# LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters Minutes_St. Louis Missouri_January 7 2025_S4
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

board, whereas appointment of board committees must be by the board (cf. Bylaw 1.5.3.3–4).
However, these Kansas “standing committees” are not understood to be committees of the board.
Thus, the Kansas provision does not conflict. (Nonetheless, if authority to act for the board is
delegated to any of these committees, Bylaws 1.5.3.3–4 would have to be grappled with, either
limiting the time of the assignment or possessing technical expertise and being reported as
required.)
The commission does not object to the district’s usage, as clarified, and notes the district’s suggestion that
the Commission on Handbook review, with reference to Robert’s Rules, the bylaw language treating agency
committees (Bylaws 1.5.3.1–4). This suggestion it joins, noting that committee language is commonly at
issue in its review of agency governing documents and that the existing bylaw language is not particularly
clear in application, and forwards to its sister commission for consideration.
At Bylaw 5.1.2, the commission notes that Synod Bylaws do not require election of congregational
delegates by a date definite prior to the district convention (Const. Art. XI 10 a; Bylaw 4.2.2). The
requirement that delegates be elected by the congregation 150 days prior may well raise questions about
eligibility should congregations fail to elect, have a change in pastorate, or have an elected delegate become
unable to attend. The district should mirror the language of Synod Bylaw 4.2.2 (a), which allows the district
to set a date for advance reporting of delegate election/deputation without requiring that this be done by a
certain prior date—as congregations can always present valid credentials, under the same Bylaw, at the
time of convention.
The commission notes with appreciation the district secretary’s explanation that the district’s 2018 articles
have been filed with the State of Kansas, and the attachment of the certificate of amendment.
The district and its secretary are thanked for submitting its proposal for review. The proposal is approved,
as consistent with the Constitution, Bylaws, and resolutions of the Synod, for presentation to the district
convention for adoption. The district is reminded to forward to the Office of the Secretary, for the
commission’s records, a clean copy of its bylaws as adopted.
80. North Wisconsin District Bylaws, Proposed Revisions, Revised (24-3027A)
The North Wisconsin (NW) District office, by email of Dec. 17, forwarded for review a draft indicating
changes to the NW District bylaw revision proposal, pursuant to the commission’s review in Op. 24-3027.
In reviewing the changes, the commission found the following issues remaining to be addressed:
•

NW Bylaw 1.01 (d): The commission understands the change to have addressed its concern. To be
clear, the commission had no objection to the final sentence of the paragraph, “Resolutions of the
Synod are also binding on the district,” and this may be restored; the commission’s suggestion was
simply to replace the penultimate sentence as has been done.

•

NW Bylaw 2.01 (d): In the fourth bullet, “discipline” is understood in the place of “discipling.”

•

NW Bylaw 4.03 (d): The language “[T]he members of the board of directors not representing their
respective congregations as voting delegates and the members of district staff shall serve as
advisory representatives” should be restored. As noted in the original review, this sentence should
be its own subparagraph.

•

NW Bylaw 5.02 (c): The sentence, “The order of nominees for each position on any ballot shall be
determined by a drawing conducted by the Elections Committee” is inconsistent with NW Bylaw
5.01 (c) as amended, as well as with Synod Bylaw 3.12.4.1. The noted sentence must be stricken.

•

NW Bylaw 5.06 (a): Consistency with Synod Bylaw 4.7.3 (b) requires adjustment of the following
sentence as indicated: “Any offices not resolved by majority vote on the first ballot shall be voted
upon in successive ballots, with the candidate receiving the fewest votes and all candidates
receiving less than 15 percent of the votes cast for an office in a ballot being removed from the
CCM Minutes – January 7, 2025 – Page 56