# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2004_S287
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION 287

cation 517), and therefore ought not to be listed as ministers of re-
ligion; and

WHEREAS, Those who serve God as “certified church workers,
lay” may have a number of reasons not to seek individual mem-
bership in the Synod as “commissioned ministers,” such as the un-
derstanding that they do not serve in divinely mandated offices,
that they intend to serve only temporarily, or that due to marriage
they would suffer unwanted tax consequences if they would be
considered “ministers of religion—commissioned,” and so forth;
and

WHEREAS, The practices of a church ought to reflect the Scrip-
tural distinctions between the priesthood of all believers (in which
the certified church workers, lay are engaged), and the divinely
mandated ministry of the Word (see C. F. W. Walther’s Theses on
the Ministry, reaffirmed at the 2001 convention [especially theses
1, 2, 8, and 10]), while we are also subject to the government that
God has placed over us (Rom. 13); therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod retain
Chapter VII in its Bylaws, but return to the previous terminology
“certified church workers, lay” in every place where the 2001
amendment uses the wording “consecrated lay workers”; and be it
further

Resolved, That the District Presidents continue to help congre-
gations oversee any Christian education which is performed by
these church workers, and that the District Presidents provide a way
to reclassify any workers currently in the “ministers of religion—
commissioned” categories who desire instead to be listed as “‘certi-
fied church workers, lay.”

Quincy Circuit Forum
Central Illinois District

7-110

To Thank Synod’s Board of Directors

WHEREAS, In the past triennium the Synod has been confronted
with difficult and unusual situations, the cutback of missionaries,
the decreased funding to our seminaries, the Yankee Stadium
event, the release of Dr. Wallace Schulz as Lutheran Hour speaker,
and controversial CCM opinions; and

WueREAS, It has been necessary for the Board of Directors of
the Synod to address these matters; and

WHEREAS, The Board of Directors has sought faithfully to ad-
dress them, governed by God’s Word, the Confessions of our
church, and the Constitution of our Synod; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention assembled thank the
Board of Directors for their efforts and faithfulness in these diffi-
cult matters.

St. Paul
Brookfield, {L

7-111

To Restate Role of Board of Directors

WHEREAS, Traditionally the Board of Directors of the Synod has
held a role limited to overseeing the physical aspects of the Synod;
and

WHEREAS, Recent resolutions have somewhat changed this role
to the detriment of the smooth operation of the various aspects of
the Synod’s ministry; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention restate the following
policies:

1. The Board of Directors shall supervise the physical properties
and the financial dealings of the Synod.

2. Other boards and commissions of the Synod shall carry out their
assigned duties under the supervision of the Synod in conven-
tion.

3. The Commission on Constitutional Matters shall operate with its
traditional mandate of issuing opinions, which can only be over-
ruled by the Synod in convention.

4. All boards and commissions of the Synod shall work in harmony
with one another, and the President of the Synod shall be re-
sponsible for the facilitation of this harmony.

Trinity
Walnut Creek, CA

7-112

To Remove Members of Board of Directors from Office

WHEREAS, The elected officers of the Synod are to “serve the
Synod in accordance with the duties assigned to them or otherwise
authorized by the Constitution and appropriate Bylaws; and

WHEREAS, “Primary responsibility is given to each officer, to
the extent of his jurisdiction, for implementing specific decisions of
the . . . appropriate commissions” (Bylaw 1.07 b); and

« WHEREAS, The Commission on Constitutional Matters has the
responsibility to “interpret the Synod’s Constitution, Bylaws, and
resolutions,” and “an opinion rendered by the commission shall be
binding on the question decided unless and until it is overruled by a
synodical convention” (Bylaw 3.905 d); and

Wuereas, “The officers of the Synod must assume only such
rights as have been expressly conferred upon them by the Synod,
and in everything pertaining to their rights and the performance of
their duties they are responsible to the Synod” (Constitution XI A.
1); and

Wuereas, Nowhere in the Constitution or Bylaws is there any
provision for the synodical Board of Directors to declare any opin-
ion of the CCM to be of “no effect”—as they have done (Minutes
[2003] of the Board of Directors, pp. 231, 233); and

WHEREAS, The Synod at all times has the right to call its officers
to account, and if circumstances require it, to remove them from
office in accordance with Christian procedure; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod, in convention, recognize that the ac-
tions of the Board of Directors have exceeded its authority and
therefore call the members of the Board to account by removing
them from office; and be it further

Resolved, That the Committee on Nominations be directed to
prepare a list of candidates for election to the Board of Directors,
with some members to serve for the regular six year terms and the
remainder for three years.

Resurrection
Coronado, CA

7-113

To Remove Certain Members
of Board of Directors from Office

WHEREAS, The Constitution of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod sets forth the Rights and Duties of Officers in Art. XI A: “1.
The officers of the Synod must assume only such rights as have
been expressly conferred upon them by the Synod, and in every-
thing pertaining to their rights and the performance of their duties
they are responsible to the Synod. 2. The Synod at all times has the
right to call its officers to account and, if circumstances require it,
to remove them from office in accordance with Christian proce-
dure” (emphasis added); and

WHEREAS, Bylaw 3.73, in reference to accountability of offi-
cers, boards, and commissions, states: “All officers, boards, and
commissions. shall be accountable to the Synod for all their actions,
and any decision of such officers, boards, and commissions may
be appealed to the national convention of the Synod”; and

WHEREAS, Bylaw 3.69 | sets forth the following regulation for
all corporate entities, councils, boards, commissions, and agencies:
“Members of boards and commissions and officers and executive
staff of the Synod and its entities and agencies shall be sensitive in