LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 19

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SYNOD REPORTS
Appendix IV
The American Association of Lutheran Churches (TAALC)
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS)
OPERATING AGREEMENT I
THE MOVEMENT OF MEMBERS BETWEEN CHURCH BODIES

We join in thanking God for the altar and pulpit fellowship
declared by our church bodies during their 2007 conventions. We
implore the Lord of the Church to continue to strengthen the bond of
fellowship and spirit of cooperation that exist among us as our church
bodies cooperate in our efforts to proclaim the Gospel of Christ. We
anticipate that positive relationships and cooperation will continue to
increase as our pastors and laity are invited to participate in conferences and other gatherings of the partner church body (e.g., pastors’
conferences, youth gatherings) and as representatives are invited
to participate (excluding voting privilege) in common meetings
(e.g., boards, commissions, councils).
The Protocol Document signed when fellowship was declared
advocates the free movement of ordained ministers between our
church bodies to participate in worship services and other activities. Ecclesiastical supervisors (district presidents or regional pastors)
should be informed when a pastor of the partner church body has
been invited by a congregation or other entity to lead or participate
in such events.
The Protocol Document also recognizes that on occasion there
will be movement of members between the official rosters of the
partner church bodies due to necessity or personal interest. While the
movement of large numbers of congregations and/or pastors is not
anticipated, this Operating Agreement I will provide good order for
such changes of official membership.
To facilitate good order, each church body will make its roster
information readily available on an annual basis to the ecclesiastical
supervisors of the partner church body, with up-to-date information
provided upon request. Both church bodies also will identify those
pastors on their rosters who were at one time rostered by the partner
church body. In addition, a list of LCMS pastors removed for cause
will be maintained by the LCMS Secretary and made available to the
TAALC Presiding Pastor, who will also maintain and make available to LCMS ecclesiastical supervisors a list of TAALC pastors
removed for cause.

__________________
MOVEMENT OF

A CONGREGATION’S MEMBERSHIP
TO THE PARTNER CHURCH BODY

1. A congregation interested in moving its membership to the
partner church body will inform (a) its ecclesiastical supervisor, (b) the president or presiding pastor of its church
body, and (c) the president or presiding pastor of the partner church body. Any immediate obstacles to transfer of
membership will be addressed at this time.
2. A meeting of the congregation and appropriate ecclesiastical supervisors will be arranged to provide opportunity
for consideration of changes that would necessarily accompany change in church body membership.
3. The congregation will submit Articles of Incorporation,
Constitution, and Bylaws to the appropriate ecclesiastical supervisor of the receiving partner church body for
approval.

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4. Upon approval of the documents, reception into membership will follow the process established by the receiving
church body for the reception of new congregations.
5. Upon the congregation’s formal reception into membership, its new ecclesiastical supervisor will inform the
appropriate authorities of both church bodies, which will
complete the process for transfer of membership.
6. Movement of pastors serving congregations that transfer membership will be governed by the policies here
following.

__________________
MOVEMENT OF
AN ORDAINED MINISTER’S MEMBERSHIP
TO THE PARTNER CHURCH BODY

(A) When a congregation or other calling entity expresses interest
in calling a pastor who is on the roster of the partner church
body:
1. The congregation will make its interest known to (a) its
ecclesiastical supervisor, who will inform (b) his counterpart in the partner church body and (c) the president and
(d) the presiding pastor of the national church bodies. Their
required approval will take into consideration the pastor’s
roster status/category and his record of service, including
any former membership and service in the church body of
the calling entity. Pastors under discipline will be regarded
as not available for consideration until the matter has been
resolved.
2. Following approval, the pastor will be informed that a congregation or other calling entity of the partner church body
has expressed interest in considering him for a call.
3. If the pastor agrees to allow his name to be considered, his
name and accompanying biographical and evaluative information will be provided by his ecclesiastical supervisor to
the ecclesiastical supervisor of the calling congregation or
entity.
4. If the pastor receives the call, his ecclesiastical supervisor will be expected to discuss with him expectations and
responsibilities that would accompany change in roster
membership should he accept the call.
5. If the pastor accepts the call, he will inform the ecclesiastical supervisor of the calling congregation or entity of
his desire to apply for membership in the receiving church
body. The ecclesiastical supervisor will provide a statement
for the pastor’s signature acknowledging his subscription to
the Constitution of the receiving church body and testifying to his willingness to uphold its bylaws and other rules
and regulations.
6. Upon receipt of the signed statement, the ecclesiastical
supervisor will authorize the installation of the pastor in
accordance with the receiving church body’s accepted
forms and practices and will report the installation to his
counterpart in the partner church body.
7. Both ecclesiastical supervisors will provide official reports
to their church bodies, which reports will finalize the movement of the pastor’s membership from the one partner
church body to the other.
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