LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 32

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32

MINUTES OF THE CONVENTION

Fondow, President of the Minnesota North District, called
attention to Res . 4-05, “To Revise Convention Election
Process” (TB, pp . 73–74), which was formally introduced
by his committee . After reference to the “Vice-President–
Finance—Treasurer” was deleted from line 9 (p . 74) and after
brief discussion, Res . 4-05 was adopted as changed [Yes: 827;
No: 230] .
Res . 4-01A, “To Lead Districts and Synod in a Stewardship
Renaissance” (TB, p . 363), was introduced by the committee .
A motion to amend line 28 by adding “and gospel-centered”
before the word “stewardship” was accepted by common consent . After brief discussion, a motion to end debate was carried
[Yes: 1,036; No: 96], and Res . 4-01A was adopted as changed
[Yes: 1,005; No: 131] .
Res . 4-02, “To Address Corporate Synod’s Financial
Crisis” (TB, pp . 71ff .), was introduced by the committee .
After brief discussion, a motion to end debate was carried
[Yes: 954; No: 149], and Res 4-02 was adopted as presented
[Yes: 869; No: 270] .
Res . 4-03, “To Broadly Communicate the Statement of
Financial Position of LCMS” (TB, p . 72), was introduced by
the committee . After brief discussion, debate was ended [Yes:
1,075; No: 61], and Res . 4-03 was adopted as presented [Yes:
1,108; No: 32] .
Res . 4-17, “To Address Student Indebtedness” (TB, pp .
363f .), was introduced by the committee . A motion to amend
line 6 on page 364 by adding “beginning in the first year”
after “stewardship” was accepted as a friendly amendment
by the floor committee . Debate ended with the calling of the
Orders of the Day .
Session 6
Tuesday p.m.—July 13, 2010
Call to Order/Opening Devotion

President Kieschnick called the session to order .
Convention chaplain Glen Thomas introduced Rev . Dr . Ken
Klaus, Speaker of the International Lutheran Laymen’s
League . The theme of his devotion, based on Luke 7:29, was
“One People—Forgiven in the Family .” He spoke of the smallness of his world and of life in his family when he was young,
comparing it to the family relationship of the woman in the
text with her critics . Her family (by the blood of Abraham)
didn’t give her what families usually do: a blessing and prayer
and encouragement . He reminded that we are family and don’t
always treat each other well either . We need to do what families do under the forgiveness we have received in Christ .
Families stand up against their enemies, and if they go down,
they go down together . The outside world and church is waiting to see this family, the LCMS, come together and stand
together .
Minutes

The chair called attention to the minutes for Sessions 3 and
4, printed on pages 475–79 of Today’s Business . Secretary
Raymond Hartwig noted one change in the registration report
2010 Convention Proceedings

provided early in Session 3, which should have read “395”
instead of “386 .” The minutes were approved as corrected .
Adoption of Slate for President

The chair called for the projection of the slate of candidates for President . A motion to ratify the slate was introduced
and carried [Yes: 1,168; No: 3] without discussion . The chair
called on the chairman of Committee 9 for the following
report:
Voting pastoral delegates
Voting lay delegates
Total voting delegates

596
598
1,194

Advisory ordained delegates
Advisory commissioned delegates
Official representatives
Special advisory
Others
Total nonvoting

42
115
121
9
102
389

After a motion to adopt the report was carried [Yes: 1,176;
No: 7], Committee Chairman Russell Sommerfeld provided
additional instructions for the use of the electronic voting system . The chair asked convention chaplain Jotham Johann to
offer a prayer as the assembly prepared to begin the election
process .
Election of President

After the slate of candidates for the office of President was
adopted by the convention and the vote was taken, the results
of the first ballot for the election of the President of the Synod:
Carl Fickenscher II
Daniel Gard
Matthew Harrison
Gerald Kieschnick
Herbert Mueller

5
1
643
527
8

Matthew Harrison was declared elected . The chair asked
Matthew Harrison to come to the podium to speak to the
assembly . The President-elect described himself as a sinner
who will work hard for unity in the Synod on the basis of
Scripture alone . He also spoke of his great honor to stand
before the convention, which he commended for how it has
gone about its business .
President Kieschnick, in turn, expressed his appreciation
for the cooperation he has received during the nine years of
his service to the Synod, reserving special thanks for his wife,
Terry, and the remainder of his family . He spoke of the privilege of service and prayed God’s blessing upon this beloved
church body .
As the convention prepared for the next election, a delegate asked that the minutes reflect the support of the entire
convention for the newly elected president, as demonstrated
by a standing ovation . The convention also gave thanks for
the dedicated service of President Kieschnick by singing the
Common Doxology .