# LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters Minutes_St. Louis Missouri_February 8 9 1980_S3
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

recommending to include in the District Bylaws several paragraphs defining terms and also to amend
certain bylaws in order to carry out the force of these definitions. The Commission noted that proposed
paragraphs 2.04 c and d should refer to the Synod roster rather than to the District roster. It also
recommended that the following words should be added to paragraph 2.04 c of the District Bylaws:
"which includes more than parish pastors." With these reservations the Commission gave its approval to
the proposed changes (attached to the minutes).
8. Yale Divinity Student (Ag. 1404): Mr. Robert Burgess, a party to an adjudication case, had requested
the CCM to reconsider its previous opinion regarding the activity of a Yale divinity student in a parish in
Connecticut. The Commission resolved to thank Mr. Burgess for his concern, but to indicate to him that
the CCM concluded after reexamination of its previous opinion that said opinion was sufficient as far as
the Commission's responsibilities are concerned.
9. Voting Privilege of Congregation Served by Lay Minister (Ag. 1405): Secretary Arleigh Lutz of the
North Wisconsin District had raised a question regarding the voting rights of such a congregation. The
Commission ruled that the congregation is entitled to a lay vote, but only to a lay vote.
10. Status of River Forest Professors (Ag. 1332): It was agreed to keep this item on the agenda although
no further report had been received.
11. Nebraska District Bylaw Revisions (Ag. 1412): The Commission resolved that if election by majority
vote and provisions for filling vacancies are indeed provided for in the Bylaws, then the proposed
revisions as attached to the minutes met with the Commission's approval.
12. Kansas District Bylaw Revisions (Ag. 1414): On the day of the meeting the Commission received
quite a number of extensive proposed revisions of these Bylaws for review. The Commission resolved to
inform the Kansas District prior to its April convention that a cursory examination brought forth the
following suggestions although the Commission would reserve the right of further review at a later date:
Page 1, A, b. The Commission questions the wisdom or at least the terminology of requiring a
candidate for District president to give a "self description."
Page 1, A, e. The Commission voiced similar concerns regarding the addition of the final
sentence: "Only the official documentation may he circulated prior to or during the District
convention."
Page 3. The Commission very firmly holds that the nominating committee should not be
appointed by any body within the District administrative structure, but should be elected by the
convention itself.
Page 7 (Calls and Vacancies). The Commission is of the opinion that this section needs to be
expanded or recast in order to make it certain that congregational members may nominate and
that the congregation should also request suggestions from the District President in line with the
synodical Bylaws.
Pages 8-9. The congregation's role in the calling process should be reviewed in the light of
synodical Bylaws 4.02, 3.45, and 3.67.
Page 8. The subparagraph (b) under Point 2 at the top of the page should really- be made part of
the main paragraph (2).