LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1986, Page 172

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a

172

RESOLUTIONS

paragraph b of this Bylaw, it shall be set forth in the
letter of understanding that the organization shall

1. honor and uphold the doctrine and practice of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod as set forth in the
Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions;

2. be responsible for its own debts and liabilities and
so indicate in all of its agreements of a financial nature,
statements of ownership, bylaws, financial offers, and
other legal documents, agreements, promotional ma-
terials, and all other communications of a financial na-
ture in accordance with the criteria approved by the
synodical Board of Directors, so that it is clear that being
recognized by the Synod as a service organization is not
regarded as an endorsement by the Synod of its orga-
nization and administration, or as a guarantee on the
part of the Synod for the fiscal solvency of, or any fi-
nancial responsibility for, the organization or for ser-
vices expressly or impliedly offered.

3. Among the criteria that may be required but are
not made mandatory by these Bylaws are the following:

i) The service organization will seek to coordinate
and communicate its programs with and to the Synod,
and to implement efforts to cooperate with the Synod,

through the appropriate board or commission.

ii) The service organization will provide the appro-
priate board or commission with an annual program
report.

iii) Except with respect to fund-raising efforts that
are intended to reach only its own constituency, the ser-
vice organization will consult with the appropriate
board or commission with respect to its special fund-
raising efforts.

iv) The service organization will inform the appro-
priate board or commission of the actual dollar amount
raised and the percentage of costs involved in fund-rais-
ing efforts.

d. Privileges. Being a recognized service organization
gives the following privileges:

1. Eligibility of ordained and commissioned minis-
ters of the Synod serving such organizations to remain
on the membership rosters of the Synod as “active mem-
bers,” if otherwise eligible

2. Eligibility for obtaining church extension loans
from the Lutheran Church Extension Fund—Missouri
Synod or from district church extension funds, unless
the policies of LCEF or the appropriate district preclude
such organization as an eligible borrower

3. Eligibility to be an “employer” under the various
Worker Benefit Plans of the Synod, unless the policies
of such a plan preclude such organization as an eligible
employer

4. Listing of the organization in The Lutheran An-
nual as a recognized service organization, provided that
such listing shall be prefaced by a statement that rec-
ognition is not a guarantee on the part of the Synod for
the fiscal solvency of the recognized service organization
or any financial responsibility for such organization or
for services expressly or impliedly offered

5. The opportunity to report to conventions of the
Synod, including the respective districts, through the
appropriate board or commission

e. Termination of Recognition. Recognized service-
organization status may be terminated at any time, with
or without cause, by a service organization or by the
Synod acting through the appropriate board or com-
mission, in accordance with Board of Directors policy.
However, the effective date of termination by the Synod
shall be not earlier than 90 days after the organization
has been notified in writing of the intent to terminate,
thus allowing that organization an opportunity to seek
a continuation of its recognition by the Synod. There
shall be no right of appeal of such termination by the
Synod, to a synodical convention or otherwise. Promptly
after the effective date of any termination, the Synod
shall publish a notice in an official periodical that the
organization is no longer recognized by the Synod as a
service organization.

Action: Adopted as amended (11).

(Prior to presenting the resolution, the committee had changed
Bylaw 14.03 c 3 to read, “Among the criteria that may be required
but are not made mandatory by these bylaws are the following:”
An amendment calling for deletion of the first three sentences of
14.03 b was declined.)

* * *

O. To Bring About Uniformity
of Language and Content in Bylaws

In order to bring about a uniformity of language and
content in the Bylaws, as a result of other changes more
specifically proposed to the 1986 convention, the following
changes in the Bylaws are proposed:

1. Wherever there is a reference to “clergyman” or “pas-
tor” the term ordained minister will be used, and whenever
there is a reference to “teacher” the term commissioned
minister will be used. However, ifthe context indicates that
the intent is to refer to a parish pastor or a classroom
teacher, the reference will be changed to “ordained min-
ister who is a parish pastor” and “commissioned minister
who is a classroom teacher.” The Commission on Consti-
tutional Matters is instructed to make these changes
throughout the Bylaws.

2. Wherever there are references to a “general conven-
tion” or “delegate convention” of the Synod, the reference
will be changed to “national convention” unless the context
clearly indicates an intention to apply to district conven-
tions, either alone or together with national conventions.
The Commission on Constitutional Matters is instructed
to make the changes throughout the Bylaws.

3. The last sentence of old Bylaw 2.03 will be combined
with the last sentence of Bylaw 2.07 in order to eliminate
unnecessary overlap.

3a. Provide for a recognition process with respect to
Lutheran elementary and secondary schools. 2.223 g
4. Present section 1.37, which provides definitions, will
be designated as section 2.51, and present sections 2.51
and following will be renumbered accordingly.

5. The term Personnel Department wherever used will
be changed to “Department of Personnel and Human Re-
sources.” Wherever “Personnel Director” is used, it will be
changed to “Director of the Department of Personnel and
Human Resources.” The Commission on Constitutional
Matters is instructed to make the changes throughout the
Bylaws.

6. The content of present section 2.67 shall be preceded
by the following: “In accord with relationships referred to
in chapter 1 of these Bylaws, especially section 1.07 d, the
following general regulations will apply...”

7. The words ratified in which appear in present section
2.67 d will be changed to “reported to.”

8. Wherever the title Administrative Officer of the
Board of Directors is used, it will be changed to “executive
officer of the Board of Directors.” In addition, in section
2.67 j, boards and commissions will submit their proposed
budgets “through the executive officer of the Board of Di-
rectors and the Council of Administrators.” The Commis-
sion on Constitutional Matters is instructed to make the
changes throughout the Bylaws.