# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S314
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

a
ft
Fi

412 CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS 413

Wuereas, The present system of choosing delegates to 4.
triennial convention does not provide for fixed responsibility
reporting, as it is fixed in the case of the District conventions:

y

(5161 efine the Authority and Responsibility
‘fr sees | O£ the College of Presidents

Wuereas, The present system of choosing delegates to tn ‘ Wuereas, The College of Presidents is the most broadly repre-
triennial convention does not provide for the proportional

sentative body meeting regularly between general synodical con-
sentation on the basis of any measurable factor, the wording “Jay . tions

ventions; and
congregations shall form small circuits, and small congregations Wa

WaerEas, Each of its members is directly responsible to the
shall form large circuits” (synodical Handbook, 1.51) being far trict which elects him and sensitive to its needs and judgments;
too vague to be effective; and

. it therefore
Wuereas, It is increasingly necessary, as it is difficult, to keep be Resolved, That between conventions the College of Presidents
Synod and its work in the hearts and minds of all its members. be the ranking policy-forming group of Synod, that its decisions
be it therefore , and policies be a matter of public record, that the delegate synod
Resolved, That the electoral circuits be abolished; that Voting review the actions taken by the College since the previous con-
representatives to the delegate convention be elected by the Dis. vention, and that this convention direct a careful listing of the
trict conventions in the year prior to the delegate convention; that duties of this College.
the convention be reduced in size by electing voting delegates in
the ratio of two representatives from the clergy and two from the
laity for each 20,000 communicants or major fraction thereof
officially reported from the District, provided that each District
be represented by at least four (4) delegates; that the convention
be further reduced in size by providing that the elective officers
of the Synod, a representative from each elective synodical board
(exclusive of the Boards of Control), a representative from the
Board for Higher Education and a representative of each synod-
ical educational institution attend as advisory delegates; and that
the District Presidents or their official representatives be included
in their District’s quota; and that advisory members of Synod be
eligible and stand for election according to their status under the
above District ratio; that the general convention and the District
conventions meet in alternate years; and that the District’s dele-
gates to the general convention be held to report formally to the
District convention in the following year on the work and policies
of Synod as well as to report informally to various District groups.

York-SEwWARD REGIONAL CONFERENCE
SoutHern Nesraska District

B. Hou, Secretary

[517]
Referendum by Mail for Urgent Synodical Business

Because of the fact that Synod meets in general session only
once every three years, and also because of the fact that the rapid
movement of world events from time to time brings our beloved
Synod face to face with urgent problems requiring prompt action,
we respectfully request Synod at its meeting in Milwaukee in
June, 1950, to elect a committee to study the following matters and
to report on them before the meeting of Synod in 1953 so that the
report may be acted upon at the 1953 meeting: :

a. The desirability and feasibility of establishing a syste
which would enable the congregations in Synod to vote by
mail on specific matters submitted to them for action by
the Praesidium and the Board of Directors of Synod;

b. If such a plan is found practical and desirable, a recom-.
mendation as to what types of matters should be submitted
for referendum by mail; - ,

c. All other matters concerned directly with the inauguration
of such a system of referendum by mail for synodical
business,

York-SEwArD REGIONAL CONFERENCE
Soursern NesrasKa District
B. Houm, Secretary

Tue EvANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE EPIPHANY
Detroit, Mics.
E. T. BERNTHAL, Pastor .
Geo. F. OEHMKE, President -
EpwIn NIELSEN, Secretary

$2 cefotae Patti S