floor 
Committee N,” at lcmssecretary@lcms.org. Responses may also be sent by mail to this address: Office of the Secretary, The Lutheran 
Church—Missouri Synod; 1333 S. Kirkwood Rd.; St. Louis, MO 63122. Such letters must be sent at least nine weeks prior to the 
convention (by May 16, 2026) to allow time for forwarding to the appropriate committee.
Another book, the Biographical Synopses and Statements of Nominees, contains information delegates will need to prepare for the 
elections to take place at the convention.
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.  
For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.  
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Cor. 15:20–22)
John W. Sias, Secretary and Editor