# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1941_S273
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Constitutional Matters 273

clergymen and three laymen. Members of the Board shall
cted for six years, but rotation in membership shall be effected
h a way that one half of the clerical members and one or two
I e laymen be elected at every triennial convention. Vacancies
ll’ be filled from the reserve list of nominations, i.e., from the
minees left after the respective election.

Organization of Boards of Appeals
; 3. The boards of appeals shall elect a chairman, a vice-chairman,
ada secretary. Meetings shall be called by the secretary upon
instructions received from the chairman.

Authority of Boards of Appeals
4, The boards of appeals shall be authorized to make investi-
tion of matters coming within their jurisdiction. Minutes, docu-
ents, and other material shall be made available to the boards.

Disqualification of Member
5. If any member of a Board of Appeals is directly or indirectly
involved in any appeal presented, the Board shall request another
clergyman or layman from the reserve list of candidates to serve on
. the Board for such appeal.

Functions of Boards of Appeals
6. a. Boards of appeals shall function whenever an individual
member or a congregation has been dealt with by an officer or
committee of a District or Synod and an appeal is made to the
District or to Synod. If the action of a congregation having exer-
cised the Office of the Keys is in question, the Board of Appeals is

only review the action of the congregation according to the prin-

ingly. Either the congregation’s action will be upheld, or it may be
advised to review and eventually to revise its action. If a congre-
gation refuses to review its action according to the Word of God,
Synod shall declare such congregation as having severed its mem-
bership in Synod.

b. If a question of membership in Synod is involved and the
appeal has been made to a District or to Synod, the respective Board
of Appeals shall review the matter in Christian charity according to
the Constitution of Synod and its By-laws.

c. Cases arising in a District, involving suspension by District
officials, shall, if an appeal is made, be adjudicated by the District
Board of Appeals, which shall report its findings to the appellant
and to the District.

d. If District officials and committees, including the District

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* to recognize the sovereignty of the Christian congregation and may’

ciples laid down in Scripture and advise the congregation accord-'

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