# LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters Minutes_St. Louis Missouri_February 23 2013_S49
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

(wx) Task Force: An appointed group that has an ad hoc assignment to accomplish a
specific task and whose duties have a definite expiration date.
(xy) Voting Member: A member congregation of the Synod. (See Article V A of the
Constitution.)
Commission on Handbook

88. Overture to the 2013 Convention (Board of Directors Responsibilities)
Overture to the 2013 Convention
To Address Board of Directors Budget and Management Responsibilities
(Bylaw Section 3.3.4.5.)
Rationale
Following the 2010 LCMS convention, it was recognized that restructuring decisions had resulted in
lack of clarity and even contradictions in the Handbook of the Synod that would require additional
attention by the 2013 convention. These concerns were discussed during a day-long November 2, 2012
joint meeting of the Commission on Constitutional Matters, Commission on Handbook, the Chief
Administrative Officer, the Chief Mission Officer, and a member of the President’s Office staff. The
commission offers the following proposed amendments to the 2013 convention of the Synod to satisfy a
number of these concerns in the 2010 Handbook of the Synod.
Questions have been raised during the triennium related to distribution of budget dollars from the
corporate Synod budget. The questions arise due to the wording change from “program board” to
“mission board” in Bylaw 3.3.4.5 as a result of the structure changes made at the 2010 convention. The
additional changes to Bylaw 3.3.4 recommended below are intended to reorganize the content of this
section and provide clarity.
Resolved, That in order to clarify the role of the Board of Directors regarding the corporate Synod
budget and Board of Directors management, the 2013 LCMS convention adopt the following bylaw
changes:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
3.3.4.5

(c) The Board of Directors shall be responsible for providing operating and capital funds to carry out the
work of the Synod.

3.3.4.5(a) The Board of Directors shall allocate available funds to the mission boards,
commissions, councils, offices, and departments of corporate Synod and hold them
responsible therefor.(a) To the extent of its responsibilities relative to the general
management and supervision of the business and legal affairs of the Synod:
(1) It shall receive such reports as it requests on the operations and policies of the
mission boards, commissions, offices, and councils.
(2) It shall have the right to request review of any action or policy of a mission board,
commission, office, or council which primarily relates to business, property, and/or legal
matters and, after consultation with the agency involved and when deemed necessary,
require modification or revocation thereof, except opinions of the Commission on
Constitutional Matters.
Page 119 – 02.23.13 – COH Minutes