# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S349
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

IX. 2016 RESOLUTION 13-01A TASK FORCE REPORT
The first update noted “that the bylaw changes made by the 2016
convention and the work done since (and a bit yet to do) have
resulted in a system that:
•

is as ‘comprehensive’ (unified) as practical, while retaining the character of congregational / numerical nominations for President and Vice-Presidents and qualification
/ committee-based nominations for other offices with
their more diverse requirements; and that

•

allows, given technological improvements made or
in-progress, for ‘appropriate time frames to facilitate
convention preparations.’”

The update proposed, and without objection the task force agreed
by electronic communication, that “the progress made by the 2016
convention, in unifying the regional board positions with the qualification / committee-based nominations process, and the technical
progress made to render the existing nomination timeline more
workable [were sufficient to] conclude that no further bylaw work
is necessary at this time.” Challenges remaining to be addressed,
outside the present task force’s scope of work, were noted:
•

Restoration of vigorous participation rates in both
numerical and committee-based nominations processes,
both in long-term decline.

•

Development of an online-interactive nominations system, which could customize questions asked to offices
for which nominations are being submitted and provide
for retention of records (for example, district president
recommendations) across triennia, and possibly serve
also on the district level and for other appointment
processes.

•

2016 Res. 11-14’s authorization of the “Bylaw 3.2.5
Committee” to act for the Committee for Convention
Nominations after the submission of its final report
needs incorporation and formalization in the bylaws, a
task presently being undertaken by the Commission on
Handbook.

The final update to the task force on Dec. 10, 2018 included this
draft report as well as the Secretary’s presentation of data on the
CCN-preliminary process (Bylaw 3.12.3.4), which was concluding at that time. The use of a newly developed, fillable-formdriven database system enabled an increased number of electable
offices to be handled much more efficiently than in the past. The
Secretary reported a numerically adequate number of accepted
nominations for the various positions to be elected, reporting
specially on the regional positions newly assigned to the CCN,
and noted that congregational nominations for the Praesidium and
registrations for the presidential vote are well underway.

Conclusion
With the adoption of this final report, the task force concluded that
changes by the 2016 convention and technological and process
improvements since have rendered the two nomination and election processes of the Synod as “comprehensive” as possible, while
retaining their individual natures; that their present manner of
elaboration in the bylaws allows for helpful innovation; and that,
therefore, no further bylaw changes are necessary at this time.
John W. Sias, Secretary

349

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IX. 2016 Resolution 13-01A
Task Force Report
October 2018
Abbreviations
AC	Augsburg Confession
AE	
Luther’s Works. American Edition. 55 vols. St. Louis:
Concordia Publishing House and Philadelphia: Fortress
Press, 1955–.
BSLK	Die Bekenntnisschriften der evangelisch-lutherischen
Kirche. 11th ed. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht,
1992.
C&O	Matthew Harrison, ed. The Church and the Office of the
Ministry: Kirche und Amt: The Voice of Our Church on
the Question of Church and Office. St. Louis: Concordia
Publishing House, 2012.
FC SD	Formula of Concord Solid Declaration
KW	Robert Kolb and Timothy J. Wengert, eds. The Book of
Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2000.
LC	Large Catechism
LSB	
Lutheran Service Book. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing
House, 2006.
SA	Smalcald Articles
SC	Small Catechism
Tappert	Theodore G. Tappert, ed. The Book of Concord: The
Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1959.
Tr	Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope

Report on Priesthood and Office
Introduction
At its 2016 Convention, The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod (LCMS) adopted Resolution 13-01A.1 The resolution (referred to herein as Res. 13-01A) emphasizes several points.
Above all, it reminds us that in our new birth in Baptism all
Christians, as children of God in Christ Jesus His Son, possess the
keys of heaven and are royal priests! We are, quoting Luther, “true
clerics” and this identity must not be “taken away,” but should be
“brought out into the open.”2 Therefore all Christians (“the laity”
from ὁ λαός, “the people”) are to be encouraged in the priestly calling of “evangelism and the task of outreach, as well as mercy, education, visitation, and so forth in our increasingly diverse and challenging cultural context.”3
Second, while asserting with Luther that “we are all priests,”
Res. 13-01A also affirms with Luther that “ministers [are] chosen
from among us” to act “in our name.”4 That is, there is a distinctive Office of Public Ministry charged with the responsibility to act
on behalf of the royal priests in the public exercise of the ministry
of the Gospel, the preaching and teaching of Christ’s Word and the
sharing of His saving gifts in the Sacraments, including public absolution.
Third, the resolution earnestly affirms that these two “offices,”5 the royal priesthood and the public ministry, though distinct,
are complementary to one another and together provide a “blessed
partnership” in the proclamation of the Gospel. It is this third af2019 Convention Workbook