They came from every direction.
They came across land and by air.
They came from states near and far, and from across the sea.
They are the 143 voting members of the 36th Church of the Lutheran Confession Convention, held on the campus of Immanuel Lutheran College, June 20-23, 2024.
They came to “Make a Joyful Shout to the Lord” (convention theme, from Psalm 100), to serve the Lord with gladness, and to come before His presence with singing. Only the Lord is truly God, only He is worthy of praise, thanksgiving, and service. Only He could bless the work before the convention and the ongoing work we seek to accomplish in His Kingdom (First devotional essay).
They came to enter the Lord’s gates with thanksgiving, to be thankful to Him and bless His name, for He is good—a statement that is inherently true even in the darkest days of trial and hardship. His mercy is everlasting and His truth endures to all generations (Second devotional essay).
Daily devotions recounted some of “The Mighty Men” featured in Scripture and thereby encouraged everyone in the assembly to work mightily in the strength of the Lord.
The Convention Communion service was an opportunity for all to make a Joyful Shout to the Lord God in worship, to remember our Savior’s death in the sacrament, and to be encouraged in our Christian fellowship. The sermon text was Isaiah 12:1-6, and hearers were reminded of all the reasons for Joy in the Lord with the end result that “it’s OK to smile in church.”
Worshipping the Lord God Who is good and listening to His Word framed and undergirded the work of the Convention. Some of the business highlights are as follows:
Many incumbents were re-elected to the offices and boards of the CLC, but there are also several new servants. Pastor Joseph Naumann, Vice President; Pastor Timothy Daub, called servant member on the Board of Missions; Teacher Nathan Wales, called servant member on the Board of Regents; and Mr. Craig Ryan, layman on the Board of Education and Publications.
A “Recruiters to the Public Ministry Committee” was created and is composed of Public Ministry Recruiter Pastor Samuel Rodebaugh, and pastors Benjamin Libby and Neal Radichel.
$50,000 was added to the Board of Education and Publications budget “for the purpose of assisting CLC congregations in the establishment and ongoing support of Christian Day Schools.” The president’s declarations of fellowship with the Confessional Church of the Reformation of Uganda (CCRU), the Eglise Confessionelle Lutherienne Sainte Famille au Congo (ELCSFACO), and the Lutheran Autonomous Mission in the Philippines (LAMP) were ratified.
In doctrinal matters, the convention expressed regret that the WELS/ELS terminated discussions following their rejection of the three points articulated by the 2022 Convention. The convention encouraged the General Pastoral Conference to continue using God’s Word to study what God says concerning church fellowship and its termination.
The building project on the Immanuel Lutheran College campus was divided into two projects, authorizing the construction of a new gymnasium when contributions have been received to within $3,000,000 of the estimated cost. The construction of a theater/chapel building is the second project.
When the work was done, those who came returned to their homes and individual callings, blessed by the Lord, Who alone is God and eminently good.
Next Convention: June 25-28, 2026
is pastor of Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Spokane Valley, Washington.
