# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1944_S222
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

229 ‘Constitutional Matters

b. If the member involved is a pastor or teacher and his offense
makes him ineligible for further service in the Church and he
pleads guilty, the President shall publish in the official organs of
Synod the fact that he is ineligible for service and shall so report
to the District.

ce. If the member involved does not plead guilty and the of-
ficials of the District acting in the case, including the President,
having exhausted all administrative efforts are convinced that final
action must be taken, the President of the District shall present
the case to the District Board of Appeals for consideration, If the
‘ Board of Appeals finds the member guilty, the President shall
suspend him and may publish notice of this suspension in the of-
ficial organs of Synod.

Appeals to District Boards

d. The appellate jurisdiction of District Boards shall cover
cases of church discipline, but shall not apply until all administra-
" tive efforts to settle the case have been exhausted, ‘

e. A District may assign other appellate cases to its Board of
Appeals, but this shall not establish a precedent.
.. £ The procedure on appeals shall be in conformity with Ar-
ticle III of these Regulations. . 7

g. After final judgment by the District Board of Appeals, any
party may petition the Board for a rehearing, with his reasons

‘therefor, and is required to do so before he may appeal to a Dis- -
trict Convention.
Appeals to District Convention

h. Since suspension is only a temporary measure, all matters
pertaining to membership in Synod and to eligibility for service
in Synod must be referred to the next convention ‘of the District.
for decision.

i, The’ judgments of a District Board of Appeals in all other
matters may be appealed to the next convention: of the District.
Notice of such appeal must be given to the District President and
the Board of Appeals within three months after judgment has been
rendered unless such time is extended for good’ reasons by the
District Board.

j. In all cases appealed to the convention, the Opinion of the
Board of Appeals shall form the basis of discussion. The District -

shall either affirm, modify, or reverse the judgment of the Board
of Appeals. The convention shall elect a. Committee of Review of |
three clergymen and two laymen (one of whom may be a teacher)
‘and proceed in the same manner as provided for synodical con-
ventions.in paragraph 2h.