# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S527
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

ECCLESIASTICAL SUPERVISION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Ov. 10-13

To Improve the Transparency of the Council
of Presidents by Making its Minutes Public
WHEREAS, The Roman Catholic Church in America in modern
times has created great harm to the Church and its members by its
hierarchical secrecy that enabled it to hide and protect abusive
priests that committed the vilest of crimes; and
WHEREAS, The scandal created by that secrecy has not only
harmed the faith and bodies of many Christians but has also
hindered evangelism and the work of the Gospel in the United States
since the public is prone to thinking that all organized religion keeps
secret documents from its own members and the public; and
WHEREAS, The Council of Presidents (COP) is directed by
Bylaw 3.10.1.2 to counsel with one another on matters regarding
the doctrine and administration of the Synod, its regions, and its
districts, and to edify and support one another in the work they
share; and
WHEREAS, The Synod has also entrusted significant additional
responsibilities to the COP, including matters of adjudication,
candidate placement, and roster status; and
WHEREAS, The COP currently maintains a handbook of
procedures that assists it in its work; and
WHEREAS, The handbook of procedures is not currently a public
document, even though it and the related activities of the COP
relating to church workers have significant impact on every member
of the Synod (both called church workers and the congregations
they serve); and
WHEREAS, Similar procedural documents used by districts of the
Synod and by circuit visitors are not uniformly available; and
WHEREAS, It is right that the work of God’s kingdom be done
with openness toward all, to enable rostered members of the Synod
to understand the standards and procedures by which they are to be
measured and judged, and to enable congregations to understand the
processes by which they are to walk together; and
WHEREAS, God’s Word says in 2 Cor. 6:11–12, “We have
spoken freely to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open. You are
not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections”;
and
WHEREAS, Insofar as Christian love permits, it is right that the
processes of the Synod and its districts be made known to those to
whom they apply; therefore be it
Resolved, That the minutes of each meeting of the COP, redacted
only as privacy requires for matters relating to specific persons, be
provided to the Secretary of the Synod no later than the conclusion
of the next regular meeting of the COP, to be made available upon
request to any member of the Synod; and be it further
Resolved, That the Commission on Handbook modify relevant
bylaws accordingly.
Redeemer
Fort Wayne, IN
Ov. 10-14

To Make the Policies
of the Council of Presidents Public
WHEREAS, The Roman Catholic Church in America in modern
times has created great harm to the Church and its members by its

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hierarchical secrecy that enabled it to hide and protect abusive
priests that committed the most vile of crimes; and
WHEREAS, The scandal created by that secrecy has not only
harmed the faith and bodies of many Christians but has also
hindered evangelism and the work of the Gospel in the United States
since the public is prone to thinking that all organized religion keeps
secret documents from its own members and the public; and
WHEREAS, The Council of Presidents (COP) is directed by
Bylaw 3.10.1.2 to counsel with one another on matters regarding
the doctrine and administration of the Synod, its regions, and its
districts, and to edify and support one another in the work they
share; and
WHEREAS, The Synod has also entrusted significant additional
responsibilities to the COP, including matters of adjudication,
candidate placement, and roster status; and
WHEREAS, The COP currently maintains a handbook of
procedures that assists it in its work; and
WHEREAS, The handbook of procedures is not currently a public
document, even though it and the related activities of the COP
relating to church workers have significant impact on every member
of the Synod (both called church workers and the congregations
they serve); and
WHEREAS, Similar procedural documents used by districts of the
Synod and by circuit visitors are not uniformly available; and
WHEREAS, It is right that the work of God’s kingdom be done
with openness toward all, to enable rostered members of the Synod
to understand the standards and procedures by which they are to be
measured and judged, and to enable congregations to understand the
processes by which they are to walk together; and
WHEREAS, God’s Word says in 2 Cor. 6:11–12, “We have
spoken freely to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open. You are
not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections”;
and
WHEREAS, Insofar as Christian love permits, it is right that the
processes of the Synod and its districts be made known to those to
whom they apply; therefore be it
Resolved, That the COP’s handbook of procedures and any
similar procedural documents now or hereafter in use for the general
administration or governance of the COP, each district, and circuit
visitors be provided to the Commission on Handbook (COH) to be
made publicly available; and be it further
Resolved, That the COH modify relevant bylaws accordingly.
Redeemer
Fort Wayne, IN
Ov. 10-15

To Direct the Council of Presidents
to Include Questions concerning Genesis 1–2,
the Six-Day Creation, and the Teaching of
Evolutionary Theory as Fact in the Self-Evaluation
Tool (SET), Used for Pastors
and Pastoral Candidates, and in the
Commissioned Minister Information Form (CMIF)
WHEREAS, The Synod in convention in 1932 found it necessary
to adopt A Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri
Synod, to deal with some errors that had arisen that were not

2019 Convention Workbook