# LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters Minutes_St. Louis Missouri_June 9 1978_S3
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

given the usual explanation on unalterable articles as well as a synodical affiliation article. The
Commission ratified this reply.
79. Delegate Questions, Oswego, Kansas (Ag. 1291): Rev. Walter Peclanan had asked questions about
eligibility for serving as a lay delegate from a congregation, representation from a dual parish, the
definition of a layman in regard to teachers and ex-teachers, associate pastors being selected as delegates,
the right of a Counselor to decline nomination, qualifications of a Circuit Counselor. The Commission
ratified the reply of the Secretary.
80. Lay Delegate from Dual Parish or Vacant Congregations (Ag. 1275, A,B): President Niedner of the
Nebraska District and Mr. Darrell Quaring, secretary of Zion in Shelton, Nebraska, had corresponded
with the Secretary concerning the question of whether smaller congregations which were served by a
neighboring pastor but did not wish to be regarded as part of a dual parish could still send voting
delegates. During the course of the correspondence the Secretary pointed out that the congregation would
not lose its status as a totally separate congregation in a dual parish situation, that the Handbook says that
every congregation or parish is entitled to two votes, that a parish is defined as a situation in which a
pastor serves two or more congregations, that it is not necessary to actually participate in the calling of the
pastor as long as the congregation is being served by a neighboring pastor in order to be regarded as a
dual parish. He had also pointed out that succeeding Committees on Organization had wrestled with this
problem and had always seemingly returned to the position that two or more congregations served by one
pastor form one parish entitled to one pastoral and one lay vote. The Commission ratified the
correspondence.
81. Colorado Delegate Questions (Ag. 1289): Rev. Marcus Lang had written to the Secretary, who in turn
had replied that the Council of Presidents as far as he knew has no set of regulations regarding convention
delegates, that on several occasions the CCM had ruled that three requirements must be met if a pastor is
to be seated as a voting delegate (properly on roster; regular call; installation authorized), that he had
nothing really to suggest in case the District president failed to take action on pastors and congregations
holding dual membership by the time of the deadline, that he might want to resort to a resolution from the
floor based upon the Dallas convention resolution and the opinion regarding legality of District
conventions (Workbook, page 408). Although the communication was not addressed to the Commission,
the Commission ratified the position taken by the Secretary.
82. Texas District Delegate Qualifications (Ag. 1293, 1301): Dr. Heckmann had asked the Secretary for a
reaction to a document "Qualifications for Voting Delegates" developed by the District secretary (1293).
The Secretary had indicated that it should be stated that the pastoral delegate must be on Synod's clergy
roster; that the following statement should be eliminated: "an emeritus pastor who serves part-time but
who is duly called and installed can vote;" that a duly called and installed worker-priest can vote only if
he has been called as pastor and is on the roster of the Synod, and that those who are officially designated
by their congregations as assistant pastors cannot vote. A request had been received by the Commission
from Texas Pastoral Circuit Conference #5 (1301), Rev. Jeffrey C. Kinery, secretary, for a favorable
ruling on the position that a pastor who is serving as a called and installed pastor even though retired
should not be deprived of his franchise. However, the Commission approved the exceptions which the
Secretary had taken to the proposed "Qualifications for Voting Delegates" prepared by the secretary of
the Texas District, especially with respect to emeriti serving as voting delegates. And it also resolved to
reply to the pastoral conference in Texas that the Commission consistently has ruled in the past that
emeriti are not qualified to serve as voting delegates. The Commission also called the conference's
attention to the fact that it is generally assumed even by definition ("emeriti" has traditionally been
applied to one who has "retired"), that emeriti do not accept calls and are therefore not installed but agree
to serve on a more informal basis.