# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S531
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

ECCLESIASTICAL SUPERVISION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Ov. 10-19

To Create an Ecclesiastical Supervision Task Force
to Accomplish the Will and Spirit
of Milwaukee Resolution 12-14
WHEREAS, Resolution 12-14 of the 2016 LCMS convention
[adopted by a vote of Yes: 996; No: 67] directed that a consultation
process regarding ecclesiastical supervision be accomplished by
mutual agreement of the chairman of the Council of Presidents and
the President of Synod, stating in part:
Resolved, That a consultation process shall be designed by
mutual agreement of the chairman of the Council of Presidents
and the President of the Synod, by which the Council of
Presidents shall have the opportunity to offer to the Secretary of
the Synod input as to proposed mechanisms to implement
expulsion processes consistent with and not contradicting the
Constitution of the Synod; and be it further
Resolved, That said consultation be accomplished within six
months of the close of the 2016 Synod convention, unless
extended by agreement of said chairman of the Council of
Presidents and the President of the Synod (2016 Proceedings, p.
233);
and
WHEREAS, There is disagreement between the Synod President
and the immediate past chair of the Council of Presidents, Rev. Ken
Hennings, as well as other district presidents as to whether that
consultation actually or effectively took place; and
WHEREAS, The Board of Directors, acting under Bylaw 7.1.2 and
at the direction of 2016 Res. 12-14 in May of 2017, adopted changes
to the Bylaws of Synod regarding ecclesiastical supervision; and
WHEREAS, Each resolved clause of 2016 Res. 12-14 was not
accomplished before the action was taken by the Board of Directors;
and
WHEREAS, Synod’s Constitution expressly confers upon the
district presidents the duty to “exercise supervision over” their
district’s ministers and to “visit and … hold investigations in the
congregations” (Constitution Article XII 7), including the district
presidents being empowered “to suspend from membership” their
district’s ministers (Const. Art. XII 8); and
WHEREAS, Prior to the year 2016 and CCM Op. 16-2791,
numerous CCM opinions (to wit Ag. 1970, Op.15-2750; 13-2669;
10-2581; 03-2354; 03-2338A and 03-2338C) interpreted the
President of Synod’s scope of ecclesiastical supervision not to
include supervision over individual workers and congregations
expressed in Const. Art. XII 7, 8; and
WHEREAS, Studies of Const. Art. VI and VII previously directed
by the 2010 Synod convention have not been accomplished;
therefore be it
Resolved, That Synod in convention, as the ultimate legislative
body of Synod (Bylaw 1.4.1: “The delegate convention of the
Synod is the legislative assembly that ultimately legislates policy,
program, and financial direction to carry on the Synod’s work on
behalf of and in support of the member congregations. It reserves to
itself the right to give direction to all officers and agencies of the
Synod. Consequently, all officers and agencies, unless otherwise
specified in the Bylaws, shall be accountable to the Synod for all
their actions, and any concerns regarding the decisions of such
officers or agencies may be brought to the attention of the Synod in

531

convention for appropriate action. This provision does not apply to
specific member appeals to the Concordia Plans, which has its own
appeal process for such cases.”) considers the following to be steps
to the resolution of this matter; and be it further
Resolved, That changes, subsequent to 2016 Res. 12-14, made
under Bylaw section 2.14 “Expulsion of Congregations or
Individuals from Membership in the Synod”; under Bylaw section
2.15, “Expulsion of a District President or Officer from
Membership in the Synod”; under Bylaw section 2.16, “Expulsion
of a President of Synod from Membership in the Synod”; and under
Bylaw section 2.17, “Expulsion of Individuals from Membership in
the Synod as a Result of Sexual Misconduct or Criminal Behavior,”
as a result of 2016 Res. 12-14, as adopted by the Board of Directors
(May 2017) be overruled and of no effect; and be it further
Resolved, That Bylaw sections 2.14, 2.15, 2.16, and 2.17 be
returned to and replaced by the same corresponding bylaws as set
forth in the 2013 Handbook; and be it further
Resolved, That the 2019 Synod convention affirm the 2010
Synod convention’s direction for a study of Const. Art. VI and VII;
and be it further
Resolved, That a blue ribbon task force of seven members, with
four members appointed by the 35 district presidents, three of whom
shall be district presidents, and three members appointed by the
President of the Synod, be authorized and formed to conduct a
thorough study of the ecclesiastical supervision matter, including
Const. Arts. III, VI, VII (studies of Const. Art. VI and VII being
previously resolved by the 2010 convention), XI, XII, and XIII, and
to make recommendations to the 2022 Synod convention, including
any necessary revisions of constitutional provisions, with the
purpose of evangelically resolving the current difficulty and
division among us; and be it further
Resolved, That all relevant CCM opinions such as 16-2791, 162793, 16-2794, 16-2797, 17-2822, 17-2828 and 17-2836 be placed
in abeyance until the 2022 convention and any necessary action at
the 2022 convention; and be it further
Resolved, That Synod in convention affirm the powers provided
to the Synod President “to advise, admonish, and reprove …
conscientiously use all means at his command to promote and
maintain unity of doctrine and practice in all the districts of the
Synod” do not include direct supervisory responsibilities of
individual members of Synod, since such individuals are under the
ecclesiastical supervision of district presidents; and be it finally
Resolved, That the convention pray for peace and harmony in the
Synod as it moves forward in mission and ministry.
Trinity
Roselle, IL
Ov. 10-20

To Reverse the Synod Bylaw Changes
Made by Synod Board of Directors
Regarding Ecclesiastical Supervision
WHEREAS, The Constitution of the Synod states in Article XII 7
that “district presidents shall, moreover, especially exercise
supervision over the doctrine, life, and administration of office of
the ordained and commissioned minsters of their district …” and in
Const. Art. XII 8 that “District presidents are empowered to suspend
from membership ordained and commissioned ministers for

2019 Convention Workbook