# LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters Minutes_St. Louis Missouri_February 25 26 1977_S3
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

at this time react. In view of this the Commission decided to postpone further action on this matter until
additional word is received from President Heckmann.
251. Greenhaven, Sacramento Membership (Ag. 1137, 1137A): Although this congregation is listed as a
non-member in the Annual, it stated that its constitution had been approved by the District. The Secretary
had replied that if the convention had indeed received the congregation into membership upon approval of
its constitution, then the only thing still remaining would be the signing of the Constitution by a lay
representative of the congregation. However, in answer to a question raised by the California-Nevada
Board of Directors, this signing needed to take place in an open session of the District convention and
could not be done in connection with a District Board of Directors' meeting. The Commission formally
ratified this reply.
252. Definition of "Staff" in Connection with Board of Control Membership (Ag 1142, A B C D : In the
previous meeting in answer to a request from the Seward Board of Control the Commission had ruled that
a member of that Board of Control who had accepted a position on the faculty at Winfield could no longer
serve as a member of the Board in view of the bylaw prohibiting "salaried staff" of a synodical institution
serving on a Board of Control. Dr. Ahlschwede had suggested that the Commission was in error, that the
word "staff" was not intended to include faculty members but only administrative persons. After some
discussion the Commission resolved to reaffirm its previous ruling that "salaried staff" is broad enough to
include all categories.
253. AELC Pension and Voting Privileges (Ag. 1161): St. Paul's congregation of Fairmont, Minnesota
had asked whether the extension of the implementation of the CCM ruling regarding the AELC had
reference only to extending a time of grace for pension and welfare benefits or if it applied also to voting
privileges. The Commission ruled that this postponement applied generally and that as long as people still
were permitted to retain their membership in the Synod they retained all the privileges of membership,
including voting rights.
254. Individual Membership in LWML (Ag. 1162): A Ms. Gloria Edwards had written in behalf of the
California-Nevada District Board of Directors of the LWML to inquire whether a woman who wished to
remain a member of the Missouri Synod but whose congregation voted to leave the Synod could still
remain a member of the District LWML since the Bylaws of that District state that only members of the
Missouri Synod can be members of that organization. The Commission decided to reply that it was not
convinced that a District Board of the LWML had access to the Commission on Constitutional Matters
for opinions and rulings under the restrictions of Bylaw 2.107e but that in an effort to be helpful the
Commission suggests that that LWML District Board of Directors might want to submit the question to
the International Lutheran Women's Missionary League for an answer on the basis of its Constitution and
Bylaws.
255. Preus on Indefinite Delay of AELC Implementation (Ag. 1163); Brueckner-Starr Correspondence
(Ag. 1149); Two Articles From "Talking Together" Re Bylaw 4.101 and CCM (Ag. 1156); Article Re
Constitutional Convocation in Northwest District (AQ 1167); Article on Dallas Nine "New Left" (Ag.
1168); Is the District President Called or Elected? (Ag. 1170): The Commission took note of these
'articles.
256. Announcement of Tally in Nominating Ballots for President and First Vice-President (Ag. 1171): At
the New Orleans convention a resolution was adopted that the tallies in the nominating procedure for
President and First Vice-President and in all other elections should be made public. The CCM
subsequently proposed a bylaw to that effect to the Anaheim convention but the resolution failed to
receive action for lack of time. The CCM is resubmitting it at this convention. However, the Secretary