# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1986_S176 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) ee 176 RESOLUTIONS lete Bylaw 6.53 c and d referring to retired college and seminary presidents. 11. In order to provide for corrected and additional defi- nitions and to allow for representative membership on boards, amend the following Bylaws: 2.51 Definitions b. An appointed program board is... c. A standing committee is a small group of special- ists, specified in the Bylaws and appointed by .. - f. An office is an officially established unit normally consisting of staff and an advisory committee appointed by an officer with the approval of the President and after consultation with the Board of Directors or Council of Presidents, as appropriate, in order to provide special expertise or services in a specific area of work that would be useful to the officers, boards, commissions, and other agencies of the Synod. Membership may include mem- bers of other boards and staffs which have a particular interest in the services rendered. g. (reletter present f through i) F. APPOINTED PROGRAM BOARDS 1. Board for Communication Services 3.401 Membership The Board for Communication Services shall consist of seven members who shall be appointed by the Board of Directors: three clergymen, at least one of whom shall be a parish pastor, one teacher, three laypersons. 3. Board for Social Ministry Services 3.421 Membership The Board for Social Ministry Services shall consist of seven members who shall be appointed by the Board of Directors: three clergymen, at least one of whom shall be a parish pastor, one teacher, three laypersons. K. OFFICES 3.751 Office of Government Information An Office of Government Information, attached to the office of the synodical President, shall be maintained in Washington, D.C. The functions of the office shall be a. gather needed information on public policy issues for use by the President and other synodical officials; b. serve members of the congregations of the Synod by providing information on issues with moral or insti- tutional importance; c. communicate LCMS policy positions to appropri- ate government entities, d. maintain communications between the Synod and Washington-based religious and issue-oriented organi- zations. 12. Resolved, That wherever the word general or the word national is used in the Bylaws to distinguish a syn- odwide board, commission, committee, council, or depart- ment, or a synodwide program or project, from one that is not synodwide (e.g., from a district board), that word shall be changed to “synodical.” To be sure, however, that this is not taken to suggest that boards, etc., other than those so designated as “synodical” are not “of the Synod” if they are related to agencies of the Synod, such as districts, sem- inaries, and colleges, the following shall be added to pres- ent Bylaw 1.37:) k. Use of the word synodical to distinguish a syn- odwide board, committee, commission, council, or de- partment, or a synodwide program or project, from one that is not synodwide (e.g., from a district board) does not express or imply that boards, committees, commis- sions, councils, departments, programs, or projects other than those designated as “synodical” are not “of the Synod” if they are related to agencies of the Synod. Action: Referred to Board of Directors in consultation with Commission on Structure for study. To Revise Nominations Process RESOLUTION 5-03 Reports 5-01, 5-09, L (CW, pp. 170, 211); Overtures 5- 11A-5-20, 5-163 (CW, pp. 213-20, 278-79) PREAMBLE Resolution 2-12 (1981) called for a new process for nom- inations. Membership on the Committee for Convention Nominations was to be comprised of one representative from each district, elected at the district convention in the year preceding the synodical convention. The purpose of the new process was to provide better representation from throughout the Synod, both on the Committee for Conven- tion Nominations and on the election slates, and more qualified candidates for potential service in the Synod Although it is true that the process has been followed for only two conventions, and some might suggest that we retain the process while attempting to improve it and re- solve the difficulties, there are two major objections to the process: (1) the high cost of conducting Committee for Con- vention Nominations meetings, and (2) the short time span available for this committee to do its work effectively. The following resolution is offered to help resolve some of the questions that have been raised and to propose a revised process for nominations: Wuereas, Many questions have been raised regarding the nominations process in effect since 1981; and WHEREAS, It is difficult to demonstrate that the current process has provided more qualified candidates for elec- tion; and Wuereas, It is also difficult to demonstrate that the current process has provided a more balanced distribution of candidates for election from the synodical districts; and Wuerkas, The current process does not guarantee that members of the committee will be acquainted with all can- didates proposed for nomination from their respective dis- tricts; and Wuereas, More time is needed by the Committee for Convention Nominations to become acquainted with its task and to do it properly; and Wuereas, Funding for a smaller committee will be spread over three fiscal years and will permit more meet- ings to be held at no greater cost to the Synod; and Wuereas, A Committee for Convention Nominations elected by the Synod at convention will be more directly responsible to the Synod in convention; therefore be it Resolved, That the Synod resume its pre-1981 practice of electing the Committee for Convention Nominations at this 1986 convention; and be it further Resolved, That the following changes in the Bylaws be approved: 2.941 Committee for Convention Nominations a. Fifteen persons—two district presidents, five par-