Res. 4-06 — To Amend Bylaws to Reinstate Commission on Worship

Preamble The Word of God and the Sacraments are the means by which God has promised to deal with us (SA III VIII 10). It is by these means that justifying faith is obtained (AC V). In order to obtain this faith, the ministry of purely teaching the Gospel and rightly administering the Sacraments was established and continues in the church, serving as the marks of the true Christian Church and its unity (AC V; VII). The public teaching of God’s Word and administration of the Sacraments in Christian congregations is commonly referred to as “worship.” Such worship is the essential and necessary public activity for every Christian congregation. In faithful public worship the following common purposes of the members of the Synod (congregations and individual ministers) are enacted: to “conserve and promote the unity of the true faith” (Const. Art. III 1), to strengthen one another “in giving bold witness by word and deed to the love and work of God” (Const. Art. III 2), to educate and nourish Christians of all ages (Const. Art. III 5), and to recognize, promote, express, conserve, and defend confessional unity in the true faith (Const. Art. III 6). “Worship” necessarily encompasses a variety of faithful church practices and customs. Holy Scripture does not require precise uniformity in these. Neither is the true unity of the Church to be found by outward uniformity (AC VII 2). Nevertheless, the Synod from inception has consistently affirmed that a recognizable uniformity of order and church practice is desirable and worthy of pursuit (Const. Art. III 7). In fact, the Synod has found this pursuit of recognizable uniformity and faithfulness of such importance that it has conditioned membership in the Synod concerning the prayers and rites, songs and hymns used in worship. The Synod requires (based on the confessional basis of Const. Art. II) that its members “exclusive[ly] use … doctrinally pure agenda, hymnbooks, and catechisms in church and school” (Const. Art. VI 4). Furthermore, we have the clear teaching of Holy Scripture regarding being united by God’s Word in worship. For example, Scripture teaches that we are to “let the word of Christ dwell in [us] richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in [our] hearts to God” (Col. 3:16). The unity we have in God’s Word (John 17:20–21; Eph. 4:11–13) finds expression in our worship. To assist its members in these things, the Synod adopts official hymnbooks and agenda, and gives attention to the conduct of rites, preaching, administration of the Sacraments, and music by her members (e.g., 2016 Res. 4 -04A, “To Appeal to the LCMS Congregations, Workers, and Institutions within Christian Freedom and for Love’s Sake to Retain a Common Order of Service for the Lord’s Supper”). Recognizing the vital importance of worship, the Synod maintained a Commission on Worship from the 1930s until 1981, although it was first acknowledged in Synod Bylaws in 1960. After a brief hiatus, the Commission on Worship was reinstated in 1983 and continued until the Synod’s restructuring in 2010. The Commission on Worship was historically appointed in its entirety by the President of the Synod. Such a Commission on Worship is clearly desirable: to coordinate, guide, and instruct the Synod by efforts that faithfully carry forward the Lutheran heritage of worship in the present day; to assure broad input and knowledgeable expertise from the Synod’s membership in matters of worship and future hymnal projects; to coordinate the aims of the Synod, the President of the Synod, and Concordia Publishing House; to pursue what is excellent in each new generation so that the church’s song would neither become novel nor stagnant; and to do so faithfully and cost -effectively.

WHEREAS, Worship in Word and Sacrament is a mark of the church and as such is a “vital function of the church and as such its importance must be strongly emphasized” (1983 Res. 5-06, “To Reinstate Commission on Worship”); and

WHEREAS, The Constitution of the Synod, reflecting this emphasis, directs congregations of Synod “to strive for uniformity in church practice,” “to develop an appreciation of a variety of responsible practices and customs which are in harmony with [the Synod’s] common profession of faith” (Const. Art. III), and to make “exclusive use of doctrinally pure agenda, hymnbooks, and catechisms in church and school” (Const. Art. VI 4); and

WHEREAS, The Synod was served regularly by a Commission on Worship prior to 2010 to assist it in meeting such objectives and conditions for membership, and faithfully in the interim by the LCMS Office of National Mission’s Worship Ministry area; and

WHEREAS, With the elimination of the Commission on Worship in 2010, there now exist no bylaw guidelines or processes for the production and adoption of agendas, hymnbooks, supplements, or other worship resources for use by the members of the Synod; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod reinstate a Commission on Worship as a separate commission; and be it further

Resolved, That Bylaw 3.9.1 be amended as follows:

PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING 3.9 Commissions

3.9.1 The commissions of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod are the following:

1. Commission on Constitutional Matters

2. Commission on Doctrinal Review

3. Commission on Handbook

4. Commission on Theology and Church Relations and be it further

5. Commission on Worship

and be it further

Resolved, That Bylaw 3.9.6 be added as follows:

PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING Commission on Worship

3.9.6 The Commission on Worship exists to provide guidance and materials in matters of worship to the members of the Synod to assist them in their responsibility to make exclusive use of doctrinally pure agenda, hymnbooks, and catechisms in church and school (Const. Art. VI 4) and in their objective to strive for uniformity in church practice and appreciate responsible practices and customs in harmony with the Synod’s common profession of faith (Const. Art. III 7).

3.9.6.1 The Commission on Worship shall consist of seven voting members including ordained and commissioned ministers and laypersons:

1. One ordained minister who is a parish pastor

2. One commissioned minister who is a director of parish music or parish teacher

3. One layperson

4. One additional ordained minister

5. One additional musician who is either a commissioned minister or a layperson

6. Two additional members

3.9.6.2 The commission may solicit the assistance of other persons who are well qualified to render valuable and necessary service to the church through the commission. Such persons may serve as advisory members.

3.9.6.3 The members of the Commission on Worship shall be selected as follows:

(a) The parish pastor, the Director of Parish music or parish teacher, and the layperson shall be elected by a convention of the Synod.

(b) The additional ordained minister, additional musician, and two additional members shall be appointed by the President of the Synod after consultation with the Council of Presidents.

3.9.6.4 The Commission on Worship may create an executive director position and fill it in accordance with the Bylaws of the Synod and the human resources policies of corporate Synod.

(a) The executive director shall serve at the pleasure of the commission. (1) Upon the formation of the Commission on Worship, the appointment of the executive director shall be made by the President of the Synod. Thereafter, the initial appointment of the executive director shall be selected by the commission in consultation with and with the mutual concurrence of the President of the Synod. (2) In the event of a vacancy, the commission and the President of the Synod shall act expeditiously to fill the vacancy. This commission shall present its list of candidates to the President. (3) The commission shall conduct an annual review of its executive director and, before the expiration of five years, conduct a comprehensive review. (4) At the conclusion of each five -year period, the appointment shall terminate unless the commission takes specific action to continue the person in the office, each subsequent term not to exceed five years.

(b) Any interim executive director appointment by the commission shall follow a process similar to the initial appointment of the executive director. (1) Such interim appointee must be approved by the President of the Synod in consultation with the commission and may not serve more than 18 months. (2) Such interim appointee shall be ineligible to serve on a permanent basis, excepting the process of filling a vacancy in Bylaw 3.9.6.4 (a)(2) being followed, with the interim appointee having been included on the commission’s list.

(c) The executive director of the commission shall normally attend all meetings of the commission except when his own position is being considered.

(d) The commission may create and fill other staff positions in accordance with the human resources policies of corporate Synod adopted pursuant to Bylaw 1.5.5. Such staff may attend meetings of the commission upon request of the commission.

3.9.6.5 The commission shall embrace, recognize, and pursue opportunities to provide guidance, resources, and events that deepen understanding, participation, and excellence in the preparation and conduct of Lutheran worship.

(a) It shall consult with the practical theology and the music departments of Synod colleges, universities, and seminaries to assist them to establish and affirm principles and practices in liturgy, church music, and church art that best express the true confessional theology of worship in Word and Sacrament of the Lutheran church.

(b) It shall support the growth of congregations’ and church workers’ discernment in selecting worship resources that edify the church.

(c) It shall facilitate the development, adoption, and revision of agenda and hymnbooks to be adopted as official agenda and hymnbooks of the Synod. (1) All agenda and hymnbooks that are to be accepted as official agenda and hymnbooks of the Synod shall be given such status only by a convention of the Synod. (2) All such agenda and hymnbooks shall be considered by the convention only after a process of exposure and testing decided upon by the Synod in convention. (3) It shall represent the Synod in the preparation of agenda and hymnbooks in which the Synod may engage in cooperation with other synods. (4) Revisions to adopted official agenda and hymnbooks shall be made only by a convention of the Synod after requesting an evaluation and subsequent recommendations by the Commission on Worship.

(d) It shall review and at its discretion exercise approval over all material related to corporate worship in liturgy and hymnody made available through the Synod’s various boards, mission offices, and commissions. The commission shall be available to review materials from recognized service organizations upon request.

(e) It shall maintain regular coordination and consultation with Concordia Publishing House to provide guidance and alignment of its worship-related offerings.

and be it further

Resolved, That the 2026 Synod convention, upon adoption, would proceed with the filling of the elected positions on the newly constituted Commission on Worship, and, in order to achieve continuity through a plan of staggered terms, the constituting election shall elect the layperson to a half term of three years and the remaining elected members to a full six-47 year term; and be it finally

Resolved, That the following overtures, which request action for which responsibilities are herein designated to the Commission on Worship, be referred to that Commission upon its constitution for consideration and possible response: Ov. 4-24–31, 40–42, 46.