# LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters Minutes_St. Louis Missouri_October 14 15 1971_S4
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

this connection attention was called to the fact that the pertinent bylaws specifically refer to the approval
of the Board for Higher Education as a necessary condition for the granting of either a sabbatical or a
leave of absence.
57. Meeting Dates: The Commission decided to meet again February 10-11 in St. Louis, with the tentative
date for the following meeting May 4-5.
58. Voting Privileges for Part Time Pastors (Ag. 282): President Herman Scherer of the Missouri District
had asked whether synodical staff men and others in similar positions could serve as voting pastoral
delegates from those smaller congregations which they serve in a pastoral capacity on the side. After considerable discussion the Commission ruled:
According to Article V of the Constitution every member congregation or parish is entitled to
two votes, a pastoral vote and a lay vote.
The Commission rules that voting pastoral privileges shall be extended to any clergyman who is
called by a congregation and properly installed as its pastor according to the regulations of the
Synod set forth especially in Article XII, 9, c and Bylaws 4.15 to 4.19.
The Commission also decided to suggest that in carrying out his administrative responsibility a District
President, before granting the very important installation authorization, would wish to check the terms of
the present call or employment contract of the clergyman to determine whether acceptance of additional
responsibilities on the clergyman's part is excluded. It was further decided that the opinion of the
Commission should be shared with all District Presidents.
59. Social Ministry and World Relief (Ag. 283): The secretary had raised the question: In accepting the
report of the Board of Directors, which incorporated the proposed bylaws for the Board of Social Ministry
and World Relief, did the convention in fact adopt these new bylaws even though there was no specific
resolution of the convention to that effect? Considerable discussion followed. Most of the Commission
members seemed to feel that technically the Commission could rule that the proposed bylaws had indeed
been accepted by such action. However, in the light of what seems to have been our general procedures
and in order to be on the safe side, the Commission finally resolved not to include in the Handbook
proposed bylaws simply on the basis of the acceptance of a larger Board report. It was suggested that this
kind of issue should be included in the orientation of convention floor committees.
60. Voting Age (Ag. 284): The secretary called attention to the fact that the convention had urged
congregations to lower the voting age to 18. This should be kept in mind in preparing the new edition of
Guidelines (Res. 7-04).
61. Board of Appeals (Ag. 271 A&B): The secretary reported on correspondence with the Board of
Appeals informing that board of the Commission's ruling that it should assume the responsibilities for the
time being of the synodical Commission of Adjudication because the convention had failed to elect such a
commission.
62. Conflict of Interest - Board of Appeals: President Ellerman of the Southern District had asked whether
a member of the District Board of Appeals could serve also on District ad hoc committees without
violating the Handbook requirement limiting the holding of office on the part of members of the Board of
Appeals. The Commission resolved to ratify the letter which the Secretary had written to the effect that ad
hoc assignments do not come under the limiting provisions of the Handbook (Ag. 286).