# LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters Minutes_St. Louis Missouri_May 17 2001_S2
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

198. Question re Implementation of the CCM “Guidelines for Constitutions” (01-2222)
The chairman of a District Constitution Committee requests an opinion regarding the importance of the
inclusion of a paragraph in congregations’ constitutions regarding called church workers. He notes that the
Commission on Constitutional Matters recommends such a paragraph in its “Guidelines for Constitutions.”
Question: “What exactly is involved according to Bylaw 2.45, c, and according to “Guidelines for
Constitutions,” Article 5.0? Must a congregation have wording in its constitution saying it
will only call pastors and teachers certified by the Synod? Is it enough for a congregation
to simply refrain from making such a call even though the church may not explicitly
commit itself to calling only endorsed workers? Must we, as a committee, refrain from
recommending approval of such constitutions? Or may we approve these constitutions
with a strong suggestion that they employ the wording suggested in the synodical
guidelines?
Opinion: In its guidelines, the Commission’s explanatory paragraph under “5.0 CALLED CHURCH
WORKERS” states, “Since the congregation is applying for membership in the Synod or already is a
member of the Synod, it is obliged to call only ordained and commissioned workers who are members of
the Synod.” This issue, whether or not specifically addressed in a member congregation’s Bylaws, is
already resolved, so long as the congregation remains a member of the Synod. By its membership, the
congregation has committed itself to calling only “ordained or commissioned ministers who have been
admitted to these respective ministries in accordance with the rules and regulations set forth” in the
Handbook of the Synod (Bylaw 2.45, b).To do otherwise jeopardizes their membership in the Synod
(Bylaw 2.45, c).
A District Constitution Committee, as provided by Bylaw 2.03, a and b, exists to review new or changed
constitutions of congregations “to ascertain that the provisions are in harmony with Holy Scripture, the
Confessions, and the teachings and practices of the Synod.” It is the primary interest of the committee,
therefore, to take care that nothing in the documents they are examining is contrary to the above-mentioned.
Beyond that, so long as a congregation’s commitment to the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod is made
clear, it is not absolutely necessary to restate requirements of membership contained in the Constitution and
Bylaws of the Synod. The District committee may, however, wish to encourage inclusion of significant
paragraphs such as the one in question into local constitutions for the sake of clarity and availability to the
members of the congregation who often do not have copies of the Handbook of the Synod in their
possession.
199. Question re Eligibility for Reappointment to a Commission (01-2223)
The Executive Director of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations, on behalf of the
Commission, requested a response to the following question.
Question: “The Commission on Theology and Church Relations at its April 26-28 meeting adopted a
resolution requesting that the Commission on Constitutional Matters give an opinion
whether the Bylaws permit an individual who has completed three full terms (9 years) on
the Commission on Theology and Church Relations as an appointee of the President of
the Synod is eligible to be elected by a seminary faculty to serve a new three year term
without a break in his membership on the Commission.”
Opinion: The answer to this question is “no.” Bylaw 3.61, b, states that “All members of all synodical
boards and commissions shall be ineligible for reelection or reappointment to the same board or
commission after serving a total of two successive six-year elected terms or three successive appointed or

199