# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1981_S51
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

TASK FORCE 51

2. Congregational Franchise

WHEREAS, Considerable dissatisfaction has been voiced by
dual and vacant parishes since, in their estimation, they are
being deprived of part of their voting rights; and

WHEREAS, Congregations with lay ministers have voiced
concerns that their lay ministers cannot serve as a pastoral
delegate with the result that the congregation has only one
vote; and

WHEREAS, Teachers have long been ineligible to serve in any
capacity as a voting delegate; and

WHEREAS, Many clergymen who are not called pastors
cannot be available to their congregations, which might wish
to use them as their second delegate; and

WHEREAS, The concept was firmly established that every
member congregation should be entitled to two votes; and

WHEREAS, Equity seems to require that the congregation
should be free to choose its second delegate from the entire
communicant membership (the pastor being chosen by the
congregation as its pastoral delegate at the time of issuing his
call); therefore be it

Resolved, That in addition to required Bylaw changes, the
following constitutional amendments be adopted:

PRESENT WORDING

Article V Membership

Membership in the Synod is held and may be
acquired by congregations, ministers of the Gospel,
and teachers of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
who confess and accept the confessional basis of
Article II.

A. Voting Members

All organized congregations that have joined the
Synod hold voting membership. At the meetings of
the Districts of the Synod every congregation or
parish is entitled to two votes; one of which is to be
cast by the pastor and the other by the lay delegate.
At the meetings of the Synod a number of congrega-
tions shall form a group, which shall be represented
by two voting delegates, one a pastor and one a lay
delegate.

B. Advisory Members

Advisory members only are the following:

1. Pastors whose congregations do not hold mem-
bership in the Synod;

2. Assistant pastors;

3. Ministers not in charge of congregations;

4. Professors at the Synod’s educational institu-
tions;

5. Teachers of parochial schools;

6. Candidates for the office of the ministry or for
that of a teacher in the parochial! schools.

Article XII Districts of the Synod and Their
Regulation

10. The meetings of the Districts of the Synod are
composed of the following:

A. Voting Representatives

The pastors of such congregations as hold voting
membership in the Synod and the lay delegates
elected and deputed by these congregations shall be
voting representatives.

B. Advisory Members

Advisory members are:

a. Pastors whose congregations do not hold
membership in the Synod;

b. Assistant pastors;

c. Ministers without a charge;

PROPOSED WORDING

Article V Membership
(No change)

A. Voting Members

All organized congregations that have joined the
Synod hold voting membership. At the conventions
of the Districts of the Synod every congregation is
entitled to two votes, one of which, when possible, is
to be cast by the called pastor. For the conventions of
the Synod a number of congregations shall form a
Circuit, which shall be represented by two voting
delegates, one of whom shall be the called pastor of a
congregation in the Circuit.

B. Advisory Members
Advisory members are the following:

(Continue as at present.)

Article XII Districts of the Synod and Their
Regulation

10. The meetings of the Districts of the Synod are
composed of the following:
A. Voting Delegates

The pastor of each member congregation and one
additional person elected by the congregation shall
be voting delegates.

B. Advisory Delegates

Advisory delegates are:
(Continue as at present.)