# LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters Minutes_St. Louis Missouri_September 22 23 1972_S6
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

189. New Jersey Conference Request(Ag. 340): In addition, the New Jersey Pastoral Conference had
called upon the Commission to offer assistance in defining the authority of the President and submit such
assistance to the New Orleans convention. The commission decided to take no action on this request.
190. Lay Ministers (Ag. 276): It was reported that the Council of Presidents had not yet submitted
proposed bylaws for lay ministers.
191. Number of Nominees (Ag. 361): In answer to a request from the Reverend H. C. Mueller of Bay
City, Michigan, the Secretary had stated that congregations may indeed nominate more than one person
for the presidency of a college or seminary. This reply was ratified.
192. South Wisconsin Bylaws (Ag. 327A): Secretary Robert Schmidt of the South Wisconsin District
informed the Commission that most of the recommendations of the Commission had been adopted for the
new bylaws of the District. The Commission formally approved the action taken by the District
committee.
193. Official Conferences (Ag. 16): In carrying out a much earlier directive the Secretary submitted to the
Commission the bylaws that he had drafted on the basis of the recommendations of the Council of
Presidents which had been submitted many months ago to the Commission. The Commission made
several changes and then adopted the proposed bylaws as attached to the minutes. These are now to be
presented in one way or another to the New Orleans convention for adoption, so that it can he specifically
determined which conferences are now eligible to present overtures to a synodical convention.
194. Brazil Board for Higher Education (AS. 354): Some conflict has arisen between the boards for
higher education of the Brazil District and of the Synod as to the necessity of the Brazil BHE continuing
to exist. The District president has taken a rather strong position. The synodical BHE has asked the
Commission on Constitutional Matters for assistance. The Commission decided upon the following
course of action through its secretary:
1.

To ask President Reimnitz for complete copies of the resolutions to which reference is made
in his letter;

2.

To ask Dr. Ahlschwede for the reaction of Reverend Reimnitz to the new proposals of the
synodical BHE;

3.

To ask Reverend Reimnitz, what his reaction is to several points (which are contained in the
July 21 Ahlschwede letter but which will need to be restated as coming from the
Commission) and to inform him that the Commission will consider his reaction as well as
the documentation that he can furnish.

The Commission seemed to feel that, pending receipt of additional information, President Reimnitz may
be correct as far as the resolutions of the Synod are concerned and that it may be necessary finally for the
synodical BHE to submit an overture to the convention seeking to simplify the structure.
195. Montana Bylaws (Ag. 365) and others (Ag. 6, 9, 11, 12, 236, 344, 344A, 365): Formal approval was
given to the proposal that Prevallet, Freise, and Luessenhop meet sometime in the near future in Denver
to check all of these bylaws.
196. Reporting Tally of Nominating Ballots for President and First Vice President (Ag. 328): A short
discussion was held on this question raised by the Secretary but no action was taken as to whether or not