# LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters Minutes_St. Louis Missouri_October 14 15 1971_S5
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

63. District Officials Signing Documents (Ag 287, 287A): President Emil Jaech of the Northwest District
had pointed out that that District has in addition to a Board of Directors a separate Board of Trustees
which has its own chairman and secretary who in turn sign the official papers of the District. He asked
whether this might be in conflict with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod. The Commission
decided to inform him that Article XII, 6 (see also Article XI, d 2) states very plainly that the District
officers are to exercise the same responsibilities in their area as do the synodical officers. The synodical
President and Secretary are the ones authorized to sign such official documents. The Commission also
asked member Freise to be in further touch with President Jaech to help the Northwest District bring their
structure into harmony with the Handbook provisions.
64. Selective Fellowship (AS. 290 and 265): President Preus informed the Commission that it was to be
involved on a consultation basis in the study of selective fellowship. The Commission resolved to
acknowledge the letter and to inform President Preus that it will await the initial documents of the
Commission on Theology and Church Relations with bated breath.
65. Participation in Electing Delegates (Ag. 291): Secretary E. Bauerkemper of the Texas District wrote
that it is customary to hold the circuit meetings for the election of delegates to the synodical convention in
connection with the District convention, and consequently lay representatives of the second congregation
in a dual parish are not in attendance. He asked whether this was permissible. If so, what about the
representation from the second congregation? The Commission ruled that the Bylaws very clearly state
that a circuit meeting shall be held and that the privilege of voting shall be exercised by one pastor and
one layman from each member congregation of the circuit. In fact, the Commission decided to remind
him that one of the principle reasons for the drafting of the new bylaw 1.53 was to eliminate the casual
approach to the election of delegates and to remove the election from the haphazard convening of delegates at the District conventions, at which not all congregations have their own representatives. The
Commission had felt that in a two year cycle at least one meeting of each circuit ought to be held since
the Handbook makes the circuit an important unit in carrying out the work of the Synod.
66. Term of Office, Controller and Assistant Treasurer (Ag. 294): The secretary raised this question. It
had been customary for these two officials to be appointed to a two year term following each synodical
convention. Following the Denver convention these two men were reappointed but no specific reference
was made at that time to the length of the term. The question may now arise whether they need to be
reappointed, whether they had an indefinite appointment, or whether the newly adopted four year tenure
rule applies also to them. The Commission ruled that the new four year tenure Bylaw should be applied
also to these two officials, that they are now beginning the third year of their four year term, and that
according to the recent ruling of the Commission, they will not be subject to reappointment until shortly
after the New Orleans convention.
----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------0LD BUSINESS
67. District bylaws: Texas (Ag. 6 and 234), Missouri (Ag. 9)_California-Nevada (Ag. 11), Iowa-East (Ag.
12), Ohio (Ag. 236): No reports were available as yet on these assignments.
68. Current Roster Problem (Ag. 13): No report from the Council of Presidents.
69. Pastor Terminology (Ag. 15): No report from the Council of Administrators.
70. Designation of Official Conference (Ag. 16): No further report from the Council of Presidents.