# LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters Minutes_St. Louis Missouri_August 13 14 1976_S7
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

132. Overture to Amend Bylaws Regarding Election of Delegates (Ag. 1062): The Secretary asked
whether the Commission might not wish to study its proposals on this subject to the Anaheim convention
and either resubmit the same overture, which failed to receive final action, or a similar overture. It was
agreed to hold this for further study to see whether any improvements could be made in the Commission's
former recommendations.
133. Overture to Amend Bylaw 1.27 c (Acceptance of Overtures) (AR. 1063): It was resolved to submit
as an overture to the Dallas convention the CCM's recommendation to the Anaheim convention regarding
an amendment to this important paragraph, and to include in the overture the wording of the CCM's
opinion on this bylaw as a preamble which explains why the CCM recommends revision.
134. Overture to Amend Bylaw Regarding Signing of Constitution (Ag. 1064): It was decided to study
this overture of the Commission to the Anaheim convention (Ov. 5-22) to see whether or not to resubmit
this in its prior form or in a revised form.
135. New Orleans Resolution on Presidential Authority (Ag. 1065): New Orleans proposed Resolution 505, which had come under the omnibus provision, had been referred after New Orleans by the Board of
Directors to the CCM which had endorsed it. The Anaheim floor committee accordingly prepared
Resolution 5-58, which, however, died for lack of action. The Commission decided not to take any action
on this particular subject but to let it remain "dead."
The meeting adjourned late Friday evening with the Lord's Prayer, making a meeting on the second day
unnecessary.
Herbert Mueller, Secretary
Opinion re Appropriations for Irvine
Several complicated questions have been raised regarding the manner in which the Board of Directors of
the Synod has handled certain resolutions of several conventions of the Synod regarding capital funds for
Christ College, Irvine, especially New Orleans convention Resolution 6-31. The Commission on
Constitutional Matters rules as follows:
1.

The highest legislative authority in the Synod is not the Board of Directors but the convention of
the Synod.

2.

With respect to appropriations from the 125th Anniversary Thankoffering the Commission
holds that the New Orleans convention of the Synod did indeed give a special priority to Christ
College, Irvine, and that this priority takes precedence over priorities decided upon by the Board
of Directors or the Council of Administrators.

3.

The Commission therefore holds that monies which were not earmarked in the 125th
Anniversary Thankoffering for other specific purposes by the donors should have been directed
first of all to Christ College, Irvine, together with any funds designated for the college itself,
until the amount of $2,000,000 referred to in New Orleans Resolution 6-31 had been achieved.

4.

The Commission holds that the $2,000,000 referred to in that resolution includes the advance of
$1,000,000 mentioned in the first resolve so that the total voted upon by the New Orleans
convention is not $3,000,000 but $2,000,000.