LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 156

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156

RESOLUTIONS

determined by a district . After lengthy discussion of the proposed
amendment that carried over into Session 11, the amendment was
adopted [Yes: 556; No: 541] . After further discussion, Res . 8-02A
was adopted as amended [Yes: 699; No: 417] .)

Congregations Walking Together in Mission
through Circuit Networks
To Elect Circuit Counselors
RESOLUTION 8-03B
TF Report (CW TFR, p. 24); Overtures 8-21, 8-57, 8-59
(CW, pp. 228–229, 241–242)
Whereas, The circuit counselor is the principal officer of
the circuit, whose duties are assigned in the Bylaws of the
Synod; and
Whereas, Current Bylaw 5 .2 .3 (a) states that the circuit
counselor “shall serve under the direction of and be accountable to the district president and shall serve as his spokesman
when so authorized and directed and shall assist him in doctrinal and spiritual supervision”; and
Whereas, Circuit counselors serve as circuit network coordinators; and
Whereas, The convention previously adopted the process
for identifying synodwide emphasis on mission and ministry; and
Whereas, It is also important for the district president to
have the opportunity to provide input into the nomination process of one who serves as an ecclesial extension of the district
president’s office; therefore be it
Resolved, That the process of nominating circuit counselors is primarily the responsibility of the congregation; and be
it further
Resolved, That the district president be provided opportunity to suggest eligible candidates from within the circuit;
and be it further
Resolved, That these elections take place at the circuit forum
and be ratified by the district convention; and be it finally
Resolved, That the amendments re circuit counselor elections and responsibilities proposed for Bylaws 5 .2 .2 and 5 .2 .3
(g) as shown below be adopted .
5 .2 .2 The circuit counselor shall hold his position by virtue
of his election by action of selection by the circuit forum and
ratification by the district convention .
(a) Every voting congregation of each circuit shall be entitled
to nominate as a candidate for the office of circuit counselor either one or two individual pastors of the member congregations
of the circuit or from among the emeriti who hold membership
in one of the member congregations of that circuit .
(1)The nominations shall be made at least four months
prior to the elections and shall be submitted to the nominating committee through the secretary of the district .
(2) The pastor who receives a majority of votes cast on
the nominating ballot shall be the nominee .
(b) If no candidate has received a majority, the district secretary shall forward to each congregation in that circuit an addi2010 Convention Proceedings

tional ballot with the names of the two men, or more in case of a
tie, receiving the highest number of votes in the initial balloting .
(1) The congregations shall then mark their ballot with
one name and return it to the district secretary by the date
specified by him .
(2) The pastor who receives the majority of votes cast
shall be the nominee .
(c) If no pastor has received a majority in the voting, a circuit
caucus shall be held during an early session of the convention at
a specified time on the agenda . Balloting shall take place by the
pastors and lay delegates of the circuit until one pastor receives
the majority of votes .
(d) Should the candidate(s) no longer be available for this
office, the circuit caucus shall have the right to act on behalf of
the congregations to nominate a replacement .
(a) Circuit forums shall meet at the call of their circuit counselors to select their circuit counselors no later than the time
established by the district .
(b) Nominations for candidates for the office of circuit counselor may be submitted by a voting congregation of the circuit
and by the district president, in consultation with the praesidium
of the district .
(c) Selection of the circuit counselor shall be by election by
written ballot . The privilege of voting shall be exercised by the
representatives from each member congregation of the circuit,
who shall have been selected in the manner prescribed by the
congregation (cf . Bylaw 5 .3 .2) .
(d) All nominated pastors serving congregations and emeriti
pastors shall be eligible for election in accordance with section
4 .3 of these Bylaws .
(1) Following presentations of pertinent information regarding each pastor as listed in Bylaw 3 .12 .3 .6 (c) and circuit counselor responsibilities as provided hereafter in this
bylaw, each voter shall write in the names of two pastors on
the initial ballot .
(2) The three pastors (or more in case of a tie vote) who
receive the highest number of votes in this preliminary ballot
shall be placed on the next ballot . Each voter shall vote for
only one candidate .
(3) Balloting shall continue with the lowest candidate
being removed from each succeeding ballot until one pastor
shall have received a simple majority of all votes cast, who
shall be declared the nominee .
(e) Immediately following the circuit forum the circuit counselor shall report in writing the results of the selection process
to the secretary of the district in preparation for ratification by
the district convention .
(e)(f) The convention shall have the right to alter the slate
by amendment .
(f)(g) The convention shall then ratify the slate of circuit
counselors, which ratification shall constitute election .
5 .2 .3 (g) He shall assist in the development and attainment
of Synod-wide mission and ministry emphases .

Action: Adopted (11)
(During discussion, a proposal to replace “begin with” with “is
primarily the responsibility of” in the first resolve and “nominate”
with “suggest” in the second resolve was accepted by the com-