# LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters Minutes_St. Louis Missouri_April 10 11 2015_S10
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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Bylaw 5.10: Paragraph a must be changed to read “…from the clergy roster of the synod
region” as in Synod Bylaw 4.3.1.
Bylaw 6.4: This bylaw must make an exception for circuit visitors, in which case vacancies
are filled by appointment by the district president (Bylaw 5.2.2.1).
Bylaw 7.1: The first line of this bylaw will better read: “resolutions policies adopted by the
district.” An electronic copy of district policies created by the board of directors, as
mentioned here, is requested for the commission’s review.
Bylaw 8.1: This paragraph should also include reference to the president’s Synod Handbook
responsibilities (Constitution Art. XI; Synod Bylaws 4.4.1ff.).
Bylaw 10.1: The mention of bylaws for the district’s church extension fund prompts a
request from the commission to request an electronic copy of this document for its review.
Bylaw 11.1: This bylaw should also list Synod Bylaws 2.14–2.17 as procedures for
“reconciliation and dispute resolution.”
Bylaw 16.2: Proposed amendments submitted to the district convention for approval must
also receive prior review and approval by the Commission on Constitutional Matters of the
Synod (Synod Bylaw 3.9.2.2.3 [a]).
Bylaw 16.6: The second half of this paragraph must mention prior approval by the
Commission on Constitutional Matters and will better read as follows: “…except following a
convention of the Synod, when bylaw amendments necessary for compliance with the
Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod may be made by a two-thirds majority of the board of
directors upon review and approval by the Commission on Constitutional Matters of the
Synod.
The Bylaws of the district must also include an article on conflict of interest, referencing
Synod Bylaw 1.5.2.

95. Board for National Mission Policy Manual (14-2741A)
The commission reviewed the two additional paragraphs to the Board for National Mission Policy
Manual submitted by the executive director of the Office of National Mission via a March 6, 2015 email
and approved them as presented.
96. President’s Ecclesiastical Supervisory Duties and Individual Members of the Synod (15-2750)
With a February 2, 2015 emailed letter, a district president of the Synod presented three questions
pertaining to the authority of the President of the Synod in the exercise of ecclesiastical supervision over
members of the Synod. A letter was mailed to the members of the Council of Presidents providing
opportunity for input for the commission’s consideration. The commission discussed this request at length
during the current meeting, holding the matter over for further consideration and a response at its next
meeting.
97. Concordia University System Standard Operating Procedures Manual for Dispute Resolution
(15-2751)
With an email received February 12, 2015, the commission was provided a draft copy of the Concordia
University System Standard Operating Procedures Manual, which is to function as guidelines from
which the Synod’s colleges and universities are to develop their own procedures for dispute resolution.
Prior to the 2013 convention of the Synod, this dispute resolution process was spelled out in the Synod’s
Bylaws. In place of that material, the convention provided Bylaws 3.10.5.6.1 (which directs each
institution to develop a dispute resolution process from the university system’s manual) and 3.10.5.6.4.2
(which references the use of the Concordia University System’s manual to address faculty administration
and termination concerns).
CCM Minutes – April 10–11, 2015 – Page 72