# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1989_S127
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

5. Structure and Organization

Introduction

Although we are well aware of the fact that structure
and organization are not of the essence of the church, nor
are they defined within the scriptural doctrine of the
church, yet we also realize that structure and organization
are important to us if our church body is to function to its
greatest potential. If we are to achieve the 10 objectives
stated very clearly in Article III of the Constitution of the
Synod, it is important that our structure and organization
not impede us, but rather that they assist us in expediting
the mission which our Lord has entrusted to us.

Floor Committee 5 addressed itself to its task with those
thoughts in mind especially as we considered the overtures
on pages 221-43 of the Convention Workbook. The mem-
bers of the committee were assisted immensely in their
work by Dr. Walter Rosin, secretary of the Synod; Board
of Directors chairman George Mohr; board member Rev.
Victor Marxhausen; and Judge Gene Schnelz, chairman of
the Commission on Constitutional Matters; as well as com-
mission member Judge James Groh. We thank them for
their participation in our deliberations and decisions.

An additional special word of thanks to Dr. Eldor Meyer
of the Nebraska District who served as vice-chairman of
our committee and served well in that leadership capacity
while I was hospitalized at the time of the May floor com-
mittee meetings. Thanks also to President Raymond Hart-
wig of the South Dakota District who acted as our
secretary.

Orval Oswald, Chairman

To Enable LCMS Seminary and College
Faculty to Serve as Members of Boards
and Commissions

RESOLUTION 5-01
Overtures 5-78A-B (CW, p. 242)

Wuereas, Prior to the 1986 Bylaws it was permissible
for seminary and college faculty to serve as members of
the Synod’s boards and commissions; and

WuHeEreas, The 1986 LCMS convention adopted Res. 5-
05 which prohibits faculty members of the Synod from ser-
vice as members of the Synod’s boards and commissions
unless otherwise specified or permitted by the Bylaws; and

WueEreas, Prior to 1986 LCMS seminary and college
faculty members have rendered valuable service as mem-
bers of the Synod’s boards and commissions because of
their specialized training, qualifications, and the leader-
ship they were able to provide; therefore be it

Resolved, That Bylaw 3.69 h be amended as follows:

h. Unless otherwise specified or permitted by the
Bylaws, executives, faculty, and staff on either the na-
tional or District level shall not be members of the
boards or commissions under which they serve er nor
shall any such executives or staff be members of any
other board or commission of the Synod, as identified
in Bylaws 3.55 and 3.57.

Action: Adopted (3).

127

Committee 5 Chairman Orval Oswald

To Transfer District
Membership of Congregations

RESOLUTION 5-02
Overtures 5-76, L5-86 (CW, pp. 241—42, TB, p. 16)

Wuereas, Trinity Lutheran Church of Burlingame,
Calif., has requested and received favorable response for
transfer from the English District to the California-Ne-
vada-Hawaii District; and

WHEREAS, Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church of
Cliffside Park, N.J., has requested and received favorable
response for transfer from the English District to the New
Jersey District; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention grant these
transfer requests of congregations, wishing God’s rich
blessings upon the mission and ministry of these
congregations.

Action: Adopted (4).
To Change Boundaries
of Northwest District
RESOLUTION 5-03
Overture 5-75 (CW, p. 241)
Wuereas, The Church of All Nations of Repulse Bay,
Hong Kong, has duly been received into synodical mem-

bership by the Northwest District Board of Directors on
February 17, 1987; and

Wuereas, Northwest District boundaries currently in-