# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2004_S248 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 7. STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION 7-01 To Adopt Handbook Revision Rationale 1998 convention Res. 7-01, “To Re-establish Commission on Structure,” instructed the Board of Directors “to appoint a Com- mission on Structure [to] ... draft revisions to the format and con- tent of the Synod’s Constitution and Bylaws which will eliminate inconsistencies and make the Handbook more usable for the Synod.” As a result, the Commission on Structure appointed by the Board of Directors reorganized the content of the Handbook, taking - great care to retain the entire content of the current Handbook, re- ordering and relocating Bylaws to make the Handbook mote user- friendly, and making only nonsubstantive changes to simplify, clar- ify, or eliminate inconsistencies. The Handbook revision was reported to the 2001 convention in two versions: (1) a marked version of the current Handbook, de- tailing changes and new locations of Bylaws; and (2) a final version with all changes in place, this version intended for adoption. Adop- tion was postponed, however, by Res. 7-02 of the 2001 convention because the Commission on Constitutional Matters had only par- tially reviewed the revision. Res. 7-02 resolved that the report be referred back to the Com- mission on Structure to continue its work as a pro fem commission. It also resolved that the Commission on Constitutional Matters “ex- peditiously complete its review and forward concerns to [the] Pro Tem Commission” for its consideration before presenting a final report to the members of the Synod one year prior to the 2004 con- vention. Accordingly, the Pro Tem Commission took into consideration the comments of the Commission on Constitutional Matters and, as of July 2003, completed its work and made its report available to the members of the Synod via the Internet. Upon review of the re- port by various parties, several additional changes were made to bring the revision totally in line with the provisions of the current Handbook. The revised Handbook is being presented once again for ap- proval in a supplementary volume to the 2004 convention Work- book. The Pro Tem Commission on Structure strongly encourages the convention to give serious attention to the report, to take note of the care that has been taken to make no substantive change while reordering the content to make it user-friendly, and to adopt the fol- lowing resolution: Resolved, That the revised Handbook, prepared by the Pro Tem Commission on Structure, be adopted; and be it further Resolved, That any Bylaw changes adopted by the 2004 con- vention be formatted accordingly and incorporated into the revised Handbook by the Commission on Constitutional Matters as pro- vided by Bylaw 3.905 c. Pro Tem Commission on Structure 7-02 To Revise Constitution and Bylaws WHEREAS, The Constitution and Bylaws have served the orga- nizational needs of God’s church we call The Lutheran Church —Missouri Synod for over 100 years; and Wuereas, Multiple amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws have occurred over the years, each well-intended and designed to address a change needed at the date of its adoption; and Whereas, The organizational needs of The Lutheran Church —Missouri Synod have changed since the Constitution and Bylaws were adopted and will continue to change; and Wrereas, The Constitution and Bylaws, although not intended, have become complex resulting in an organizational structure that is perceived to be inefficient and bureaucratic; and Whereas, A lack of membership growth, accelerating conflict throughout our Synod family, and dwindling financial support to the Synod have been attributed to this organizational structure; therefore be it Resolved, A new organizational structure needs to be developed that maximizes our time and effort for proclaiming Jesus to a hurt- ing world while minimizing our time and effort on organizational matters; and be it further Resolved, That the Texas District ask the 2004 convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to create: 1. A special constitutional task force of 11 people selected as fol- lows: - ¢ 4 members (2 laypersons and 2 pastors) appointed by the Synod President. ¢ 4 members (2 laypersons and 2 pastors) appointed by the Synod’s Board of Directors. ¢ 1 pastor, 1 commissioned minister, and | layperson elected by the 2004 Synod convention. 2. The task force be charged to: ¢ Draft and present to the congregations a proposed revised Synod Constitution and Bylaws by January, 1, 2009. ¢ Secure widespread congregational input as well as input from all Synod entities and offices during the drafting process. * Present a new, proposed Constitution and Bylaws to the 2010 convention for action. * Consider the following objectives: a. Maximize organizational time and talent to proclaim the Great Commission and minimize organizational time and talents to internal organizational matters. b. Streamline decision making. c. Minimize layers of organizational bureaucracy. d. Create fair congregational representation and avoid minor- ity control. 3. All task force decisions to be made by simple majority vote. All eleven task force members have voting privileges. ¢ The Synod Board of Directors is directed to allocate sufficient financial resources to support the work of the task force. ¢ The task force will be disbanded at the conclusion of the 2010 Synod convention. Texas District; Trinity, Roselle, IL; Gloria Dei, Nassau Bay, TX; Florida-Georgia District 7-03 To Revise Constitution and Bylaws WHEREAS, The Constitution and Bylaws have served the orga- nizational needs of God’s church we call The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod for over 100 years; and WueREAS, Multiple amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws have occurred over the years, each well intended and designed to address a change needed at the date of its adoption; and WHEREAS, The organizational needs of The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod have changed since the Constitution and Bylaws were adopted and will continue to change; and WHEREAS, The Constitution and Bylaws, although not intended, have become unnecessarily complex resulting in an inefficient and bureaucratic organizational structure, decision-making gridlock, and unfair congregational representation in the synodical decision- making process; and Satan has seized upon this situation by creat- ing a lack of trust throughout the Synod family and is succeeding in creating growing signs of organizational dysfunctionalism; and WuerEAS, The aforementioned problems may be contributing to our lack of membership growth, accelerating conflict through- out our Synod family, and dwindling financial support to the Synod; and Whereas, A new and streamlined Constitution and Bylaws is needed to refocus ourselves as God’s church in the twenty-first century and to minimize our time and effort on organizational mat- ters and maximize our time and effort for proclaiming Jesus to a hurting world; therefore be it 249