# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S491
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

STRUCTURE AND ADMINISTRATION
the whole church. (see the passage cited in the Preamble of the
Constitution [Reason for the Forming of a Synodical Union]).
Historically, representation through electoral circuits has
changed based on the number or size of congregations:
• 1874: groupings of two to seven congregations
• 1893: groupings of five to seven congregations
• 1917: groupings of 10 to 15 congregations (The 1917
convention clarified that districts have the responsibility
to work out their own circuit borders “... with the
understanding that the relative size of congregations
shall determine how many shall constitute a circuit,
provided, however, that no circuit shall comprise less
than 10 and not more than 15 congregations.” Between
1917 and 1967, the Handbook read: “Large
congregations shall form small circuits, and small
congregations shall form large circuits.”)
• 1967–2010: groupings of seven to 20 congregations and
communicant membership ranging from 1,500 to 10,000
(Under the recommendation of the Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod (LCMS) Commission on Constitutional
Matters, and owing to the difficulty encountered in
implementing the 1917 resolution through the years, the
1967 convention implemented these new criteria. A
procedure also was prescribed that permitted the Synod
President to manage those cases that still proved to be
exceptional.);
and
WHEREAS, 2010 Resolution 8-05B received great support and
was referred to the Commission on Handbook by a vote of Yes: 583;
No: 551; therefore be it
Resolved, That the essence of the resolution as presented by the
2010 Floor Committee be submitted to the 2019 Synod convention:
WHEREAS, The Synod convention is the “principal legislative
assembly, which amends the Constitution and Bylaws, considers
and takes action on reports and overtures, and handles
appropriate appeals and establishes general positions and
policies of the Synod, provides overall program direction and
priorities, and evaluates all such positions, programs, policies,
directions, and priorities in order to provide responsible service
for and on behalf of its members” (Bylaw 3.1.1); and
WHEREAS, Voting membership in the Synod is held by all
member congregations of the Synod and exercised through their
elected representatives to Synod and district conventions; and
WHEREAS, The number of delegates to a Synod convention shall
be established to:
• Enable greater engagement of the delegates in the
discussion and the proceedings of mission and business;
• Ensure equity in the number of delegates each district is
apportioned; and
• Allow for a greater stewardship of the gifts of God’s
people for the work of mission and ministry by opening
up less expensive venues; and
WHEREAS, It is important that representatives of member
congregations understand in advance of the election of delegates
for Synod convention that an orderly process will be followed,
one that includes:

491

•

An apportioning of congregations in light of the
district’s prescribed number of delegates;
• A selection of delegates in a manner that takes into
consideration reasonable and equitable representation;
• A process for creating electoral clusters; and
• An election by those electoral clusters;
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the number of voting delegates to the Synod
convention be fixed based on ten percent of the number of
member congregations in the Synod six months prior to the first
district convention; and be it further
Resolved, That voting delegates for Synod conventions be
elected by electoral clusters; and be it further
Resolved, That each district shall select advisory delegates
(minister of religion–ordained, minister of religion–
commissioned) retaining the proportionate representation to
voting delegates as is currently followed; and be it finally
Resolved, That the amendments concerning delegates and
representatives to Synod conventions proposed for Bylaws 3.1.2,
3.1.2.1, 3.1.2, and 3.1.3.1 be amended accordingly:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
Voting Delegates
3.1.2
Electoral circuits shall meet as required by the Bylaws of
the Synod to elect circuit voting delegates to the Synod’s national
conventions.
(a) An electoral circuit shall consist either of one or two adjacent
visitation circuits, as shall be determined by the district board of
directors on the basis of the following requirements: each pair of
delegates shall represent from 7 to 20 member congregations,
involving an aggregate confirmed membership ranging from
1,500 to 10,000.
(b) Exceptions to these requirements may be made only by the
President of the Synod upon request of a district board of
directors.
The Office of the Secretary of the LCMS shall facilitate the election
of voting delegates to the next following national convention. These
delegates shall be elected for three-year terms during the
conventions of the districts of the Synod.
(a) The total number of voting delegates shall be set at 10% of
the number of congregations in the Synod six months prior to the
start of the first district convention. Such number shall be
rounded to the higher even number to enable delegate pairs (lay
and minister of religion–ordained).
(b) Two factors shall be averaged to determine the number of
delegates from each district. Those factors are:
(1) The percentage of the district’s member congregations
compared to the number of member congregations of the
Synod; and
(2) The percentage of the number of confirmed members of
the district’s congregations compared to the number of
confirmed members of the congregations of the Synod.
(c) The most recent available roster statistics shall be used to
determine all matters related to delegate representation.
(d) One-half of the district’s total allotment of delegates shall be
laity from member congregations of the district and one-half shall
be a minister of religion–ordained with membership in the
congregations of the district.
3.1.2.1.
Elections of voting delegates to the national convention
shall ordinarily take place in accordance with established policy and
procedure as follows:

2019 Convention Workbook