# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1998_S250 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 250 STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION Resolved, That the Synod abide by the Scriptures which require clear pastoral communication with the erring (Ezek. 3; Matt. 18; Gal. 6). Faith. Sugar Land, TX; Gloria Dei. Houston, TX; Nazareth, Buffalo, NY; St. Luke, Montgomery, IL; Good Shepherd, Two Rivers, WI; Holy Cross, Bordentown, NJ; Trinity, Walden, NY; East Bethlehem, Detroit, MI; Our Savior, Albany, NY; Faith, Geneva, IL; Bethlehem, Nekoosa, WI; Grace, Streamwood, IL; Zion, Akron, OH; Oak Road, Lilburn, GA; St. James, Marion, IN; Resurrection, Charlotte, NC 7-37 To Abolish Council of Presidents and Reassign Its Duties WHEREAS, The Council of Presidents represents an unnecessary and expensive burden to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod; and Wuereas, Abolishment of the Council of Presidents would pre- sent financial savings to Synod; and WHEREAS, Duties now assigned to the Council of Presidents under the Bylaws may be assumed by alternate synodical bodies in place or entirely dispensed with; therefore be it Resolved, That the Council! of Presidents be abolished and all reference to the Council of Presidents be expunged from synodical Bylaws; and be it further Resolved, Under Bylaw 2.15 ¢ strike “(on the basis of policies adopted by the Council of Presidents)” and insert “(on the basis of policies set forth by the synodical Praesidium)”; and be it further Resolved, Under Bylaw 2.17 to strike “Any unusual case shall be decided by the Council of Presidents” and insert “Any unusual case shall be decided by the synodical Praesidium”; and be it fur- ther Resolved, That current Bylaw 2.11 a be amended, striking “Council of Presidents” and inserting “an ad hoc committee be ap- pointed annually by each synodical seminary”; and be it further Resolved, That current Bylaw 2.11 d be deleted in its entirety; and be it further Resolved, That current Bylaw 2.19 a be amended, striking all reference to “Council of Presidents” and inserting “synodical Pres- ident”; and be it further Resolved, That under Bylaw 2.19 a that a committee appointed by the synodical President to review the candidate status of any member of Synod and make recommendations to the synodical President, who shall determine whether or not to continue candi- date status on an annual basis; and be it further Resolved, That under Bylaw 2.23 d all reference to “Council of Presidents” be stricken and “synodical President” inserted with subsequent adjustment of language to meet the revision; and be it further Resolved, That under Bylaw 2.29 b delete “chairman of the Council of Presidents (COP)” and insert “Secretary of Synod”; and be it further Resolved, That under Bylaw 2.29 c delete “chairman of COP” and insert “Secretary of Synod”; and be it further Resolved, That under Bylaw 2.29 e delete “chairman of COP” and insert “Secretary of Synod.” and be it further Resolved, That under Bylaw 2.31 delete “Council of Presidents” and insert “synodical Praesidium’; and be it further Resolved, That under Bylaw 2.33 “Council of Presidents” be deleted and insert “synodical Praesidium’”; and be it further Resolved, That under Bylaw 3.600 b delete “and the Council of Presidents”; and be it further Resolved, That under Bylaw 3.601 | delete “the Council of Pres- idents by its two-thirds vote” and “and the Council of Presidents”; and be it further Resolved, That under Bylaw 3.705 b “the Council of Presidents” be deleted; and be it further Resolved, That current Bylaw 3.903 be abolished to be substi- tuted by Bylaw 3.904, “Membership,’’ “The Commission on Con- stitutional Matters shall consist of five voting members to be elected by the Synod in convention. Three members shall be lawyers and two members ordained ministers”; and be it further Resolved, That current Bylaw 3.921 1 be amended to read, “The synodical ‘convention shall elect four ordained ministers who are parish pastors, one commissioned minister who is a parish teacher, and four laypersons”; and be it further Resolved, That Bylaw 3.921 2 be deleted; and be it further Resolved, That Bylaw 3.930 be deleted in its entirety; and be it further Resolved, That under Bylaw 3.940 a, “A meeting between the Council of Ministry and the Council of Presidents is encouraged at least triennially” be deleted; and be it further Resolved, Under Bylaw 3.940 b 4, “Two District Presidents to be elected by the Council of Presidents” be stricken and “Two Dis- trict Presidents selected by the synodical President” be inserted; and be it further Resolved, Under Bylaw 6.87 a, “a District President appointed by the Council of Presidents” be deleted; and be it further Resolved, That under Bylaw 6.99 b, “the chairman of the Coun- cil of Presidents Placement Committee for the Pastoral Ministry” be deleted; and be it further Resolved, That under Bylaw 6.101 “Council of Presidents act- ing as the Board of Assignments” be stricken and “Colloquy Com- mittee acting as the Board of Assignments” be inserted; and be it further Resolved, That under Bylaw 6.119 ‘Council of Presidents act- ing as the Board of Assignments” be stricken and “Colloquy Com- mittee for the Teaching Ministry acting as the Board of Assign- ments” be inserted; and be it further Resolved, That under Bylaw 6.138 “by the Council of Presi- dents acting as the Board of Assignments” be deleted and “Collo- quy Committee for the Deaconess Ministry acting as the Board of Assignments” be inserted; and be it further Resolved, That under Bylaw 7.25 | “Council of Presidents” be stricken and “Board for Higher Education” be inserted; and be it finally Resolved, That Bylaw 7.45 5 be deleted. St. Paul, Paterson, NJ; Bethlehem, Fairborn, OH 7-38 To Limit COP to Activities Mandated in LCMS Constitution WuerEAS, The December 1997 issue of the Reporter states the COP has created nine committees not mandated by the Handbook, including Council on Mission and Ministry, Distance Education Leading to Ordination, and Lutheran Family Association Board; and WHEREAS, The Handbook only directs the District presidents to act as the Board of Assignments Bylaw 2.11 a; to place emeritus pastors from another church body on the synodical roster, Bylaw 2.11 d; to be responsible for ordination and initial installation Bylaw 2.13 of pastors; and Bylaws 2.21-2.45, to oversee doctrinal and disciplinary supervision of clergy and congregations; and WHEREAS, There is confusion in LCMS congregations and in the COP about the definition of the Gospel demonstrated by pastors writing and confessing their own creeds for Communion services; and WHEREAS, Many congregations must wait six months or more for an approved call from the District president; and