# LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters Minutes_St. Louis Missouri_NOVEMBER 2 1960_S4
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Committee on Constitutional Matters (4)
November 2, 1960

A communication was read from Dr. A. H. Schwermann who desired to
know whether the request for a release from The Lutheran Church -
Missouri Synod on the part of the brethren in Canada would require that
the release could be asked for by the Canadian Districts as a group or
whether every congregation, by formal resolution, would have to petition
the Synod for a release. The Committee was of the Opinion that a release
should be requested by each of the three Canadian Districts, and that it
would also be permissable for congregations in Canada, who are located
close to the boundary of the United States and who do not wish to belong to
The Lutheran Church - Canada, to ask for a transfer from their present

District toa neighboring District in the United States.

Reference was made to the fact that Trinity Lutheran Congregation of
Oak Park, Illinois, had requested the Synod's Board of Directors to

return to it “the contributions it has made for its workers to the Pension

Fund of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, with accrued interest,

since the inception of its contribution." It was reported that the Synod's
Board of Directors had not acceded to this request. It was the Opinion of
the committee that the position of the Synod's Board of Directors was
correct in view of paragraph 10. 49 of the Synodical Handbook which provides
for a return of Pension contributions only to workers who are "leaving

the service of Synod or any component part thereof before the retirement
age." There was no indication that the "workers" (pastor or teachers) of
Trinity Lutheran Congregation desired to Separate themselves from the

Synod.

Reference was made to a lengthy communication from Mr. Edward

Lind of Lawrenceville, New Jersey who was stating his opposition to