# LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters Minutes_St. Louis Missouri_JULY 26 1961_S6
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Rev. W. H. Meyer Page Two May 15, 1961

and responsibilities the executive staff could conceivably fit into it -
other categories would apply to the faculty members of Synod's educa-
tional institutions.

It seems to me that we are dealing with two basic groups of Synod's
personnel. The one consists of pastors and teachers, and the other of
elected officers, duly called faculty members (also temporary insturctors)
and Synod and District full-time staff members. What procedure would
you suggest to provide correct channels: of responsibility and supervision
for all workers of Synod regardless of their area of specialty of the
manner by which they were placed into these positions?

I believe that a clarification here would be most helpful.

3. THE CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE AND THE SYNODICAL
CONVENTION

~

Our conventions seem to become more involved also by volume in
providing Handbook changes and amendments. I realize that the
Handbook provides for the fact that such changes ‘should be
Submitted to the Committee on Constitutional Matters in order

that it may examine the contents and language as to their agree-
ment. . ."' and that provisions be made that this Committee

be represented ''at the meetings of the committee appointed to
consider constitutional matters."' (Bylaws 2.113, b and c).
However, increasingly, other Floor Committees are also involved
in transmitting changes in the Bylaws to the Convention.

Apparently this became so serious that the 1959 Convention listed
the individual resolutions adopted by the various Floor Committees
effectirg the Bylaws of Synod and specifically instructed the
Committee on Constitutional Matters to make the necessary changes.
(Proceedings, 1959, p. 266-267) Furthermore, it seems to me that
this list does not even include every resolution which altered the
Bylaws of Synod in 1959, Are there any suggestions which you have
so that this situation might be improved? To what degree does
Committee 6 (Constitutional Matters) invite a representative of
Your Committee to participate fully in its deliberations? Do the
other Floor Committees who propose Bylaw changes to the
convention draw in a representative of your Committee before they
actually formulate the resolutions? Would you consider it reason-
able and practical during a triennial convention to have every
resolution with reference to the Handbook actually clear your
Committee before they are presented to the convention itself?

Does the fact that Section 16.01 permits Handbook changes to be made
simply on the basis of a majority convention vote complicate and confuse
matters? Do you have any suggestions for improvement, if necessary
in this area?

4, INTERCOMMUNICATION OF THE COMMITTEE

Does your Committee issue any “official reports" either to the
synodical constituency as such, the officers of Synod or the
Districts outside of the report to the triennial convention?