# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_2023_S213
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

10. ECCLESIASTICAL SUPERVISION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION
To Amend Dispute Resolution
and Expulsion Bylaws to Address
Practical Considerations and Clarity
RESOLUTION 10-01
Overture 10-01 (CW, 399–401)
Preamble
The Commission on Handbook (COH) has, in keeping with its
responsibility to “respond to requests … to propose new
provisions to address specific Handbook-related issues that
surface between conventions” (Bylaw 3.9.4.2 [e]), responded
to suggestions for bylaw changes in the dispute resolution and
expulsion bylaws of the Synod with the following. Areas for
work and potential solutions were proposed by the Secretary
of the Synod, assembled from his consultation with the
Council of Presidents, the Commission on Constitutional
Matters, and Ambassadors of Reconciliation, which provides
training for Synod’s official roster of reconcilers and hearing
facilitators. These fall in the following areas:
A. CLARIFY THAT HEARING FACILITATOR SERVICE
SURVIVES DISTRICT TRANSFER (COH 19-009A)
Rationale
Hearing facilitators are drawn from the pool of district-based,
trained reconcilers, onto a separate roster at the Synod level.
A question has arisen about the sense of language in Bylaw
1.10.12 (a), which refers, nonetheless, to movement of hearing
facilitators from district to district. The commission
determined that the language should be clarified by
incorporating the sense of existing Bylaw 1.10.12.2 into 1.10.12
(a).

numbered conventions of the Synod (e.g., 64th in 2010,
66th in 2016, 68th in 2023, etc.), the Secretary of the
Synod shall contact all hearing facilitators to learn of
their availability and willingness to continue for an
additional term. Resulting vacancies on the roster of
hearing facilitators shall be filled by the Secretary of the
Synod from the Synod roster of reconcilers after
consultation with the appropriate district presidents in
time for resulting vacancies on district rosters of
reconcilers to be filled by appointment by district boards
of directors.
(b) Any vacancy in an unexpired term shall be filled in
the same manner as described above.
1.10.12.1 Limitations on holding multiple offices do not
apply to hearing facilitators.
1.10.12.2 If a hearing facilitator moves from the district
where nominated, such hearing facilitator may remain on
the Synod’s roster of hearing facilitators.
1.10.12.32
A hearing facilitator shall not serve as a
reconciler or as a voting member of a panel.
B. TIMING, APPOINTMENT OF RECONCILERS
AND HEARING FACILITATORS (COH 19-003)
Rationale
2016 Resolution 12-09 adjusted the schedule and procedure
for appointment of dispute resolution reconcilers and hearing
facilitators, allowing district boards of directors to make such
appointments before, rather than after, the Synod convention
(after which terms of service begin). Reconcilers are trained
once appointed but cannot serve without training.

Therefore be it
Resolved, That Bylaw 1.10.12 be amended as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
Hearing Facilitators
1.10.12
After the training of the reconcilers and in
consultation with the appropriate district presidents, the
Secretary of the Synod shall maintain a roster of 25 hearing
facilitators selected from the roster of trained reconcilers.
They may be ordained ministers, commissioned ministers,
or laypersons and shall exhibit skills in the proper conduct
of a fair and impartial hearing. They shall receive training
for such purpose.
(a) Their term of service, monitored by the Secretary of
the Synod, shall be six years, renewable without limit.
Once appointed, the district membership of hearing
facilitators no longer pertains to their eligibility for
service in this position. Within three months after evenResolutions

Committee 10 Vice-Chairman Dwayne M. Lueck
PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2023 (68TH) LCMS CONVENTION | 213