# LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters Minutes_St. Louis Missouri_November 11 13 2011_S17
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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Lines 415–417, 428–430, 442–446, 457–459: Responsibility for implementation of convention
resolutions belongs primarily to the officers of the district (Synod Bylaw 4.1.7) and specifically to
the president of the district (Synod Bylaw 4.4.2 [a]). Boards of the district provide assistance.
Lines 489–499: Use of the term “jurisdiction” in the title and text of this section is foreign to the
Synod’s bylaws describing the duties of district reconcilers. The commission advises using the
language of Synod Bylaws 1.10.10.2 and 1.10.10.3 to describe these duties, with the exception of
lines 500–501, which should be retained, as their content is not found in the Bylaws of the Synod.
Line 538: The commission asks to see and review the mentioned “elections manual” under its
duties as provided in Synod Bylaw 3.9.2.2.3.
Lines 544–546: The listing of the order of elections needs also to include mention of the board
chairmen and Committee on Nominations, as listed in lines 504–506.

77. Review of Rocky Mountain District Revised Bylaws (11-2609)
With an August 10, 2010 letter, the chairman of the Rocky Mountain District Bylaws Committee
submitted the Bylaws of his district to the commission for review and approval, noting the long and
thorough review process carried out by his committee. Upon review, the commission recommends the
following additional changes prior to submission to the district convention. The commission will also
provide its “Frequently Noted Concerns and Aberrations” document for the committee’s consideration in
the interest of Synod-wide grammatical uniformity in the preparation of agency documents. The
commission will also look forward to receiving the district’s “Policies and Administration Manual” when
it is ready for review.
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Bylaw 1.05 A: The commission advises adding the following to the end of this paragraph for
clarification: “…which are located within the geographical area of the Rocky Mountain District.”
Bylaw 2.01 B 11: Circuit counselors should also be listed as exception to the provision of this
paragraph (along with the Nominating Committee).
Bylaw 2.01 C 1 e: The use of the term ex officio invites further clarification as to whether voting
or non-voting membership on the commissions is intended. The same pertains to Bylaw 2.03 E 2.
Bylaw 2.03 H 1: The Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod nowhere speak of the district
president as pastor to pastors. Instead, he is referred to as their ecclesiastical supervisor. Use of
the term “pastoral” with reference to his supervision would be more appropriate.
Bylaw 2.05 H: This statement must be omitted or changed to reflect the method for
selecting/electing circuit counselors adopted by the 2010 Synod convention (Synod Bylaw 5.2.2).
Bylaw 2.11: The final phrase of the final sentence will more accurately read: “…the provisions
of the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod and the Bylaws of the district shall control.”
Bylaw 3.01 A 2: It will be helpful to add to the end of this sentence mention of the need for
congregations to provide their nominations for circuit counselor to the current circuit counselor
prior to the circuit forum, along with biographical and consent-to-serve information.
Bylaw 3.01 C 1 and 2: Nominations may be made from the ordained minister roster of the entire
Synod (Synod Bylaw 4.3.1).
Bylaw 3.01 E: This entire section will need to be changed to reflect Synod Bylaws 4.3.1 and
5.2.2.
Bylaw 3.03 C 1: The final two words of this paragraph should be deleted, as the Bylaws of the
Synod no longer include term limits for reconcilers.
Bylaw 5.01 A 2: The commission assumes that the title “District Teachers Conference” is
intended to be deleted.

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