# LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters Minutes_St. Louis Missouri_October 14 15 1971_S6
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

71. Congregations Demitting (Ag. 19): Luessenhop will report at the next meeting.
72. Question of Reinstatement (Ag. 23, 23X, 23Y): No further report from the Council of Presidents.
However, an exchange of letters with President Carl Heckman was duly noted.
73. LCUSA: "Nominated" or "Named"? _(Ag. 27): This question may be considered by the special study
committee called into being by the Milwaukee convention, including representatives from the other two
synods. If this materializes the item can perhaps be removed from the Commission's agenda.
74. Rights of Members (Ag. 275): Resolution 5-31 of the Milwaukee convention referred this matter to
the Commission. After some discussion it was decided to hold this item on the agenda.
75. Lay Ministers (Ag. 276): According to Resolution 6-10 the Council of Presidents is to formulate the
bylaws in consultation with the Commission.
76. Woman Suffrage (Ag. 277): Resolution 2-17 called for a further study by the CTCR in consultation
with our Commission. It was decided to hold this item and await the action of the CTCR.
77. Evaluation of Adjudication Process (Ag. 280): Resolution 5-14 calls for a joint committee of the
CCM and Board of Appeals to evaluate the new adjudication process and to make a report to the New
Orleans convention. It was reported that President Preus would undoubtedly activate such a committee
within the near future.
78. Streufert closed the meeting with prayer.

Herbert Mueller, Secretary

MINUTES OF MEETING OF COMMISSION ON CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS
February 10-11, 1972, St. Louis, Mo.
79. The morning was spent informally discussing some of the pressing matters before the Commission
while awaiting the arrival of remaining members. In the afternoon the commission finally convened
officially with Streufert, who was chosen to act as moderator, Sommermeyer, Prevallet, and Mueller. The
minutes of the previous meeting were adopted as presented and the next meeting dates established as May
4 and 5.
80. Rickman Associates, 125th Anniversary (Ag. 310): Since Victor Rickman is the chairman of the
Board for Public Relations, the Board of Directors asked the Commission whether the engaging of
Rickman Associates as consultants in the 125th Anniversary Thankoffering would constitute a violation
of Bylaw 2.13 which speaks of conflict of interest. The commission heard Dr. R. Wiederaenders and also
legal counsel Phil Draheim. It investigated the historical development of the present bylaw, discussed the
definition of "conflict of interest," looked at the related concept of "concurrence of interest," tried to
evaluate to what extent "detriment" and "inside track" are involved in conflict of interest, etc. In
restricting itself to the specific case before it, the commission after testing several alternatives finally
adopted the following statement:
"WHEREAS, No evidence has been presented to the Commission on Constitutional Matters to
show that the Reverend Victor Rickman used his position as chairman of the Board for Public