# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1981_S71 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) TASK FORCE 2. The Board of Directors and the responsible officers of the Synod are empowered to do all things necessary to effect such capital-fund borrowings if and when required, including the pledging of real and other property belonging to the Synod in order to secure loans to obtain the necessary funds. 3. The borrowed capital funds shall not be used for any operating expenditures and shall be subject to provision for amortization. 2.85 Financial Duties a. Accounting Procedures 1. The Board of Directors shall establish and prescribe uniform accounting procedures and sys- tems, financial reporting, and budgeting classifica- tions in and for all boards, commissions, agencies, and institutions of the Synod. Such procedures and systems shall apply to all operations, including Church Extension, Worker Benefit Plans, and all specific funds. The Board of Directors shall, through the Accounting Department, receive from all agen- cies, institutions, boards, and commissions periodic financial statements, consolidated balance sheets, and operating statements. 2. Districts shall to the extent possible publish their quarterly and annual reports in the Synod’s standard reporting format and transmit to the Synod’s Accounting Department such reports for use in preparing consolidated financial statements. Dis- tricts shall be encouraged to use the Synod’s pro- cedures as described in paragraph 1 above. 3. The Board of Directors shall provide an Ac- counting Department which shall, in accordance with policies and procedures established by the board, maintain on behalf of the Treasurer (cf. Art. XI, E, of the Synod’s Constitution, “Duties of the Treasurer’) all accounting records for all fund classifications of the Synod (exclusive of the Districts, except where legally required), including the general ledgers, which may feasibly and conveniently be maintained in a centralized Accounting Department of the Synod; prepare checks for all disbursements supported by approved vouchers for signature of the Treasurer; serve as custodian of payroll and accounting records; and prepare, publish, or disseminate in consultation with the Treasurer financial statements and reports, including regular fiscal reports to the Board of Directors. 2.90 Other Duties a. The Board of Directors shall provide adequate blanket fidelity bonds. The persons to be covered and the amount of the bonds shall be determined by the Board of Directors. The premiums shall be paid by the Synod. 2.85 c. Audit Procedures 1. The Board of Directors shall assure itself that audits are provided by internal auditors or indepen- dent certified public accountants for all boards, commissions, and agencies of the Synod and all its institutions, and in all the synodical Districts, for all operations, including Church Extension, Worker Benefit Plans, and all specific funds, and through the Internal Audit Department shall receive copies of such audits. 2.85 c 2. The Board of Directors shall provide an Internal Audit Department which shall, in accordance with policies and procedures established by the board, conduct or arrange for audits for the units described in paragraph 1 above, all audits to be conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. 71 f. provide through the Treasurer cash manage- ment services for the Synod and its Districts, colleges, seminaries, and other agencies, paying interest to such units for temporary investments and charging interest for temporary loans, and establish the neces- sary policies for such services; g. provide appropriate fidelity bonding for all boards, commissions, Districts, seminaries, and other agencies of the Synod; h. establish and prescribe uniform accounting procedures and systems, financial reporting and budgeting classifications for all boards, commissions, Districts, colleges, seminaries, and other agencies of the Synod, and through the Treasurer receive from all such units periodic financial and operating state- ments. The Treasurer shall combine all such state ments for reporting purposes to the extent required by general accounting principles; i. engage independent certified public accountants to audit the Synod and all of its colleges, seminaries, and other agencies; provide an internal audit de partment to coordinate, complement, and supplement the outside auditors and through the Internal Audit Department coordinate the District audits, including assisting Districts in the engagement of independent certified public accountants; and through an audit committee of the board comprised of nonemployee members of the board review all internal and outside audits;