The 65th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is being held July 20-25 in St. Louis, Missouri, and our members and business from our congregation will be there. Steven Sampson was elected lay‑delegate from our Circuit #14 (he will be accompanied by his wife Angela), and a resolution that may go before the Convention largely reflects an overture Pilgrim’s voters sent on last year. Another overture, which Steven and Pastor Galler were involved with at the Texas District Convention last summer, was also sent on to the Convention.
The Convention, meeting most recently once every three years, gives delegates an opportunity to worship, be nurtured, and receive vital information. The Convention is the Synod’s principal legislative assembly, which can amend the Synod’s Constitution and Bylaws, consider and take action on reports and overtures, and handle appropriate appeals. The Convention establishes general positions and policies of the Synod, provides overall program direction and priorities, and evaluates all such positions, programs, policies, directions, and priorities in order to provide responsible service for and on behalf of the Synod’s members (pastors and congregations).
The Convention theme this year is “Baptized for this moment” and is based on Acts 2:38‑39: “And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to Himself.’” Four different Convention essayists will speak to delegates on aspects of that theme: “Baptized for Witness”, “Baptized for Mercy”, “Baptized for Life Together”, and “Baptized for This Moment”.
As delegates to last year’s Texas District Convention, Steven Sampson and Pastor Galler voted electronically for LCMS President the end of June, well before the Convention begins—a change of voters and timing from previous years. At the Convention itself, Steven and Circuit #14’s Pastoral‑delegate, The Rev. David R. Bergman, on our behalf will vote on a number of matters brought to the floor of the Convention. Out of more than 250 overtures from districts and congregations such as ours, seven Floor Committees have already produced more than 115 resolutions for consideration (not all will make it before the Convention, however). The Floor Committees will meet again in closed and open sessions on the days right before the Convention.
Pilgrim’s overture “To update the content of the Synod’s 1991 An Explanation of the Small Catechism” is Overture 3-25 and is referred to by Resolution 3-13 “To Update Synod’s Catechetical Materials”. In addition to some other less‑significant changes, Floor Committee #3 added to our overture some language regarding adult catechetical materials and then significantly removed language we had included regarding the approval process for any revisions. Steven and Pastor Galler have sent a letter to Floor Committee #3 regarding its changes to our Overture the other one in which we have an interest.
The Texas District Convention’s Resolution 02-06-12 “To Improve Availability of Information in the Call Process” was not sent by the District to the Synod in time for advance consideration by Floor Committee #3, but the matters of congregations calling pastors and pastors without calls was brought forward in time by others. Most notably, Floor Committee #3’s Resolution 3-10 calls for a task force to study the call process for returning missionaries and military chaplains and others without calls, though it is more concerned with the pastors than information available to congregations.
As you might expect, information about the Convention will be available online as it happens. The main webpage for the Convention already has reports, overtures, and resolutions, and the whole Convention reportedly will be streamed there live, and official Convention news can be found here. We can expect a report from Steven when he returns, too!
