# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S501
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

STRUCTURE AND ADMINISTRATION
district nonvoting advisory delegates for the convention of the
Synod; and be it further
Resolved, That the district secretary, who is currently charged
with calling for these elections, be the district officer charged with
oversight for any alternate methods of balloting that may be
employed; and be it finally
Resolved, That Synod Bylaw 3.1.3.1 (a) be revised to read, as
follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
Reports and Overtures
3.1.3.1
Each district shall select one advisory delegate …
(a) Selection of district advisory delegates to conventions of the
Synod shall be made by the respective groups meeting at the call
of the district secretary either during the district convention or at
official district conferences of ordained and/or commissioned
ministers., or through a manner of balloting (e.g. electronic
technologies) deemed acceptable by the district secretary that is
suitable and made available to all participants.
…

Board of Directors
Texas District

WHEREAS, The above commissioned offices of LCMS
congregations are laypersons; and
WHEREAS, By virtue of a man-made constitution they are
disqualified from representing their congregations as voting
delegates to conventions; and
WHEREAS, This inadvertently creates an inconsistency between
accepted theology (Walther’s theses) and Synod polity (Const. Art.
V B); and
WHEREAS, The 2016 Synod convention voted in the affirmative
[Yes: 921; No: 58] “To Allow Voting Privilege for Assistant
Pastors” (Resolution 11-09, 2016 Proceedings, p. 202), thus
indicating a willingness for the Handbook to better reflect Synod’s
theology; therefore be it
Resolved, That “Teachers of the Evangelical Lutheran Church,
Directors of Christian Education, Directors of Christian Outreach,
Directors of Family Life Ministry, Directors of Parish Music,
Deaconesses and Parish Assistants” be stricken from the list of
“Advisory members only” of Synod (Const. Art. V B); and be it
further
Resolved, That congregations of the LCMS be encouraged to
consider those highly educated and faithful laypersons to be sent as
their voting representatives to circuit, district, and Synod events.

Ov. 9-20

To Enable Commissioned Ministers
to Serve As Voting Lay Delegates
WHEREAS, Ministers of religion—commissioned hold
membership in the Synod (Constitution Article V); and
WHEREAS, Ministers of religion—commissioned must be
communicant members of a congregation that is a member of the
Synod (Bylaws 2.11.1, 2.11.2); therefore be it
Resolved, That ministers of religion—commissioned be enabled
to serve as voting lay delegates at conventions of the Synod and its
districts.
Circuit 6
North Wisconsin District
Ov. 9-21

To Enable Commissioned Ministers
to Serve as Voting Lay Delegates
WHEREAS, Commissioned workers of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod (LCMS) congregations are highly valued for their
zeal and faithfulness; and
WHEREAS, All commissioned works are theologically trained in
some fashion, many even holding advanced degrees; and
WHEREAS, Constitution Article V B describes “advisory
members only” to include “Teachers of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church, Directors of Christian Education, Directors of Christian
Outreach, Directors of Family Life Ministry, Directors of Parish
Music, Deaconesses and Parish Assistants”; and
WHEREAS, C.F.W. Walther’s tenth thesis on the Holy Ministry
states, “To the ministry of the Word, according to divine right,
belongs also the duty to judge doctrine, but laymen also possess this
right. Therefore, in the ecclesiastical courts (consistories) and
councils they are accorded both a seat and vote together with the
clergy.” (C.F.W. Walther, Church and Ministry [St. Louis:
Concordia Publishing House, 1987], 23); and

501

Bay City Circuit
Michigan District
Ov. 9-22

To Consider Voting Privilege
for Commissioned Ministers
WHEREAS, Called commissioned ministers have a critical
ministry impacting the lives of families as an outreach arm of
congregations; and
WHEREAS, Commissioned ministers are highly valued for their
zeal and faithfulness; and
WHEREAS, All commissioned ministers are theologically trained;
and
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod requires
commissioned ministers to attend district conventions as advisory
delegates, whose only authority is to speak to the convention; and
WHEREAS, Districts are expected to appoint a representative
number of commissioned ministers to represent the district at the
Synod convention as advisory delegates, whose only authority is to
speak to the convention; and
WHEREAS, The 2016 Synod in convention voted 921 to 58 “To
Allow Voting Privilege for Assistant Pastors” (Resolution 11-09),
thus indicating a willingness for the Synod to reconsider the rigid
restrictions placed on voting privilege; therefore be it
Resolved, That a discussion regarding the voting privilege for
commissioned ministers begin at the 2019 Synod convention with a
decision reached by the 2022 Synod convention.
Michigan District

2019 Convention Workbook