# LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters Minutes_St. Louis Missouri_December 3 4 2021_S8
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Article IV C 4 b v: The constitution committee of the district (Bylaws 2.2.1; 2.4.1), while
it may serve as a clearinghouse for helpful information for congregations on such matters,
is not charged to conform congregations’ documents to state laws.
o Article IV C 4 b vii: “congruent with those of the Synod Commission on Constitutional
Matters, but with regard to the governing documents unique to the district.”
o Article IV C 5 b i: Bylaw 3.6.2.2.3 speaks in terms of establishing an office of “ArchivistHistorian.” It would be well for that to be more explicit here.
o Article IV C 6 b i: Rather than “as prescribed in,” perhaps “as required by,” as a specific
process is not prescribed other than that the committee be elected by the district convention
(Bylaw 4.7.2)—unless the “prescription” refers to the election procedure of Bylaw
3.12.4.2, in which case that should be clarified. Provision ought also to be made for
election, in alternate conventions, of a district representative to the Synod Committee for
Convention Nominations (Synod Bylaws 3.12.3 and following)
Article V: The commission notes that, as to convention date, additional flexibility might have
proven necessary in this hopefully exceptional four-year triennium. “Handbook” should read
“Constitution and Bylaws” (see above).
Article V C 1: This discretion to publish reports and overtures is not arbitrary but should be limited
to the conditions of Bylaw 3.1.6.2 and 3.1.6 (a). It is unclear which reports would be “unofficial.”
Article V C 3: The district has the option of at least partial electronic distribution of its preconvention materials, if it would like (Bylaw 4.2.1 [g]).
Article V D 1: “overtures” include memorials and petitions, rendering the latter superfluous and
possibly confusing.
Article V E 2: Bylaw 4.2.1 (g) provides modern options for distribution of these materials.
Article VI B 2: “One-half or more of a term” should read “More than one-half of a term” (Bylaw
3.2.4.2 [b]).
Article VI C b: candidates for First Vice-President must be nominated from the roster of the district
(Bylaw 4.3.1).
Article VI C f: Reference to the Synod Handbook should be removed as election of the Synod First
Vice-President is now by a different procedure.
Article VI F 3 c: If the commission understands correctly, the first sentence should continue: “upon
closure of the slate, the caucus shall by ballot select its candidate… (Bylaw 4.7.1 speaks in terms
of selection and ratification).
Articles VI F 3 d and V F 4 c: It should be explicit that the convention as a whole retains the right
to amend the slate by majority vote, as in the election of circuit visitors. This right is inherent in
the convention’s right to elect all officers and board members by its majority vote (Bylaw 4.7.3).
Article VI G/H: The district might do well to pattern new language here after Bylaw 3.12.4 to allow
explicitly for electronic voting and tabulation.
Article VI I 1: This seems to refer to permanent incapacity, a removal from office. Procedure should
be specified. A procedure should also be specified for temporary incapacity, like that of Bylaw
3.3.1.4.
Article VI I 2: It appears that the line of succession effectively ends with the First Vice-President.
In the Synod and other districts, further vice-presidents are ranked in order of succession “in case
of vacancies” (Bylaw 4.7.1) Compare Bylaws 3.3.2.1, 4, and to provide for clarity in instances
where the “next district officer in line” is called for (e.g., Bylaw 1.10.5 [f]).
Article VI I 3: Removal of an officer, other than the district president, is subject to Bylaw 1.5.8.
The district should have a procedure for determination that a district president or other officer is
temporarily or permanently incapacitated.
Article VI J 4: Synod’s Handbook contains no prescriptions for district youth task forces.
Article VI K 1: Installation should not precede assumption of office (#2 below), lest there be
confusion for a time over who really is the president, etc. Cf. Bylaw 3.2.4 (c), (f), and (a).
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CCM Minutes – December 3–4, 2021 – Page 80