# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1981_S24
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

24 MINUTES OF THE CONVENTION

that the devotions would be characterized as “In Remem-
brance, Forward.” In his devotion he spoke of the
involvement of Lutherans in the chaplaincy of the
United States Armed Forces beginning with the time of
the Revolution. The devotion was closed with a prayer
led by Dr. Suelflow.

Recognition

Dr. Joseph Lavalais, chairman of the Black Luther-
an Centennial Committee, presented a plaque in behalf
of the committee to President Preus in gratitude for the
leadership which he had provided in moving Black
ministry forward.

Task Force

The convention resumed discussion of Res. 2-01 (TB
45) on which action had not been completed in the
previous session. The resolution called for the establish-
ment of convention cycles and terms of office. It had
previously been amended by eliminating the words “at
the discretion of the Circuit” from line 18 (7B 45). After
brief discussion the resolution was adopted as amended.
By adoption of this resolution a cycle of conventions
was established in which in a first year the Synod would
meet in general convention, during the second year ina
Circuit gathering, and in the third year would meet in
District convention. The cycle was to be introduced with
the 1983 synodical convention followed by Circuit meet-
ings in 1984. In 1985 the Districts will meet once again
followed by a convention of the Synod in 1986. The term
of full-time officers will be three years with the terms of
elected boards and commissions six years and the terms
of appointed boards and commissions and standing
committees three years unless otherwise specified by
the Bylaws. Full-time officers are to have unlimited
tenure but board and commission members will be
limited to two terms of six years or three terms of three
years as provided for in the Bylaws. Officers at the 1981
convention will be elected for a two-year term with
approximately one-half of the board members elected
for two years and the other half for a five-year term with
the regular six-year terms being introduced with the
1983 elections.

Discussion was next begun on Res. 2-03 (TB 46)
defining the membership and function of the Board of
Directors. Prior to introducing the resolution the com-
mittee had added the words “‘and one a parish teacher”
at the end of line 47 (7B 46) and had stricken the words
“corporate officers” and removed the parentheses in
line 26 (TB 47). By common consent it was agreed to
change the orders of the day and move the time for
adoption of the slate for President of the Synod to 2:45
rather than 3:00 as previously scheduled. After declin-
ing several proposed amendments and substitute mo-
tions, the convention adopted a motion requesting the
Commission on Constitutional Matters to meet to pro-
vide an opinion on the constitutionality of placing the
proposals of the Task Force into effect before continuing
the consideration and adoption of additional proposals
of convention Floor Committee 2. Prior to this action a

motion asking that Res. 2-03 and the other subsequent
Task Force resolutions be postponed until the next
convention was declared out of order because the resolu-
tion asked for postponement of consideration of the
Task Force report rather than the resolutions proposed
by Committee 2.

Presidential Nominees

Dr. Herbert Mueller, Secretary of the Synod, pre-
sented the slate of nominees for President of the Synod
to the delegates (C W 315). In doing so he reminded the
delegates that the addition of names to the slate would
require a motion, second, and a favorable majority vote.
If this were to happen, it would be necessary to deter-
mine that the proposed candidate was eligible for
election, that he had given his consent to have his name
submitted as a candidate, and that he was prepared to
provide the necessary biographical information. The
delegates then adopted the slate of five candidates for
President consisting of Dr. Ralph Bohlmann, Dr. Ger-
hardt Hyatt, Dr. Walter A. Maier, Jr., Rev. Charles
Mueller, Dr. Robert Sauer. By resolution, the convention
also agreed to proceed immediately with the initial
ballot for President.

Task Force

A motion asking that Res. 2-03 and any other
subsequent committee resolutions dealing with Task
Force proposals be postponed was declined by the
delegates. Resuming discussion of Res. 2-03 (TB 46), the
delegates also declined to substitute the words “voting
members” for the words “6 professional workers or 1 of
the 10 laypersons” in line 56 (TB 46). They agreed,
however, to consider a substitute motion which asked
that the proposal found in Convention Workbook, page
144, be substituted for lines 38—54 (TB 46). Time for
discussion ran out at this point.

Elections

Dr. Henry Simon, chairman of the Floor Committee
on Elections, explained the election procedures to the
delegates. After doing so, ballots were distributed for
the office of President. The balloting was declared
closed after all the ballots had been received.

Constitutional Matters

Dr. Paul Spitz, chairman of the Floor Committee on
Constitutional Matters, introduced Res. 5-01 (TB 99).
Prior to doing so, the words “Good Shepherd Lutheran
Church, Erie, KS, Kansas District” in line 24 (TB 99)
were deleted from the resolution. The word “Golden” in
line 22, (7B 99) was replaced by the word “Lakewood.”
The delegates adopted this resolution and by doing so
accepted Faith Lutheran Church, Deer Park, WA, North-
west District; Resurrection Lutheran Church, Monroe,
WI, South Wisconsin District; St. Luke’s Lutheran
Church, Lakewood, CO, Colorado District; Christ Luther-
an Church, Lenexa, KS, Kansas District; Calvary Luther-
an Church, Yates Center, KS, Kansas District; Trinity
Lutheran Church, Litchfield, AZ, Southern California