# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S511
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

STRUCTURE AND ADMINISTRATION
(5) The member’s cooperation in keeping personnel
documents up to date.

Commission on Handbook
Ov. 9-39

To Amend the Constitution
to Simplify Handling of Commissioned Categories
Rationale
After its introduction of the list in the opening paragraph of
Constitution Article V, the Constitution reiterates the list of
categories of commissioned ministers, in whole or in part, seven
times. This unnecessary repetition clutters the Constitution and
complicates changes (which have occurred with some frequency).
In Const. Art. XII 9 c, for example, additions to the list of
commissioned categories have never been incorporated.
As yet another proposal for revision of the list of categories of
commissioned service is before the convention, this time to change
the title of “commissioned lay minister” to “director of church
ministries,” acknowledging completion of a gradual transformation
of this curricular program at Concordia University Wisconsin, the
commission proposes that the Constitution be streamlined to reflect
both the categories of ordained and commissioned ministry within
the roster, and at the same time to reflect the essential connection of
these categories to the Office of the Holy Ministry and its auxiliary
offices, as delineated in Walther’s Church and Ministry.
Were this proposal to be adopted, modifications to the categories of
commissioned ministry would still require convention action,
informed by appropriate recommendations from the Concordia
Colleges and Universities and the Concordia University System, but
would not require individual congregational ratification as
constitutional amendments.
The commission notes its separate proposal, “To Amend the
Constitution to Address District Convention Representation,”
which has the effect of further simplifying and clarifying Const. Art.
XII 10 in its real task, which is adjusting official representation at
district conventions. If both this amendment and the other were to
be adopted, the language of that proposal would be the final text of
Const. Art. XII 10.
Therefore be it
Resolved, That Synod Constitution Article V be amended as
follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING

Article V Membership
Membership in the Synod is held and may be acquired by
congregations, ministers of religion—ordained and ministers of
religion—commissioned, such as teachers, directors of Christian
education, directors of Christian outreach, directors of family life
ministry, directors of parish music, deaconesses, parish assistants, and
certified lay ministersas further specified in the Bylaws of the Synod,
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church who confess and accept the
confessional basis of Article II.

A. Voting Members
All organized congregations that have joined the Synod hold voting
membership. At the meetings of the districts of the Synod every
congregation or parish is entitled to two votes, one of which is to be cast
by the pastor and the other by the lay delegate. At the meetings of the

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Synod a number of congregations shall form a group which shall be
represented by two voting delegates, one a pastor and one a lay delegate.

B. Advisory Members
Advisory members only are the following:
1. Pastors whose congregations do not hold membership in the
Synod
2. Ministers not in charge of congregations
3. Professors at the Synod’s educational institutions
4. Teachers of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
5. Directors of Christian education
6. Directors of Christian outreach
7. Directors of family life ministry
8. Directors of parish music
9. Deaconesses
10.Parish assistants
11.4.Certified lay ministersCommissioned ministers, as specified in
the Bylaws of the Synod
12.5.Candidates for the office of the ministry (ordained ministers),
for that of a teacher of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, for
director of Christian education, for director of Christian outreach,
for director of family life ministry, for director of parish music,
for deaconess, for certified lay minister, or for parish assistantor
or for the auxiliary offices (commissioned ministers);

and be it further
Resolved, That Const. Art. VI be amended as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING

Article VI Conditions of Membership
Conditions for acquiring and holding membership in the Synod are
the following:
…
3. Regular call of pastors, teachers, directors of Christian education,
directors of Christian outreach, directors of family life ministry,
directors of parish music, deaconesses, certified lay ministers,
and parish assistants and any commissioned ministers and regular
election of lay delegates by the congregations, as also the
blamelessness of the life of such.
…
6. Pastors, teachers, directors of Christian education, directors of
Christian outreach, directors of family life ministry, directors of
parish music, deaconesses, certified lay ministersOrdained and
commissioned ministers, or candidates for these offices not
coming from recognized orthodox church bodies must submit to
a colloquium before being received.
…

and be it further
Resolved, That Const. Art. XII be amended as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING

Article XII Districts of the Synod and Their Regulation
…
9. Furthermore, the district presidents shall
…
c. Perform, either in person or by proxy, the ecclesiastical
ordination of the candidates for the ministry assigned to their
districts, and the installation of such, as well as the
installationcommissioning of the candidates for theauxiliary
offices of schoolteacher assigned to their districts, and the

2019 Convention Workbook