# LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters Minutes_St. Louis Missouri_December 5 6 1968_S1
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

170. Birmingham, Michigan: The Chairman stated that he had had similar correspondence with Pastor D.
T. Wuggazer of Birmingham, Michigan regarding woman suffrage.
171. Minnetonka, Minnesota: The Secretary reported that he had forwarded to Christ Memorial
Congregation of Minnetonka, Minnesota our Commission's opinion concerning lowering the voting age to
18 and also a report on the present status of the woman suffrage matter.
172. CPH Personnel Department: Dr. Dorn had asked to what extent the synodical regulations concerning
the Personnel Department apply to Concordia Publishing House. The ratter was laid aside for the time
being.
173. District Property Guidelines: It was stated that these had not yet been finalized by the Board of
Directors.
174. Campus Ministries, Ontario: President Fiess of the Ontario District had asked for comments
regarding two alternatives in carrying on campus ministries with other Lutheran bodies. The Commission
decided that the request really falls under the scope of New York Convention Resolution 3-20 and
therefore decided to refer President Fiess's letter to the Board for Missions and its department of campus
ministries administrative action.
175. Foundation: Mr. Philip Draheim had called attention to the fact that the terms of office of the
Trustees of the Foundation should be increased from three to four years. The Secretary reported that the
members of the Foundation had already made that decision, and that the Handbook now needed to be
updated.
176. Housing Purchase Policy: The Secretary called attention to a policy statement regarding staff loans
for housing purchase.
177. Revision of 1.27 Reports, Overtures, Etc.: The Secretary reported that the special overture committee
would in all probability recommend a revision of paragraph a of 1.27. The Commission thereupon
decided after detailed study to recommend to the Denver convention that the remaining paragraphs of
1.27 be amended to read as follows:
b. Reports and overtures must be submitted in triplicate to the President of the Synod not later
than 12 weeks prior to the opening date of the convention. No report or overture received
subsequent to that date shall be accepted for convention consideration unless a committee
consisting of the President, the First Vice-President, and the Secretary adjudges it to be a matter of
overriding importance and urgency which is not adequately covered by documents already before
the convention.
c. Overtures or petitions requesting the Synod to take action which is in conflict with the
Constitution or Bylaws of the Synod or in matters for which the Constitution or Bylaws have
provided specific procedures; or overtures which contain defamatory allegations; or overtures or
petitions which may subject the President of the Synod or the Synod to civil actions for libel or
slander, shall not be published or presented to any floor committee or to the convention; nor shall
any overture, proposal, or petition be accepted with reference to any case involving suspension,
expulsion, or appeals.
d. A convention manual containing reports, overtures, and other information shall be published
under the editorship of the Secretary subject to the approval of the President. The President shall
also decide which of the matters accepted for presentation to and consideration by the convention