LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 157

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SYNOD STRUCTURE AND GOVERNANCE
mittee as a friendly amendment . A motion to amend the proposed
wording for Bylaw 5 .2 .2 (b) by inserting “either” after the word
“submitted” and by having the phrase “and by the district president” instead read “or by the district president, the latter” was ruled
to be a change requiring prior consultation with the Commission on
Constitutional Matters and therefore not in order . After further discussion, Res . 8-03B was adopted as changed [Yes: 619; No: 509] .)

Congregations Walking Together in Mission
through National Representation
To Elect Delegates to the Synod Convention
RESOLUTION 8-05B
Overtures 8-22, 8-28–29, 8-31–32, 8-35–45, 8-51–53,
8-56, 8-60 (CW, pp. 229–236, 238–242)
Whereas, The Synod convention is the “principal legislative assembly, which amends the Constitution and Bylaws,
considers and takes action on reports and overtures, and handles appropriate appeals and establishes general positions and
policies of the Synod, provides overall program direction and
priorities, and evaluates all such positions, programs, policies, directions, and priorities in order to provide responsible
service for and on behalf of its members” (Bylaw 3 .1 .1); and
Whereas, Voting membership in the Synod is held by all
member congregations of the Synod and exercised through
their elected representatives to Synod and district conventions; and
Whereas, Removal of the electoral function of circuits
eliminates the need for exceptional circuit delegates; and
Whereas, The number of delegates to a Synod convention
shall be established to:
• Enable greater engagement of the delegates in the discussion and the proceedings of mission and business;
• Ensure equity in the number of delegates each district
is apportioned; and
• Allow for a greater stewardship of the gifts of God’s
people for the work of mission and ministry by opening up less expensive venues; and
Whereas, It is important that representatives of member
congregations understand in advance of the election of delegates for Synod convention that an orderly process will be
followed, one that includes:
• An apportioning of congregations in light of the district’s prescribed number of delegates;
• A selection of delegates in a manner that takes into consideration reasonable and equitable representation;
• A process for creating electoral clusters; and
• An election by those electoral clusters; therefore be it
Resolved, That the number of voting delegates to the Synod
convention be fixed based on ten percent of the number of
member congregations in the Synod six months prior to the
first district convention; and be it further
Resolved, That voting delegates for Synod conventions be
elected by electoral clusters; and be it further

157

Resolved, That each district shall select advisory delegates
(minister of religion–ordained, minister of religion–commissioned) retaining the proportionate representation to voting
delegates as is currently followed; and be it finally
Resolved, That the amendments re delegates and representatives to Synod conventions proposed for Bylaws 3 .1 .2,
3 .1 .2 .1, 3 .1 .2 .2, and 3 .1 .3 .1 (“2007 Handbook Convention
Version,” TB, pp . 228–230) be amended accordingly .
Voting Delegates
3 .1 .2 Voting delegates shall consist of one pastor and one
layman from each electoral circuit .
(a) An electoral circuit shall consist either of one or two
adjacent visitation circuits, as shall be determined by each district on the basis of the following requirements: each pair of
delegates shall represent from 7 to 20 member congregations,
involving an aggregate communicant membership ranging from
1,500 to 10,000 .
(b) Exceptions to these requirements may be made only by
the President of the Synod upon request of a district board of
directors .
The Office of the Secretary of the LCMS shall facilitate the
election of voting delegates to the next following national convention . These delegates shall be elected for three-year terms
during the conventions of the districts of the Synod .
(a) The total number of voting delegates shall be set at 10%
of the number of congregations in the Synod six months prior
to the start of the first district convention . Such number shall be
rounded to the higher even number to enable delegate pairs (lay
and minister of religion–ordained) .
(b) Two factors shall be averaged to determine the number
of delegates from each district . Those factors are:
(1) The percentage of the district’s member congregations compared to the number of member congregations of
the Synod; and
(2) The percentage of the number of confirmed members
of the district’s congregations compared to the number of
confirmed members of the congregations of the Synod .
(c) The most recent available roster statistics shall be used
to determine all matters related to delegate representation .
(d) One-half of the district’s total allotment of delegates
shall be laity from member congregations of the district and
one-half shall be a minister of religion–ordained with membership in the congregations of the district .
3 .1 .2 .1 Elections of voting delegates to the national convention shall ordinarily take place in accordance with established
policy and procedure as follows .
(a) Each electoral circuit shall meet at the call of the
counselor(s) to elect its delegates not later than nine months
prior to the opening day of the convention . The district board of
directors shall determine how its electoral clusters will caucus
in light of its prescribed number of delegates to the next national
convention . Such groupings shall take into consideration geographical and such other factors as will provide reasonable and
equitable congregational representation in and as a result of the
delegate selection process to occur not later than nine months
prior to the opening day of the Synod convention .
2010 Convention Proceedings