# LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters Minutes_St. Louis Missouri_November 2 4 2012_S9
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Council of Presidents, the commission shall amend as necessary the Standard Operating Procedures
Manual that serves as the comprehensive procedures manual for Bylaw section 1.10 (Bylaw 1.10.18.1
[j]). In consultation with the Secretary of the Synod and with the concurrence of the Council of
Presidents, the commission shall amend as necessary the Standard Operating Procedures Manuals
that serve as the comprehensive procedures manuals for Bylaw sections 2.14, 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17
(Bylaws 2.14.9.3, 2.15.9.3, 2.16.10.4 and 2.17.9.3).
15. The Commission on Constitutional Matters will make itself available for consultation with the
boards of regents of the seminaries for the maintenance of a Standard Operating Procedures Manual
for removal of its faculty members (Bylaw 3.10.4.7.9[j]). The commission will also make itself
available for consultation with the Board of Directors of Concordia University System for the
maintenance of a Standard Operating Procedures Manual for removal of its faculty members (Bylaw
3.10.5.6.9[j]).
16. In its review of agency documents, the Commission on Constitutional Matters has noted a
frequency of instances of minor departures from the norm of how the Synod prepares documents, as
in its Bylaws and the commission’s documents. Rather than call attention to each of these details
individually and repeatedly, the commission has prepared a checklist of these “Frequently Noted
Concerns and Aberrations” to alert document preparers and editors. In this manner the commission
promotes and facilitates uniformity of language and grammar usage in bylaw and policy documents
throughout the Synod.
17. Congregations become members of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod only after their
constitutions and bylaws have been approved by a constitution committee of one of the Synod’s 35
districts. Similarly, congregations which revise their constitutions and bylaws must also submit these
proposed changes for review by their district’s constitution committee (Bylaw 2.4.1). Upon favorable
action by the district board of directors, the congregation shall be notified that the changes are
acceptable to the Synod, and the congregation may proceed with formal adoption of the revised
constitution and/or bylaws, and remain a member in good standing of the Synod. In order to assist
congregations in the development and preparation of their constitutions and bylaws by the inclusion
of the requirements necessary for the preparation and review of such documents, the Commission on
Constitutional Matters has from time to time issued guidelines for the proper composition of
congregations’ constitutions and bylaws.
18. Meeting dates of the Commission on Constitutional Matters are announced in advance. This
information is provided in its meeting minutes and on the Synod’s Web site calendar. (See Bylaw
1.5.3)
19. All substantive opinions of the Commission on Constitutional Matters from that triennium are
published every three years in the Convention Workbook.
20. Minutes of Commission on Constitutional Matters meetings are made available on the Synod’s
Web site for at least three years, subject to the addition of other opinions relating to frequently asked
questions. In addition, some opinions older than three years related to frequently asked questions may
also be included. The date on which an opinion was decided is now included at the bottom of each
opinion.
21. The Commission on Constitutional Matters may publish on the Synod Web site other documents
relating to the commission’s work that it determines may be helpful to the Synod.
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