# LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters Minutes_St. Louis Missouri_November 11 13 2011_S8
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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Bylaw 1.3.3, a: References should be to ordained minister and commissioned minister
conferences (Synod Bylaw 4.8.2).
Bylaw 2.1.1: The list of elected officers must also include the circuit counselors of the district.
Bylaw 2.1.2: The list of members of the board of directors should mention that these are the
“voting members” of the board. Also, as currently worded, the “one pastor” (rather than “one
ordained minister”) signifies that this be a parish pastor (according to Synod Handbook usage)—
and will need to be changed to “one ordained minister” if “parish pastor” is not the intention of
the district in this bylaw.
Bylaw 2.1.3.4: The reference to “District Constitution Directors” should rather read “district
constitution committee” as in Synod Bylaws 2.2.1(a) and 2.4.1 (b).
Bylaw 2.1.4.1 b: The listing of officers of the district must also include the treasurer and circuit
counselors (Synod Bylaws 4.3.1 and 4.3.2).
Bylaw 2.1.4.4 b: After the “Nominations and Elections Panel” terminology of Bylaw 1.3.2 is
changed to “committee” (see fourth bullet above), this paragraph b must exclude that committee
from this bylaw provision.
Bylaw 2.2.1.3 a: The inclusion of “refusal to act” must be removed from this paragraph, as any
such situation would need to be addressed by the process provided by Synod Bylaw section 2.15.
Bylaw 2.2.6.1: The second vice-president of the district should also be listed as a non-voting
member of the board. Care should also be taken that the ordained minister member of the board is
intended to be a “parish pastor,” as the listing now indicates by the use of the word “pastor.”
Bylaw 2.2.6.3 b: The provision for meetings using electronic media should include reference to
the policies for such meetings provided by the Synod’s Board of Directors, as required by Synod
Bylaw 1.5.3.
Bylaw 2.2.6.5 e: Mention of the district’s “Standard Operating Procedures Manual” calls
attention to the need to provide this manual to the Commission on Constitutional Matters for
review (Synod Bylaw 3.9.2.2.3).
Bylaw 2.2.6.6 c: The reference to the district board of directors as an “agency” contradicts the
use of that word by the Synod (Synod Bylaw 1.2.1 [a]) and should be replaced with “body” or
another such word.
Bylaw 2.2.6.7 a: The fiscal duties of the board of directors may not simply be delegated en Toto
to a smaller group such as a sub-committee.

68. Review of Michigan District Bylaws (11-2594)
Following the commission’s 2009 review of the Bylaws of the Michigan District, the district committee
took the suggestions and recommendations for additional changes provided by the commission and
incorporated them into their district’s documents. It has also proposed additional changes largely as a
result of changes adopted by the 2010 Synod convention. Upon review of the documents provided by the
secretary of the district, including review of the several late changes made by the district after submission
of its Bylaws, the commission offers the following recommendations for change to the district prior to
consideration of the proposed bylaw changes by its 2012 convention.
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Bylaw 2.3 b: The parenthetical reference to the Constitution of the Synod would better read:
“(Constitution, Art. V B),” the Constitution of the Synod being also the constitution of the
district.
Bylaw 5.12 a: Mention of the district in this paragraph is unnecessary, as district vice-presidents
are to be elected from the clergy roster of the Synod, which includes the district (Synod Bylaw
4.3.1).
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