# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2001_S244 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 244 STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION 7-19 To Reject Proposed Changes to Handbook WHEREAS, The mission of the church is carried out chiefly in the work of the local congregation; and Wuereas, The proposed changes decrease the authority of the loca] congregation in determining the shape and direction of its mission; and WHEREAS, A mandated “one size fits all” understanding fails to acknowledge the innate diversity with which God has gifted His church; and WHEREAS, The commission’s proposal would, if implemented, grant the President of the Synod unchecked power and significantly decreased accountability to the wider church; therefore be it Resolved, That the Synod in convention reject implementation of the Commission on Structure’s proposed changes to the 1998 Handbook. Faith Rochester, NY 7-20 To Reject Major Revisions of Bylaws WHEREAS, The 1998 Handbook of The Lutheran Church—Mis- souri Synod contains the Constitution, Bylaws, Articles of Incor- poration, etc., of the LCMS; and WHEREAS, Those referenced documents have a long history of serving the LCMS admirably; and WHEREAS, Those referenced documents can be understood by laity and pastors alike with minimal effort; and WHEREAS, Over many years, when there have been questions on interpretation thereof, the LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters has issued opinions or interpretations thereof when prop- erly requested to do so; and WHEREAS, Opinions or interpretations of the Commission on Constitutional Matters have become a meaningful body of law, which would be of little consequence if major revision of the ref- erenced documents occurred or if “policies” were substituted for current Bylaws; and WHEREAS, In July 2000 the Commission on Structure of the LCMS distributed volumes I and I] of what it termed its Prelimi- nary Report and Proposed Handbook, and WHEREAS, The said documents of the Commission on Structure propose a radical and major recodifying of the Bylaws of the LCMS and in many instances would substitute governance by “pol- icy” instead of by Bylaws; and WHEREAS, Resorting to an ambiguous governance by “policy” is highly susceptible to changes, including quick changes, and to lack of accountability not only to boards and commissions of the LCMS but also to the very congregations that compose the LCMS and on which the LCMS relies for its very existence and sustenance; and Whereas, The business world has seen the passing of such fads as management by objective, zero defects, etc.; therefore be it Resolved, That the LCMS convention reject any major revision of the LCMS Bylaws; and be it further Resolved, That the LCMS convention reject any and all moves to governance by policy, such as those set out many times in the said Preliminary Report and Proposed Handbook distributed by the Commission on Structure. Faith Chesapeake, VA 7-21 To Reaffirm Existing Constitution and Bylaws WHEREAS, The local congregation of believers is of divine in- stitution and the Synod is of human institution; and 2001 Convention Workbook WHEREAS, Historically, traditionally, and constitutionally the di- vinely instituted local congregations of believers have responsibly led the Synod in all matters; and WHEREAS, The divinely instituted congregations of believers and the Synod in convention in 1998 did adopt Res. 7-01 empow- ering the Board of Directors, “in consultation with the President of the Synod, to appoint a Commission of Structure [to] ... draft revi- sions to the format and content of the Synod’s Constitution and By- laws [Handbook] which will eliminate inconsistencies and make the Handbook more usable for the Synod”; and WuEREAS, The Commission on Structure was staffed and then did meet and did prepare a draft including only a portion of the changes that the Commission intends should be made to the Hand- book and then did distribute the draft to each of the divinely insti- tuted local congregations of believers of the Synod; and WHEREAS, Many of the changes proposed in the draft signifi- cantly alter the existing, historic, and traditional relationship be- tween the divinely instituted Jocal congregations of believers and the Synod and significantly alter the existing, historic, and tradi- tional relationship between the Districts and the Synod; and WHEREAS, The cover letter distributed by the Commission with the draft warns that “the Commission will also be advocating other more extensive changes either directly to the 200! Convention of the Synod or by recommending consideration of substantive changes to other entities of the Synod”; and Wuertas, Any proposal by the Commission, to any convention of the Synod or to “other entities” of the Synod, to alter the exist- ing, historic, and traditional relationship between the divinely in- stituted local congregations of believers and the Synod or to alter the existing, historic, and traditional relationship between the Dis- tricts and the Synod greatly exceeds the charter of the Commission: therefore be it Resolved, That the divinely instituted congregations of believers and the Synod in convention assembled in 2001 reaffirm the exist- ing Constitution and Bylaws (Handbook) without changes or amendments. Messiah Cincinnati, OH 7-22 To Decline Most Recommended Changes to Handbook WHEREAS, A committee and a task force of the Synod have made numerous recommendations toward changes in the synodi- cal Handbook and Bylaws; and WHEREAS, A great number of these changes affect the structure and polity of our church body; and WHEREAS, A great number of these changes are needless and detract from the real mission of the church, although a few of the recommended changes do help maintain clergy and church profes- sional retention on the official roster of the Synod: therefore be it Resolved, That the recommended changes (2.10.1-2.10.2.3) af- fecting clergy and professional church worker retention and status on the official roster of the Synod be accepted; and be it further Resolved, That all other recommended changes to the Bylaws and Handbook shall be declined. denied, and rejected by the LCMS synodical convention in 2001. Grace Elyria, OH 7-23 To Table Revisions to the Synodical Handbook WHEREAS, The proposed changes to the synodical Bylaws/Hand- book have far-reaching implications; and WHEREAS, Many congregations, pastors, and other professional church workers may not be fully aware of all the implications; and