LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 224

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224

Synod Structure and Governance

wording in making revisions to the Synod’s Constitution or Bylaws;
therefore be it
Resolved, That the Minnesota North District respectfully request
that by January 15, 2010 , the BRTFSSG make publicly available specific wording for all proposed revisions to the Synod’s Constitution
or Bylaws, including the complete text of any enabling convention
resolutions to implement such revisions, as well as its rationale for
such revisions; and be it further
Resolved, That the Minnesota North District memorialize the
Synod that at its 2010 convention it consider the BRTFSSG’s proposed revisions to Synod Constitution or Bylaws only under the
condition that this aforementioned request for information be fulfilled by the date specified; and be it further
Resolved, That the Minnesota North District respectfully request
that the BRTFSSG’s full and final report be immediately posted on
the Synod’s Web site upon its submission for inclusion in the 2010
Convention Workbook; and be it finally
Resolved, That within one week of the completion of this 2009
Minnesota North District Convention, its district president contact the
head of the BRTFSSG and request that the summary that was passed
out to the convention yesterday (April 28), the PowerPoint rationale
report, and the accompanying survey be sent to all other district presidents so that they may provide hard copies to their delegates before
their conventions meet.
Minnesota North District
8-09

To Reject Blue Ribbon Task Force
Recommendations
Whereas, We are in agreement with the historical position of the
LCMS that the Synod is not a church, and we wholeheartedly endorse
the desires of the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and
Governance (BRTFSSG) to advance Christ’s mission and keep our
confessional basis unchanged (LCMS Constitution, Art. II); and
Whereas, We recognize and affirm the entirety of the objectives
of the Synod (LCMS Constitution, Art. III) for the purposes of growing disciples in Christ; and
Whereas, We agree that congregations are the primary mission
centers for reaching our communities and the world, and that the
districts are the closest source of resources to the congregation; and
Whereas, We make this resolution in harmony with the same
spirit that the task force offered its recommendations (Php. 1:27;
2:1–4); and
Whereas, President Kieschnick appointed the BRTFSSG in 2005;
and
Whereas, The preliminary recommendations of the task force
were disseminated in 2008; and
Whereas, Said recommendations are significant changes from
past policies in governance, including but not limited to the number and size of districts, congregational voting and representation,
convention frequency, number and voting of advisory delegates,
changing the name of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, voting
procedures for doctrinal resolutions and statements, the seminaries
as sole certification bodies of pastoral candidates, election of vicepresidents, priority and consideration of overtures; therefore be it
Resolved, That the LCMS affirm its present Constitution and
Handbook and maintain its current structure of governance; and be
it further

Resolved, That the Indiana District memorialize the Synod to
reject the presented proposals of the BRTFSSG.
Indiana District
8-10

To Defer Proposed Restructure/Reorganization
to 2013 Convention
Whereas, The best and clearest attempt to date to articulate the
proposals for the restructuring of the Synod took place at the district
conventions held in 2009; and
Whereas, Little or no time for discussion or debate was provided
in these conventions for this important matter; and
Whereas, There are many members of the Synod, both clergy and
congregations, who have strong objections to significant parts of the
proposals; therefore be it
Resolved, That the decision to reorganize or restructure the Synod
be deferred to the 2013 LCMS convention to allow time for discussion and debate to take place at the district convention level before
the matter is brought before the Synod.
Circuit 14 Forum
Pacific Southwest District
8-11

To Delay Implementation of Certain BRTFSSG
Proposals
Rationale
The Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and Governance
(BRTFSSG) appointed by President Kieschnick has made several
recommendations that will prove to be difficult if not impossible to
implement quickly. It has proposed the elimination of the Synod’s
program boards, the creation of partially elected mission commissions, a change in the nominations process for some members of the
Synod’s Board of Directors, and the nomination and election of the
Synod’s vice-presidents on a regional basis.
The BRTFSSG issued its final report after the October 10, 2009
bylaw deadline for providing names of potential board and commission nominees to the Committee for Convention Nominations. No
call for nominations has been issued to the Synod concerning the
new mission commissions.
Bylaw 3.12.3.7 (f) advocates that, whenever possible, the
Committee for Convention Nominations should be ready with a slate
of candidates for a new board or commission likely to be established
at a Synod convention. In this case, however, it should be noted that
the task force is recommending that more than half of the members
of the proposed mission commissions as well as some members of
the LCMS Board of Directors are to be elected from among regional
nominees who have been nominated at district conventions. These
regions have not yet been officially determined, since the task force’s
proposed bylaws regarding regionalization cannot be adopted prior to
the 2010 LCMS convention. Nor have such nominations been made
at the district level as the task force proposal envisions.
One other point should be added. The districts also have not made
nominations for proposed regional vice-presidencies.
At the LCMS 2010 convention, it will therefore be impossible
to elect regional vice-presidents, LCMS Board of Directors members, or members for each of the mission commissions according to

2010 Convention Workbook

2010 Convention.indb 224

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