# LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters Minutes_St. Louis Missouri_December 6 7 1974_S3
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

2.

The Commission suggests a better wording be employed for Bylaw 1.02q in order to bring out
the fact that each congregation or group of congregations served by one pastor shall be entitled
to one pastoral vote and one lay vote and that the pastor must have a regular call and have been
installed upon authorization of the District President.

3.

With reference to Bylaw 2.02 and other bylaws, the Commission strongly recommends that
since the secretary is an elected officer he should be a voting member of the Board of
Directors. It is not proper to declare him an advisory member because he is said to perform
"staff functions" since in that connection a District President performs even more so-called
"staff functions" for the Board of Directors than does the secretary. One needs to distinguish
between "officer functions" and "staff functions." The same need not be said of the treasurer in
this instance because the treasurer is appointed and is not an elected officer.

4.

The Commission calls attention to the fact that the reference to synodical Handbook 2.107 in
District Bylaw 2.105 should be deleted lest the impression be given that the District's
Commission on Constitutional Matters has the authority to interpret the Constitution and
Bylaws of the Synod.

5.

The Commission has already ruled that the membership prescribed for the synodical
Commission of Adjudication should also prevail for District Commissions of Adjudication and
that therefore the number of clergymen and laymen needs to be changed in Bylaw 2.87.

6.

The words "and Bylaws" should be inserted into Bylaw 4.01 a. See Handbook 3.07 b.

312. Manitoba-Saskatchewan Bylaws (Ag. 383, _715): Mueller had also reviewed the Bylaws of the
Manitoba and Saskatchewan District submitted November, 1972 and the amendments submitted in 1974.
The Commission resolved to recommend the following changes:
A-1

(final sentence) The District cannot prescribe to the congregations which of its pastors and
which of its lay members shall serve as its two representatives to the meeting which elects
the delegates to the synodical convention. This must be left to the discretion of the
congregation itself.

A-22

In harmony with the provisions for the nominating of President and First Vice-President in
the Synod, each congregation. and not just each parish should be entitled to propose a
nominee. The words "group of congregations" should be eliminated from this bylaw.

B-13

The Commission holds that it is not advisable from the standpoint of Missouri Synod history
and custom to permit a District Board of Directors to suspend a bylaw. Furthermore,
"extreme urgency" is a subjective matter.

B-32

(2.107, c) "Synodical" should be changed to "District."

313. South Wisconsin District Bylaws (Ag. 430, 430A): The Secretary had also reviewed these Bylaws. It
was decided to recommend that Section 3.25 b, 2, d, 3, giving the duties of the District Commission on
Constitutional Matters, should have the word "Constitution" removed since the Constitution of the Synod
is the Constitution of the District and the District Commission on Constitutional Matters does not have
the authority to interpret the Constitution of the Synod.
314. Northern Illinois District Bylaws (Ag. 5_1_9): Mueller had also reviewed these new proposed
Bylaws. The Commission decided upon the following recommendations: