# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2001_S259 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION 259 Wuereas, The Synod has created a Commission on Constitu- tional Matters (CCM) to render opinions or interpretations on con- stitutional matters as well as interpretations on synodical resolu- tions; and WuhereasS, In recent years the opinions and interpretations of the CCM have been given the standing of official synodical policy; and Wuereas, The synodical Constitution specifically directs that all matters that involve synodical matters shall be decided either at a regularly scheduled synodical convention, a specially called syn- odical convention, or by a congregation referendum that requires at least one fourth of the congregations registering their vote; and Wuereas, No resolution of any synodical convention can su- percede or amend any article of the Constitution unless such amendments are established in accord with the procedures speci- fied in Art. XIV; and WHEREAS, No such changes or amendments have been made that authorize the CCM to have any authority to create or initiate any synodical policy; therefore be it Resolved, That all opinions and interpretations rendered by the Commission on Constitutional Matters (CCM) shall always remain opinions and interpretations and shall not carry the weight of syn- odical policy; and be it further Resolved, That the Synod gathered in convention in St. Louis in July 2001 affirm that only the synodical convention can adopt or amend official policy of the Synod; and be it finally Resolved, That any opinions and interpretations that the CCM would recommend as becoming synodical policy shall be brought before the synodical convention for adoption or rejection. Our Savior Plantation, FL 7-65 To Require Publication and Ratification of CCM Opinions WHEREAS, Bylaw 3.905 d provides that an opinion rendered by the CCM shall be binding on the question unless and until it is overruled by a synodical convention; and WHEREAS, The CCM is not directed to present all of its opin- ions to the members of the Synod and has not always done so; and Wuereas, This makes it possible for opinions of the CCM to be made binding without notice to members of the Synod; there- fore be it Resolved, That the CCM be required to publish all of its opin- ions in an official periodical, make them available on a Web site, and include them in each Convention Workbook, all under CCM headings; and be it further Resolved, That opinions of the CCM not be binding unless and until they are approved by a convention of the Synod. Prince of Peace Orlando, FL 7-66 To Preserve Right of Districts to Dissent WHEREAS, In response to a query regarding whether an action taken by a District Convention “to file an expression of dissent to a doctrine or practice of the Synod” is permissible, the Commission on Constitutional Matters’ Ruling 00-2212 of 26 October 2000 de- clared that “an official action by a District ... to file an expression of dissent to the Synod regarding a doctrine taught and practiced by the Synod is out of order and, therefore, null and void”; and Whereas, Synodical Bylaw 4.11 states that “the delegate con- vention of the District is a legislative assembly. ... through which the congregations and the District can together make recommen- dations to the convention, boards, and commissions of the Synod”; and WHEREAS, In adopting resolutions for consideration by the Synod in convention, Districts serve as appropriate and useful channels through which member congregations may express their views; and Whereas, Ruling 00-2212 contradicts a long-standing practice in our synodical covenant of Districts offering overtures for con- sideration by the Synod in convention; therefore be it Resolved, That the Missouri Synod in the 2001 convention overrule and reject Commission on Constitutional Matters’ Ruling 00-2212; and be it further Resolved, That the Missouri Synod reaffirm the right of a Dis- trict, District delegate convention, and District Board of Directors to submit overtures, including expressions of dissent to the Synod regarding a doctrine taught and practiced by the Synod, and to make any other recommendations deemed appropriate to the con- vention, boards, and commissions of the Synod; and be it further Resolved, That the Secretary of the Synod be directed to honor and respect all overtures submitted by District conventions and Dis- trict Boards of Directors and to publish them in the preconvention Workbook; and be it finally Resolved, That the Voters Assembly of St. John Lutheran Church, Hattiesburg, MS, adopt and submit this overture to the 2001 convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod meet- ing in St. Louis. St. John Hattiesburg, MS 7-67 To Overrule CCM to Allow Districts to Dissent WHEREAS, Districts are representative of the congregations that make up their constituency; and WHEREAS, The Synod was formed to facilitate the spreading of the Gospel of Jesus Christ by bringing congregations together so they could work cooperatively in telling the Good News about Jesus; and Wuereas, For the sake of order the Synod adopts certain ap- proaches for going about telling the Good News about Jesus; and Wuereas, God in His wisdom provides His people with a vari- ety of views as to how to go about the telling of the Good News; and Wuereas, Ruling 00-2212 of the CCM challenges the right of Districts of the Synod to bring the concerns of their constituent congregations before the entire Synod as a District, thus calling into question the guarantees of Art. VIIT of our synodical Constitution; and WHEREAS, Bylaw 3.905 d makes the ruling of the CCM bind- ing unless it is overturned by a subsequent convention; therefore be it Resolved, That the Synod in convention overrule Ruling 00- 2212 of the Commission on Constitutional Matters issued on Oct. 26, 2000; and be it further Resolved, That the Synod gathered in convention express its ap- preciation to those Districts that communicate their concerns to the entire Synod in a variety of ways, including resolutions at District conventions; and be it further Resolved, That the term “Synod in that place” in reference to Districts is understood to express reciprocal rather than one-way communication and direction as it is the congregations who ini- tially formed the Synod and not Synod the congregations; and be it finally Resolved, That recognized Districts do indeed have the right to communicate and endorse overtures from their constituent congre- gations to a convention of the Synod even if they are of a dissenting nature. First, Willows, CA; St. Paul, Artois, CA; Prince of Peace, Orlando, FL 2001 Convention Workbook