Pattern For 2004 LCMS Convention Set By Michigan District

By: Rev. Jack Cascione
What is going to happen at the 2004 LCMS Convention?

The best barometer is what is happening within the largest district, with
nearly 10% of the LCMS, the Michigan District.

Michigan is in the vanguard of implementing the church growth,
leadership-training model and the practice of contemporary worship.

Where President Kieschnick often appears strident, District President
Hoesman is as smooth as the glossy cover on the latest leadership-training
manual.  Hoesman was reelected by 80% on the first ballot and is also the
new Chairman of the COP.

Hoesman's speech before his election set an all-time record for paucity of
information proving the axiom that: "less is best."

The Michigan District scheduled 20 minutes for floor committees in the
Monday morning session.  It took 15 of the 20 minutes just to read the
resolutions.  The 500 plus delegates at the convention adopted 8 resolutions
in 5 minutes with thunderous and virtually unanimous voice votes.  The
keypads weren't necessary.  Most of the time, no one went to the microphone
as Hoesman scoured the hall for someone to speak.

The first resolution followed the Michigan District Core Values and Outcomes
by removing the need to reelect the Mission and Ministry Commission because
the five full-time facilitators were doing their job.  It also identified
the District President as the CEO of the District and placed him in charge
of all grants given by the District. The second resolution changed the
appropriate By-laws necessary for the first resolution.

The third resolution cut the Church Extension Fund meetings from 12 to 6 a
year.  Michigan has nearly 200 million in its own fund LCEF.  The fourth
resolution made it possible for church workers that are not on the LCMS
roster to receive direct church extension loans.  The fifth resolution
authorized a 125-year District anniversary memorial fund drive.

The next three resolutions contained the words "unprinted overture" at the
top.  In other words, the delegates voted three times to decline three
successive resolutions that they had not read.  Two individuals did go to
the microphone and asked to see what they were.  After the floor committee
chairman denied their request, the convention votes to decline the three
resolutions were nearly unanimous.  Our congregational delegate and myself
spoke the only two negative votes I heard.

I asked Christian News Editor, Rev. Herman Otten, if he had heard of LCMS
Conventions approving resolutions they were not allowed to read.  Otten
stated that this was how resolutions X1 and X2 were passed at the 1965
Detroit Convention on the recommendation of Dr. Patty Wolbrecht.  The Libs,
who later led the Walkout, did everything they could to keep people from
knowing what they were voting for.

In Michigan, they love to vote for what they can't read.  Most of the
Michigan District delegates are probably offended when state and local
proposals are printed out in the November civic election ballots.

On Monday afternoon 20 more minutes were allotted for resolutions.  Five
resolutions were adopted in 15 minutes, but the sixth one "To Clearly
Confess in the Public Realm the True God and Atonement of Christ for the
Sins of all Mankind" ran into problems and was carried over to Tuesday
afternoon for consideration after President Kieschnick addressed the
Convention.

In the Monday afternoon session, the first resolution encouraged cooperation
within Circuits, the second encouraged mission work in Africa, the third
encouraged mission work to the mentally ill, the fourth recommended that a
matter be referred to the CTCR, the fifth voted for a curb on Synodical
infighting, and the sixth requested a clear confession of the true God.

The entire three-day convention allotted three twenty-minute sessions to
consider 14 resolutions.  On Tuesday afternoon, we exceeded the allotted
time by 10 minutes by spending 30 minutes on Resolution 2-06A  on how to
clearly confess the true God.

This writer went to microphone as asked that the phrase, "as confessed in
the Athanasian Creed" be added to the first Whereas, which read, "Whereas
the clear and unequivocal witness of all Holy Scriptures is that there is
only one God: the Father, the Son and the Holy Sprit."

It was explained that 2-06A used the term Triune God twice, and true God
twice, but most people don't know what we mean by Triune God.  Resolution
2-06A also says that we want to "clearly confess" God.  The Athanasian Creed
also says that whoever disagrees with it is eternally damned.  The added
phrase would tell people exactly what we meant by "true God."

In this writers opinion the voice vote from the floor on the amendment was
"no."  However, Hoesman announced it had passed.  Many in the Convention
began to hoot and shout "no."  Hoesman was compelled to use the keypads and
the addition of the phrase, "as confessed in the Athanasian Creed," was
voted down by about 55% to 45%.

The Athanasian Creed is a little too much clarity about God for the Michigan
District Convention.  Considering the Convention had adopted every
resolution, and most with no questions or comments from the floor
microphones, one would think that clarity about God would sail through.
They didn't even know the content of three resolutions that they adopted
with near unanimity, but they were clearly offended by the addition of the
Athanasian Creed.

The Athanasian Creed is very tight, binding, restrictive, and unforgiving.
The delegates had just heard a speech from Kieschnick where he identified
"over purification" of doctrine becoming a hindrance to getting out the
message of the Gospel.

The Michigan District's passed President, John Heins and passed First Vice
President, Toshio Okomoto, were witnesses for Waldo Werning during our
meeting in Michigan about Werning's doctrine of the Trinity.  This writer is
not surprised that the Michigan District Convention is not enamored with the
Athanasian Creed.

Kieschnick also told the delegates that he was willing to accept conflict as
a necessary part of change.  Where Kieschnick rushes into the middle of
conflict, Hoesmen never gets caught in the middle opposing forces.

It may be Kieschnick's affinity for conflict that may make him the Synod's
first one term president.

June 26, 2003