LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 184

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184

ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE
4-13

Article VIII. Amendments
Amendments to these Articles of Incorporation may be made at any
time at a general or special meeting of this corporation by the affirmative vote of a two-thirds majority of the delegates present and voting or
by a simple majority of all delegates, whichever is less, provided such
amendments are not inconsistent with the Constitution or Bylaws of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod or the Constitution and laws of the
United States or the State of Missouri.

Commission on Structure
4-12

To Return LCEF Bylaw 3.6.4.4 to Pre-2004
Wording

To Amend Bylaw 1.5.3 re Agency Meeting
Whereas, Bylaw 1.5.3 requires every agency of the Synod to meet,
but does not specify the manner of meeting; and
Whereas, Some bylaws require face-to-face meetings in certain
situations, others imply face-to-face meetings, and still others are
silent as to the manner of meetings; and
Whereas, At times a mission can be achieved effectively, efficiently, and economically without a face-to-face meeting; and
Whereas, Agencies should have the freedom to meet in a manner
that best balances several goals; therefore be it
Resolved, That current Bylaw 1.5.3 be amended to read as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING

Rationale
The Board for Church Extension, comprised of the members of the
board of directors of the Lutheran Church Extension Fund—Missouri
Synod, exists to provide assistance to the seven districts that continue
to operate their own church extension funds. Prior to the revision of
the Handbook of the Synod by the 2004 convention, the duties of
the Board for Church Extension were delineated by Bylaws 3.509
and 3.511. Following the revision, they are now delineated in Bylaw
3.6.4.4 (2007 Handbook, pp. 116–17).
After discussion with the seven church extension funds that still
operate independently, the Board for Church Extension and the seven
district fund boards have noted that, contrary to the intention by the
2004 convention not to make substantial change during the Handbook
revision process, a substantial change was made. The revised version
of the Handbook places responsibility for compliance with Lutheran
Church Extension Fund—Missouri Synod policies on the national
Board for Church Extension rather than the district church extension
fund boards and committees.
The Board for Church Extension and the seven district church
extension fund entities therefore have requested that current wording be replaced with the pre-2004 wording to restore the pre-2004
intent of the bylaws in question, as follows.
Therefore be it
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
Resolved, That 2007 Bylaw 3.6.4.4 (d) describing one of the responsibilities of the Board for Church Extension be deleted as follows: “(d)
The board shall ensure that district church extension boards or committees administer the districts’ church extension programs in conformity
with policies established by the Synod’s Board for Church Extension
and in accordance with district regulations”; and be it further
Resolved, That the language of pre-2004 Bylaw 3.511 be inserted
immediately following 2007 Bylaw 3.6.4.4 as a new Bylaw 3.6.4.5, as
follows: “District church extension boards or committees shall administer the district’s church extension programs in conformity with policies
established by the Synod’s Board for Church Extension and in accordance with district regulations.”; and be it finally
Resolved, That the remaining paragraphs of Bylaw 3.6.4.4 and the
bylaws following new Bylaw 3.6.4.5 be re-lettered and re-numbered as
appropriate.

Commission on Structure;
Lutheran Church Extension Fund

1.5.3 Every agency of the Synod shall meet at least quarterly unless
otherwise stipulated in the Bylaws. Exceptions require the approval
at least annually of the President of the Synod. All agencies shall
announce their upcoming meetings. Unless otherwise specified in
the Bylaws, each agency is free to select a manner of meeting, consistent with Board of Directors policy, that best enhances its ability
to accomplish its mission, taking into consideration fostering the
open exchange of ideas, availability of technology to all members,
stewardship of resources, perception of fairness, controversial nature of agenda items, and whether secret ballots might be used.

Commission on Structure
4-14

To Provide Definition for Term “Operating Board”
Preamble
In a March 28, 2008 memorandum, the Commission on Structure
requested an opinion from the Commission on Constitutional Matters
(CCM) on the use and application of the term “operating board” in
paragraph (c) of Bylaw 6.2.1. After study of the use of the term in
earlier handbooks of the Synod (1995–present) the CCM concluded
in its Opinion 08-2515:
The term “operating board” is to be understood to
apply to the Board of Directors and the boards of the
synodwide corporate entities (including Concordia
Plans Services) and to the program boards.
In keeping with the response of the CCM and in order to provide an official definition for the Synod’s current and future use, the
Commission on Structure advocates the inclusion of the following
definition as a new paragraph (m) under Bylaw 1.2.1.
Resolved, That a new paragraph (m) be added to current Bylaw
1.2.1 to provide a definition for the term “operating board,” as
follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
(m) Operating Board: The Board of Directors and program
boards of the Synod, the Board of Directors of Concordia Plan
Services, and the governing boards of the synodwide corporate
entities.
and be it further
Resolved, That current paragraphs (m) through (w) of Bylaw 1.2.1
be re-lettered accordingly.
Commission on Structure

2010 Convention Workbook

2010 Convention.indb 184

4/15/10 2:39 PM