# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1981_S58
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

58

TASK FORCE

1.21 Authority of Delegate Convention

The delegate convention of the Synod shall be the
Synod’s chief legislative assembly. It shall establish
policies, programs, and procedures to carry on the
Svnod’s work. Only a delegate convention of the
Synod sha]] authorize affiliation or association of the
Synod with other church bodies, synods, or federa-
tions, and the discontinuance of such affiliation or
association.

1.51 Voting Delegates

Voting delegates shall consist of one pastor and
one layman from each electoral circuit. An electoral
circuit shall consist either of one or of two adjacent
visitation circuits, as shall be determined by each
District, on the basis of the following requirements:
each pair of delegates shall represent from 7 to 20
member congregations, involving an aggregate com-
municant membership ranging from 1,500 to 10,000.
Exceptions to these requirements and limitations can
be made only by the President of the Synod upon
request of a District Board of Directors. Voting dele-
gates shall serve a 2-year term, beginning with the
convention; after the convention they shall function
as resource persons in their circuit and assist in the
dissemination and implementation of the synodical
resolutions in their area.

(For the last sentence of 1.51 see the last sentence
of proposed Bylaw 2.07.)

1.53 Election of Delegates

a. Each electoral circuit shall meet at the call of
the Counselor(s) to elect its delegates not later than 9
months prior to the opening day of the convention.
The election shall be by written ballot. All pastors
who are not advisory members under Article V, B, of
the Constitution shall be eligible for election. The
privilege of yoting shall be exercised by one pastor
and one lay person from each member congregation
of the circuit, both of whom shall have been selected
in the manner prescribed by the congregation. Mul-
tiple parishes shall be entitled to a lay vote from each
member congregation. Each delegate may write in
the name of two pastors on the initial ballot. The
three pastors (or more, in case of a tie vote) who
receive the highest number of votes in this pre-
liminary ballot shall be placed on the next ballot.
Each voter shall now vote for only one candidate.
Balloting shall continue with the lowest candidate
being removed from each succeeding ballot until one
pastor shall have received a simple majority of all
votes cast, whereupon he shall be declared the pas-
toral delegate. The congregation or congregations
served by the elected pastoral delegate shall be
removed from consideration for supplying any other
voting delegate or alternate for that particular
convention.

b. Prior to the meeting of the electoral circuit, each
congregation may nominate one lay person, either
from its congregation or from the circuit. These
names must be submitted to the Circuit Counselor
prior to the day of the circuit meeting and shall
constitute the slate of candidates. All congregational
nominees, except those who have been eliminated
through the election of the pastoral delegate, shall be

II. SYNODICAL ORGANIZATION
A. CONVENTIONS
2.01 Function of Convention

The general convention of the Synod shall afford
an opportunity for worship, nurture, inspiration,
fellowship, and the communication of vita] informa-
tion. It is the principal legislative assembly, which
amends the Constitution and Bylaws, considers and
takes action on reports and overtures, and handles
appropriate appeals. It establishes general synodical
positions and policies, provides overall program
direction and priorities, and evaluates all] such posi-
tions, programs, policies, directions, and priorities in
order to provide responsible service for and in behalf
of its members. Only a delegate convention of the
Synod shal] authorize affiliation or association of the
Synod with other church bodies, synods, or federa-
tions, and the discontinuance of such affiliation or
association.

2.03 Voting Delegates

Voting delegates shall consist of one called pastor
and one other person from each electoral Circuit. An
electoral Circuit shall consist either of one or of two
adjacent visitation Circuits, as shall be determined
by each District, on the basis of the following require-
ments: each pair of delegates shall represent from 7 to
20 member congregations, involving an aggregate
communicant membership ranging from 1,500 to
10,000. Exceptions to these requirements and limita-
tions can be made only by the President of the Svnod
upon request of a District Board of Directors.

2.05 Election of Delegates

a. Each electoral Circuit shall meet at the call of
the Counselor(s) to elect its delegates not later than
nine months prior to the opening day of the con-
vention. The election shall be by written ballot. Every
clergy member of the Synod who has been called asa
pastor of a parish within the Circuit shall be eligible
for election. The privilege of voting shall be exercised
by one pastor and one lay person from each member
congregation of the Circuit, both of whom shall have
been selected in the manner prescribed by the con-
gregation. Multiple parishes shall be entitled to a lay
vote from each member congregation. Each delegate
may write in the name of two of the called parish
pastors on the initial ballot. The three pastors (or
more, in case of a tie vote) who receive the highest
number of votes in this preliminary ballot shall be
placed on the next ballot. Each voter shall now vote
for only one candidate. Balloting shall continue with
the lowest candidate being removed from each suc-
ceeding ballot until one pastor shall have received a
simple majority of all votes cast, whereupon he shall
be declared the pastoral delegate. The congregation
or congregations served by the elected pastoral dele-
gate shall be removed from consideration for supply-
ing any other voting delegate or alternate to that
particular convention.

b. Prior to the meeting of the electoral Circuit,
each congregation may nominate one communicant
member either of its own congregation or of a con-
gregation within the Circuit. This person shall pre-
ferably be a layperson, but al] individuals holding
communicant membership are eligible, including
clergymen who are not called as parish pastors, and
teachers. These names must be submitted to the