Musings on Synodical Meeting 7/15/07

The 63rd Regular Convention of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, is now underway in Houston. It brings to mind the logistics involved in setting such a large Convention up and seeing that it not only meets, but meets to lay some effective plans that the work of the Church will be strengthened and blessed of God. I’ve had the privilege of serving as delegate three or four times. It is something to look forward to, but it is also a bit daunting.

Let me reminisce a bit. Several times I served as the Registration chairman for the Michigan District Convention. I helped plan, signed some letters, but the work of mailing materials was mostly done by the office staff. A wonderfully efficient people. So when registration began, I with several committee members, manned the tables, registering attendants, handing out name tags and materials etc. After the opening service, the convention assembled, and before any business was started the President called me for a report. My report, in full, was brief, giving the number registered, the total, and declaring that this was a quorum. The convention was ready for official business.

Before that, committees had already been meeting, sorting out the various memorials and placing them on the agenda. Besides all that, the kitchen was prepared to serve three meals a day to some 700 people, the housing had been prepared, the various volunteers had been checked in to serve in some many capacities.

For instance, here in Houston, volunteers had been ready to meet flights both at Hobby and at Intercontinental, to staff information booths, to serve the floor as pages, to sing in choirs etc.

You get the picture. It is a large undertaking, all for the sake of the church. Because from the very first the Church has met to discuss plans and to strengthen and encourage one another to the work in the world. Because the task is a large one, one that is possible only because our God is in it, and blesses it richly and daily.

So we pray for the Convention and for those attending, voting, discussing, and carrying forward the work Christ has laid on us to do, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Amen

GPD 7/15/07