LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1965, Page 299

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LUTHERAN COUNCIL IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Bylaws

SECTION I
Definitions

As used in the constitution of the council and in
these bylaws the following terms are defined and are
to be understood as indicated:

a. administrative responsibility — duty and authority
to plan, direct, supervise, guide, and coordinate.

b. consultation — conference in which advice and
counsel are sought, without responsibility to act in con-
sonance with advice and counsel received.

c. control — exercise of directing or guiding or re-
straining power.

d. cooperate — act voluntarily in concert with
others.

e. cooperating body — participating body of the
council (see Constitution, Article II, Section 1) which
has chosen to act jointly with other participating bodies
in a unit of the council.

f. coordinate — require participation in common ac-
tion.

g. forum — medium of open discussion.

h. liaison— channel of communication.

i. project — limited study or operational activity to
be completed within a specified period of time.

j. representative — person chosen by a participating
body as its agent in regular or special meetings of the
council.

k. review — examine critically, with authority to ap-
prove or amend or disapprove.

1, staff member — employee elected by the Execu-
tive Committee for a specific term to perform executive
or program functions.

m. supervise — oversee with authority to require or
effect change.

SECTION H
Place of Business

The principal office of the Lutheran Council in the
United States of America shall be in New York, N. Y.
The council may from time to time establish places of
business for its units in cities other than that of the
council’s principal office in accordance with the coun-
cil’s several interests and concerns.

SECTION II
Meetings

Item 1. The place of the annual meeting shall be in
the city of the council’s principal office, unless other-
wise designated at an annual meeting or by the Exec-
utive Committee.

Item 2. The council shall convene in annual meeting
on the Tuesday of the first full week in February un-
less otherwise specified at a previous annual meeting

or by the Executive Committee, at a time determined
by the Executive Committee.

Item 3. Other regular meetings may be called by
action at an annual meeting and shall be held at the
time and place designated at the annual meeting or
by the Executive Committee.

Item 4. Special meetings of the council may be
called for specified purposes by action of the Executive
Committee, and shall be called by the secretary of the
council upon the written request of at least ten repre-
sentatives to the previous annual meeting. The Exec-
utive Committee shall determine the time and place of
a special meeting. The notice for a special meeting shall
be mailed to each representative and to the president
of each participating body at least fifteen days in ad-
vance of the date of the meeting and shall state spe-
cifically the business to be considered at the meeting.

Item 5. Robert’s Rules of Order, latest edition, shall
be the governing parliamentary law of the council ex-
cept as otherwise provided in the constitution or by-
laws.

SECTION IV
Representation

Item 1. The representatives of a participating body
shall be selected in such manner as it shall determine,
having due regard for representation of clergy and
laity.

Item 2. The term of office of a representative shall
begin at the first session of the meeting of the council
following designation and certification by his partici-
pating body, and shall be for the term prescribed by his
participating body.

Item 3. In case a representative is prevented from
attending any part of a meeting of the council, his
place may be filled by an alternate selected in such
manner as his participating body may determine.

SECTION V
Elections

Item 1. In the election of the president, the follow-
ing rules shall obtain: on the first ballot, all of the
votes cast shall be necessary to elect; on the second
ballot, three-fourths of the votes cast shall be neces-
sary to elect; on the third ballot, two-thirds of the
votes cast shall be necessary to elect; on the fourth
ballot, the nominees shall be limited to the two re-
ceiving the highest number of votes on the third bal-
lot, and no vote cast for any other. shall be counted.
On the fourth and succeeding ballots, a majority of the
votes cast shall elect. No other elections shall be in
order while the election of a president is pending.

Item 2. In the election of the vice-president, the
secretary, and the elected members of the Executive
Committee, a majority of the votes cast shall elect.

Item 3. In the event of a failure for any reason to
elect any or all of the above designated officers or

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