# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S94 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 94 OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS Synodwide Corporate Entities: Concordia Historical Institute submitted its Articles of Incorporation to the commission during this triennium and is in compliance. The commission reviewed the Articles of Incorporation which were on file with the office of the Secretary of the Synod and found that the Articles of Incorporation of the Concordia University System, the Lutheran Church Extension Fund, the LCMS Foundation, and Concordia Plan Services contained the required asset-disposition language, and had relationship to the Synod language that was deemed adequate. Concordia Publishing House had the required asset-disposition language and relationship language was implied, but not specifically spelled out. George J. Gude, Chairman R10 Commission on Doctrinal Review Along with the undersigned, the Commission on Doctrinal Review consists of four additional members: Dr. Paul Raabe (Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis), Dr. Walter A. Maier III (Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne), Dr. Naomichi Masaki (Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne), and Dr. Steven Mueller (Concordia University, Irvine). In this triennium (2016–2019), the Commission has rendered one decision regarding material already in print and three decisions in response to appeals from the authors or publisher. In keeping with the bylaws of Synod, which govern the doctrinal review process, the Commission seeks to ensure that all materials published by the Synod through its official organs and Concordia Publishing House are clearly in agreement with the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions. John T. Pless, Chairman R11 Commission on Handbook The Commission on Handbook (Bylaws 3.9.4–3.9.4.2) consists of eight individuals: five voting members and three nonvoting advisory members. Three of the voting members are individual members of the Synod (ordained or commissioned ministers) and two of the voting members are attorneys. The three nonvoting advisory members are the Secretary of the Synod, the Chief Administrative Officer of the Synod, and a member of the Commission on Constitutional Matters (CCM). The voting members are appointed by the President of the Synod for six-year, once-renewable terms from nominees provided by district boards of directors and selected as candidates by the Council of Presidents. Names of the members of the Commission on Handbook are listed in the Convention Workbook Directory. The primary responsibility of the Commission on Handbook is to provide for the ongoing maintenance and management of the Synod Handbook (Constitution, Bylaws, and Articles of Incorporation of the Synod per Bylaw 3.9.4). Specific responsibilities of the commission are detailed in Bylaw 3.9.4.2 as follows: (1) assisting convention floor committees when developing amendment proposals to the Constitution, Bylaws, or Articles of Incorporation of the Synod to determine their 2019 Convention Workbook agreement in language (terminology) with the existing Handbook; (2) in consultation with the CCM, revising the Handbook of the Synod immediately after each Synod convention in order to bring it into harmony with the resolutions and changes adopted by the convention; (3) maintaining a complete file of succeeding handbooks so comparison can be made between current and preceding provisions; (4) carrying out assignments by Synod conventions relating to the Handbook; and, (5) responding to requests from Synod agencies to propose new provisions to address specific Handbook-related issues that arise between conventions of the Synod. Following the 2016 convention of the Synod and in consultation with the Commission on Constitutional Matters, the commission finalized work on a number of revisions to the Synod Handbook that were adopted by the convention. In addition, the commission adopted and incorporated a completely redesigned and more user-friendly index. An electronic and continuously updated version of the Handbook was posted in February of 2017 and is available in both Adobe PDF and Microsoft Word formats, as well as in a PDF format that includes red lines noting every change from the 2013 version of the Handbook. The electronic versions of the Handbook are available on the Synod’s website under the “About” menu, then the “Leadership” link, and then the “Commission on Handbook” tab. Synod Bylaw 7.1.2 provides that in exceptional circumstances and upon the express direction of a convention of the Synod, Bylaw amendments may be made by a two-thirds majority of Synod’s Board of Directors following review by the Commission on Constitutional Matters and the Commission on Handbook. 2016 Res. 12-14 (“Regarding the Right of an Accuser to Appeal When a District President or President of the Synod Fails to Act or Declines to Suspend”) directed that the Bylaw 7.1.2 process be used along with an additional provision for input from the Council of Presidents to develop Bylaw changes “providing mechanisms to implement expulsion processes consistent with and not contradicting the Constitution of the Synod.” Synod’s Board of Directors approved these Bylaw changes in May of 2017, whereupon the finalized 2016 Synod Handbook was printed and distributed. Since the 2016 convention of the Synod and as part of its Bylaw responsibility for the ongoing maintenance and management of the Handbook, the Commission on Handbook has adopted several minor corrections and non-substantive editorial changes to the Bylaws. These corrections and changes primarily have been to punctuation, format, or terminology, thereby providing greater clarity and consistency throughout the Bylaws. All changes immediately are posted on the electronic version of the Handbook available on the Internet. Over the course of its meetings this triennium, the commission has received inquiries, recommendations, and input from various Synod agencies, commissions, councils, committees, and task forces concerning certain portions of the Constitution and Bylaws of Synod. In response, the commission has responded both by providing appropriate feedback and by formulating and approving several proposed revisions to the Handbook in the following subject areas: Dispute Resolution Processes, Practical Bylaw Considerations, Call and Roster Matters, Simplifying the Handling of Commissioned Categories; District Convention Representation; Multi-Congregation Parish Representation at Circuit Forums, and Clarification of Certain Bylaw Provisions.