LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 221

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8. SYNOD
STRUCTURE
GOVERNANCE
synod structure
andAND
governance
8-01

following a process to ensure that the members of Synod are being
heard and that the will of the Synod is being carried out.
Pacific Southwest District

To Encourage Careful Consideration
of BRTFSSG Proposals
Whereas, LCMS President Gerald Kieschnick in 2005 appointed
a broad-based Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and
Governance (BRTFSSG) to assess the Synod’s current structure and
governance and to recommend improvements that would “facilitate
maximum operating efficiency in behalf of and in support of the members of our Synod in accomplishing the mission of our Lord and His
church …”; and
Whereas, The task force has proceeded carefully and collaboratively, carrying out its assignment in a conscientious manner over
the past four years, even recommending to the 2007 Synod convention that the process be given additional time beyond that convention
to assure that any recommendations would be thoroughly discussed
and understood by the Synod; and
Whereas, The task force has solicited input and suggestions by
meeting with and interviewing congregation, district, and Synod leaders, including 80 parish pastors and 60 lay leaders of congregations;
16 delegates to the 2007 Synod convention; five present and former Synod executives; 10 chairmen and 10 executive directors of
Synod boards and commissions; four presidents of Synod entities;
the presidents of the 10 Concordia University System schools and
two seminaries; the Council of Presidents on five occasions; and also
twice meeting with all 35 district boards of directors; and
Whereas, The task force has widely disseminated its initial recommendations, is nearing completion of the arduous task of making
presentations to and seeking feedback from the 2009 conventions
of all 35 districts, has posted its preliminary report for all to see on
its Web site at www.lcms.org/lcmsfuture, and has invited additional
responses in various ways; and
Whereas, The task force will take into account all survey
responses it receives; and
Whereas, In December 2009 and January and February 2010,
all voting delegates to the 2010 Synod convention will be invited
to attend one of the nine regional caucuses that will thoroughly discuss the final report of the task force, ensuring that every delegate
will have opportunity to understand fully the task force recommendations and discuss and offer suggestions for revising them prior to
the 2010 Synod convention; and
Whereas, The first two full days of the 2010 Synod convention
have been set aside for still more discussion of any proposals for
changes in the Synod’s structure and governance; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Pacific Southwest District in convention
assembled affirm and express its support for the process that has
been followed by the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure
and Governance, which has provided for everyone in the Synod an
opportunity to read, understand, and comment on its proposals; and
be it further
Resolved, That the district urge that there be no further delays, but
that the 2010 Synod convention give careful consideration to any recommendation developed by the task force; and be it further
Resolved, That the Pacific Southwest District recommend to the
2010 Synod convention that the current LCMS Constitution’s Art. II
language be retained and remain unaltered, as it most fully expresses
the confession of our church; and be it finally
Resolved, That the district thank the members of the task force
for their dedication to their task, for the conscientious and careful
way they have carried out their assignment, and for establishing and
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8-02

To Allow Time for Reasonable Conversation
and Consideration of Changes to Structure
Whereas, Conversation, dialogue, consideration, and encouragement should always be rejoiced and supported in our Synod; and
Whereas, Proposals for serious and profound changes in our
Synod’s practice and structure should be freely discussed, debated,
and considered by all; and
Whereas, All of our districts should allow reasonable opportunity for free and open review, dialogue, and conversation regarding
the profound changes being proposed for our Synod’s practice and
structure; and
Whereas, The Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and
Governance (BRTFSSG) has succinctly stated this concern by helpfully alerting the Synod that the proposals “involve proposed changes
to parts of the Synod’s Constitution—changes too lengthy and
detailed to be described adequately in the task force’s presentations
at the district conventions” (“Introductory Note” of the BRTFSSG’s
document for proposed changes); and
Whereas, Most congregations and pastors and circuits are being
exposed to the BRTFSSG proposals only shortly before their own
respective district conventions, many aren’t even being exposed to
them until their own district conventions, and even then the proposals they are exposed to aren’t clear and final but are often ambiguous
and are presented as being in flux; and
Whereas, Clarity and consistency are needed in the documents
to be considered by the Synod in order to have serious consideration
and beneficial conversation and dialogue; and
Whereas, The BRTFSSG’s own documents give proposals and
recommendations that are often inconsistent, even in conflict with
each other, so that within the same documents the reader is confronted
with serious ambiguities and contradictions, for example,
a. In the “Walking Together” Presentation Format from the LCMS
website, power-point slide 17 proposes that “commissioned ministers” be considered to be “members of the Synod” alongside ordained pastors, yet slides 27 and 28 recommend that at conventions
these same “commissioned ministers” would be treated not as ordained pastors but, rather, as lay persons; or,
b. BRTFSSG’s “Walking Together” presentation, slides 20-22, recommends a change in the name of the Synod, even stating the rationale,
while the BRTFSSG’s document “Provisional Proposal” recommends the opposite, stating, “The name of the Synod organized
under this constitution shall be: The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod”;
and

Whereas, Reasonable time and place and opportunity has not
been given and established for beneficial debate, dialogue, discussion,
and mutual consideration of the serious and profound changes to our
Synod’s practice and structure (as found in the recently released but
still not final proposals of the BRTFSSG); therefore be it
Resolved, That the 2010 Synod convention establish a time period
and a method in which these profound changes to practice and structure may be openly considered throughout the Synod, so that all may
be allowed the time and opportunity to review and consider the work
of the BRTFSSG.
North and South Sandia Circuit Forum
Rocky Mountain District
2010 Convention Workbook

4/15/10 2:39 PM