# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_2007_S70 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 70 REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT vention.” “The matter” refers to a large extent to the very issues that the proposed lawsuit intends to raise. The Board and the President have agreed upon an appointment process and have made their respective appointments. Arrangements for an initial meeting of this special committee will be made during the Board’s May 2005 meeting. CONCLUSION This information is being shared with the Synod in the hope and desire that the members and individuals in congregations of the Synod will be fully informed and reassured regarding these matters. We are prayerful that any congregation or individual solicited to join in such needless and divisive litigation involving these matters will decline to do so, especially given the fact that the Board of Directors has investigated the electoral circuit matter and has resolved not to pursue such action, and given the additional fact that the Board and the President have appointed a committee to look into the very issues being raised by the would-be lawsuit. The Holy Spirit-inspired words of St. Paul are commended for prayerful consideration: 1 If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? 2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 4Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church! 5I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? 6But instead, one brother goes to law against another—and this in front of unbelievers! 7 The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 8Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers. 9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:1–11) Response submitted on May 6, 2005, by the following: Dr. Gerald B. Kieschnick, President of the Synod Dr. William Diekelman, First Vice-President of the Synod Dr. Raymond Hartwig, Secretary of the Synod Dr. Tom Kuchta, Vice-President–Finance—Treasurer of the Synod Dr. Robert Kuhn, Chairman, Board of Directors of the Synod Rev. James Fandrey, Vice-Chairman, Board of Directors of the Synod Rev. William Hoesman, Chairman, Council of Presidents of the Synod Dr. Larry Stoterau, Vice-Chairman, Council of Presidents of the Synod 2007 Convention Proceedings ADDENDUM 1: Voting Delegate Registrations and Attendance The following is a comparison according to districts of voting delegate registrations and attendance at the Synod’s 1998, 2001, and 2004 conventions: • The numbers in boldface print represent the number of voting delegates registered for each convention. • The numbers following in italic print represent the number of voting delegates that actually attended each convention. • The numbers following in parentheses ( ) indicate the number of requested exceptions granted by the President of the Synod according to Bylaw 3.03. • The numbers in brackets [ ] indicate the number of such requests for exceptions that were denied. Atlantic Cal./Nev./Hawaii Central Illinois Eastern English Florida/Georgia Indiana Iowa East Iowa West Kansas Michigan Mid-South Minnesota North Minnesota South Missouri Montana Nebraska New England New Jersey North Dakota North Wisconsin Northern Illinois Northwest Ohio Oklahoma Pacific Southwest Rocky Mountain SELC South Dakota South Wisconsin Southeastern Southern Southern Illinois Texas Wyoming TOTALS 1998 2001 24 22 (3) [1] 36 35 (4) 32 32 32 32 38 36 32 32 (1) [1] 43 43 26 26 40 40 32 32 88 86 (3) 22 22 36 35 52 52 58 58 12 12 (1) 44 43 18 17 (2) 12 12 16 16 40 39 52 52 48 47 30 30 14 14 56 55 (1) 28 28 6 6 22 22 54 54 (1) 38 38 (1) [1] 28 28 14 14 62 61 (2) 14 14 (2) 1199 1185 (21) [3] 20 19 (4) [4] 32 32 (4) 32 31 28 28 (1) 40 39 (11) [1] 31 32 (1) [1] 44 44 26 26 (1) 39 40 32 32 88 88 (5) 21 21 (1) 36 36 (1) 52 52 58 58 (1) 12 12 (1) 44 44 18 18 (2) 12 11 16 16 (3) 40 40 49 49 (2) [1] 48 48 (1) 30 30 16 16 (1) 52 52 (2) [3] 28 28 (1) 6 6 22 22 53 53 (2) 36 36 (1) [1] 28 28 (2) 14 14 72 72 (6) [2] 14 14 (2) 1191 1188 (56) [13] In summary: • Number of visitation circuits: • Number of electoral circuits: • Number of voting delegates registered: • Number of voting delegates in attendance: • Number of districts requesting exceptions: • Number of exceptions granted: • Number of exceptions not granted: • Number of delegates from exceptions: • Percentage of delegates from exceptions: 2004 24 24 (6) 36 36 (4) 32 32 32 32 (5) 38 38 (8) 44 44 (7) 44 44 (1) 26 26 40 40 (1) 32 31 88 88 (5) 24 24 (1) 36 36 (1) 52 51 (2) 58 57 (1) 12 12 (2) 44 44 (1) 18 18 (3) 10 9 (1) 12 12 40 40 52 52 (3) 50 49 (5) 30 30 18 18 (4) 64 64 (2) 28 28 (1) 6 6 (1) 22 22 (2) 54 54 (1) 40 40 (2) 28 28 (3) 22 22 76 75 (13) 14 14 (2) 1246 1240 (88) [0] 1998 2001 2004 629 601 1199 1185 11 21 3 42 3.5% 627 596 1191 1188 23 56 13 112 9.5% 644 623 1246 1240 28 88 0 176 14.2% Excerpted from Report to LCMS Board of Directors, February 24–25, 2005 Compiled by Dr. Raymond Hartwig, LCMS Secretary [NOTE: In addition to the information in the original table included above with this report, the numbers for the 2007 convention have been shown in a table included at the end of this special report for the sake of complete comparison. (See Special Report Addendum A)]