# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1989_S128
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

128 RESOLUTIONS

clude Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska; therefore
be it

Resolved, That the Synod exercise its authority (Article
XII 1 and Bylaw 4.03 a) to alter District boundaries by
extending the Northwest District boundaries to include the
locale of the Church of All Nations, Repulse Bay, Hong
Kong.

Action: Adopted (4).

To Change Name of Southern
California District
RESOLUTION 5-04
Overture 5-74 (CW, p. 241)

Wuereas, The Southern California District, having re-
solved to change its name to the Pacific Southwest District,
has petitioned the Synod to grant said name change; there-
fore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
in convention grant the petitioned name change from
Southern California District to the Pacific Southwest
District.

Action: Adopted (4).

To Provide Alternate Method
of Amending Bylaws

RESOLUTION 5-05
Overture 5-10 (CW, p. 221)

Wuereas, Concern has been expressed regarding the
amount of convention time devoted to debating the tech-
nicalities of proposed Bylaws as compared to the merits of
the action that Bylaws are to implement; and

WHEREAS, It is necessary and desirable to establish a
means for the implementation of convention action in the
limited instances in which the convention floor resolution
or floor amendment does not provide the specific Bylaw
changes; and

Wuereas, The present Bylaws grant only limited au-
thority to the Commission on Constitutional Matters to
reconcile the Bylaws of the Synod to the action of the syn-
odical convention; and

Wuereas, It is deemed advisable to develop an alter-
nate procedure for amending Bylaws to implement con-
vention actions; and

Wuersas, It is appropriate and desirable that the re-
sponsibility for the approval of such implementing amend-
ments be shared with the Board of Directors; and

Wuereas, It is important that any such amendments
be operative on an interim basis and be reported for ap-
propriate action to the succeeding convention, thus main-
taining necessary checks and balances; and

Wuereas, The convention retains its final authority on
all Bylaws; therefore be it

Resolved, That Bylaw 15.01 be amended to read as
follows:

15.01 How Made

a. Amendments to the Bylaws may be made

a: I. by the convention provided they are

a. not contrary to the Constitution;

b. presented in writing to a convention of the Synod;

c. specified as Bylaw amendments and considered by
a convention floor committee;

d. submitted to the Commission on Constitutional
Matters for clearance prior to presentation to the
convention;

e. adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority of
the delegates present and voting;

2. by a two-thirds majority of the Board of Directors,
incorporating into the Handbook of the Synod amend-
ments that

a. are proposed by the Secretary of the Synod as a
result of convention action within six months following
the convention and reviewed by the Commission on Con-
stitutional Matters;

b. have been reviewed by the Board of Directors;

c. are determined after review, to be in conformity
with the Constitution and Bylaws and with the resolu-
tions and changes adopted by the Synod in convention;
and

d. have obtained the joint concurrence of the Board
of Directors and the Commission on Constitutional
Matters.

b. Bylaws prepared in accordance with 15.01 a2 shall
be operative on an interim basis and shall be reported
for appropriate action to the succeeding convention of
the Synod.

Action: Declined (6).
(The resolution was declined by a vote of 462-573.)

To Revise Bylaws re Synodical Personnel
RESOLUTION 5-06A
Overture 5-16 (CW, pp. 227-28)

Wuereas, The board has been given the authority un-
der Bylaw 3.183 a, “The Board of Directors shall be vested
with the general management and supervision of the Syn-
od’s business and legal affairs”; and

WHEREAS, The Synod is subject to all federal and state
laws and regulations regarding employment; and

Wuereas, In addition to the Bylaws regarding synodical
personnel, the board maintains numerous personnel pol-
icies in its policy manual; and

Wuereas, The board believes that much of what ap-
pears in the present Bylaws regarding synodical personnel,
including hiring, compensation, and retirement policies,
should instead appear in that policy manual; and

Wuereas, Under this Bylaw provision the board has
the authority to establish personnel policies in compliance
with existing laws and regulations on hiring, tenure, pro-
motion, termination, retirement, and salary administra-
tion; and

Wuereas, There is a proliferation of court decisions af-
fecting employment policies; and

Wuereas, Bylaws can only be changed once every three
years by the Synod in convention; therefore be it