# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2023_S166
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

166

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS

larger district—how impractical that ideal might prove if achieved.
Northern Illinois happens to the be the district with the highest ratio of commissioned to ordained ministers (2.57:1, compared to a
Synod-level statistic of 1.26:1) and proportion of individual members who are advisory delegates (81 percent; Synod: 72 percent).
Granting each advisory member a voice allows, theoretically, an
equal opportunity to be heard, but only so many get to speak or are
inclined to do so, especially at a national convention. A displayed,
pre-vote advisory poll may offer a broader opportunity for input.
There is a feeling that commissioned ministers (and other advisories) have been “left behind,” especially in an age of little in-depth
debate and rapid machine voting. In Northern Illinois District, the
advisory poll has given those advisories inclined to participate
some form of tangible input.

Synod convention
The committee discussed the participation of the advisory delegates in conventions of the Synod. Dr. Gude’s historical survey
also examined their numbers between 1956 and 2019, which have,
apart from a couple of exceptional years, remained remarkably
stable throughout the period, though the number of rostered Synod
educational institution faculty has declined significantly. It is noted
that the roster of commissioned ministers has expanded over time,
from male teachers only to also include women (allowed to be
called, 1965; allowed to be on roster of Synod, 1973; first listed
on roster, ca. 1975; included by rule, even if still contracted by
member congregation, 1981) and other categories of commissioned
ministry besides teacher. Before 1981, they were represented at a
one-to-thirty ratio; after, by a one-to-sixty ratio. In 1981, 149 teachers attended the Synod convention as advisory delegates; in 1983,
98 did so (a reduction by one-third, not one-half, indicating that not
all districts were making full use of the one-to-thirty ratio before
1983). Today 110–120 commissioned ministers attend as advisory
delegates, of which (in 2019) 78 percent were active (87 percent
of those are teachers), 7 percent were candidates, and 16 percent
were emeritus.
The chart shows, for Synod conventions between 1956 and
2019, three stacked bars for the number of advisory delegates
(commissioned and ordained, in modern terms) and educationalinstitution representatives relative to two lines for the number of
pastoral and lay voting delegates.

2023 Convention Workbook

It was suggested that in addition to the important opportunities involving floor committees, there should be more common and
formal “listening sessions” to ensure elected delegates are prepared
to represent the concerns, needs, and insights of all represented
congregations, and of all their ministries and workers. Perhaps this
could be codified in the Bylaws for circuit meetings as a mandated