# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2007_S251
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION 251

7-43

To Amend Constitution re Conditions of Membership

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and “every
member of the Synod accepts without reservation: 1. The Scrip-
tures of the Old and New Testament as the written Word of God
and the only rule and norm of faith and of practice; 2. All the Sym-
bolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church as a true and
unadulterated statement and exposition of the Word of God, to wit:
the three Ecumenical Creeds (the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene
Creed, the Athanasian Creed), the Unaltered Augsburg Confession,
the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles,
the Large Catechism of Luther, the Small Catechism of Luther, and
the Formula of Concord” (Art. II); and

WHEREAS, The LCMS confesses on the basis of Holy Scripture
that women may not serve in the pastoral ministry, as this is con-
trary to the clear teaching of Holy Scripture, (Res. 3-O8A, 2004 and
others); and

WHEREAS, The first condition for acquiring and holding mem-
bership in the Synod is “‘acceptance of the confessional basis of Ar-
ticle IT” (Art. VI 1); therefore be it

Resolved, That Art. VI, Conditions of Membership, of the
LCMS Constitution be amended by inclusion of the following: “3.
Renunciation of the calling and ordination of women into the pas-
toral ministry.”

St. Paul
Brookfield, IL

7-44

To Establish Equitable Terms for All Officers of Synod

WuereaS, The officers of the Synod are identified in the Hand-
book of the Synod as the following: “The officers of the Synod are:

1. A President
2. Vice-Presidents, in line of succession, as prescribed by the Bylaws
3. A Secretary
4. A Vice-President~Finance—Treasurer not in line of succession
5. A Board of Directors
6. Other officers, as specified in the Bylaws (Art. X);

and

WHEREAS, In the current Synod structure, the officers of the
Synod, excepting the Board of Directors, are elected to three-year
terms, with election at the Synod convention every three years; and

WHEREAS, The Board of Directors is identified as an officer of
the Synod, yet its members are elected to six-year terms; and

WHEREAS, The current terms of service upon election cause an
imbalance of equity of terms among the members of the Board of
Directors, which currently includes the President and Secretary as
voting members and the First Vice-President and Vice-Presi-
dent-Finance—Treasurer as nonvoting members, who all serve
three-year terms; and

WHEREAS, Equitable term representation of all the officers of the
Synod that serve on the Board of Directors would cause more equi-
table representation of the Synod at large at any given time; and

WHEREAS, Longer terms of office would be beneficial to the ef-
ficiency and proficiency of the individual officers of the Synod as
they learn the functions of their office and would be beneficial to
the church as these officers effectively perform the roles to which
they have been elected; therefore be it

Resolved, That the terms of office for all officers of the Synod,
including the Board of Directors, be made equitable, with all serv-
ing six-year terms, by electing the President, First Vice-President,
Secretary, and Vice-President-Finance—Treasurer to six-year
terms beginning in 2010; and be it further

Resolved, That the CCM incorporate necessary revisions into
the Bylaws to properly reflect these changes.

Trinity

Roselle, IL

7-45

To Establish Minimum Requirements
for Officers of Synod
WHEREAS, Art. X of the LCMS Constitution defines the officers
of the Synod as follows: “The officers of the Synod are:
1. A President
2. Vice-Presidents, in line of succession, as prescribed by the Bylaws
3. A Secretary
4. A Vice-President-Finance—Treasurer not in line of succession
5. A Board of Directors
6. Other officers, as specified in the Bylaws”;
and
WHEREAS, The officers of the Synod in their various capacities
are responsible for the oversight of important aspects of the life and
ministry of the Synod, including ecclesiastical, administrative, and

legal responsibilities, as assigned in the Constitution and Bylaws
of the Synod; and

WHEREAS, Holy Scripture states that overseers in the church
should not be recent converts (1 Tim. 3:6); and

WHEREAS, It would serve the church well to ensure that the in-
dividuals considered for election as officers of the Synod have the
experience and the utmost of qualifications to hold such office in
the church; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention adopt minimum re-
quirements for persons who desire to serve as an officer of the
Synod, as these are identified in the Constitution and Bylaws, ex-
cepting the Vice-President-Finance—Treasurer, whose qualifica-
tions are determined by the Board of Directors; and be it further

Resolved, That the following requirements be established as
those minimums:

1. Have been a communicant member of the LCMS for at least
seven years;

2. Have exhibited leadership on the congregational, district, or
Synod level in the LCMS for a minimum of two years of service.

3. Have willingly demonstrated support of the mission and ministry
of the LCMS in time, talent, and treasure in accord with the gifts
God has given him/her; '

and be it finally
Resolved, That these minimum requirements be put into effect
at the 2007 Synod convention.
Trinity
Roselle, IL

7-46

To Provide a Procedure for Removal of an Officer
WHEREAS, Art. X of the LCMS Constitution defines the officers
of the Synod as follows: “The officers of the Synod are:
1. A President
2. Vice-Presidents, in line of succession, as prescribed by the Bylaws
3. A Secretary
4. A Vice-President-Finance—Treasurer not in line of succession
5. A Board of Directors
6. Other officers, as specified in the Bylaws”;
and
WHEREAS, “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” (Art. XI A 1); and

WHEREAS, “The Synod at all times has the right to call its offi-
cers to account and, if circumstances require it, to remove them
from office in accordance with Christian procedure” (Art. XI A 2);
and

WHEREAS, Circumstances may arise between the meetings of
the Synod in convention that may warrant the removal of a per-