LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 236

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236

Synod Structure and Governance

8-42

8-43

To Allow Advisory Members to Be Named Voting
Delegates in Place of Voting Pastors

To Have Every Congregation Represented
at Synod Conventions

Whereas, It is “Our Lord’s will that the diversities of gifts should
be for the common profit. 1 Cor. 12:4–31” (Preamble to Constitution);
and
Whereas, Under our current system, advisory members of the
Synod (rostered church workers such as assistant pastors, ministers
not in charge of congregations, professors at the Synod’s educational
institutions, teachers of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, deaconesses, and others as listed in Constitution Art. V B) are not allowed
to cast a ballot in a circuit forum, district convention, or national
Synod convention; and
Whereas, Many of these faithful servants have extraordinary
God-given talents, theological acumen, and extensive real-world
experience; and
Whereas, There is no theological reason why these church professionals should not judge doctrine every bit as much as pastors or
laypeople; and
Whereas, Many of these servants of Christ are “of good repute,
full of the Spirit and of wisdom” (Acts 6:3); and
Whereas, Casting a ballot at a convention is not a distinctive function of the pastoral office; and
Whereas, Other called workers serve in offices that are auxiliary
to the pastoral office, offices which flow from and have their root in
the pastoral office; and
Whereas, These workers serve by virtue of a divine call every bit
as much as pastors; and
Whereas, At the district level, lay delegates have an alternate to
serve in case they are unable to serve at a convention but pastors do
not; therefore be it
Resolved, That in circuit forums and district conventions, when
there is a pastoral vacancy in a given congregation, that congregation shall be entitled to name as “proxy” one of its called, rostered
workers (who is otherwise an advisory member of Synod) to represent that congregation with all the rights and privileges of a pastoral
delegate, serving in addition to the lay delegate from that congregation; and be it further
Resolved, That in circuit forums and district conventions, in cases
of necessity or expediency (e.g., illness, leave of absence, sabbatical),
a pastor of a given congregation may designate as his “proxy” another
called servant of the congregation (otherwise an advisory member of
Synod) to vote in his place, serving with all the rights and privileges
of a pastoral delegate, in addition to the lay delegate from that congregation; and be it finally
Resolved, That when circuit forums are called in order to elect
delegates to the national convention of Synod, a congregation may
nominate, in addition to one layman in the circuit, also an advisory
member of Synod called by one of the circuit congregations (whether
called directly by a congregation or by a school association sponsored
by congregations in the circuit), who shall be considered a possible “proxy” to serve as pastoral delegate or alternate for that circuit.
St. John
New Minden, IL

Whereas, Every LCMS pastor is a member of the Synod, as is
every LCMS congregation a member of Synod; therefore be it
Resolved, That, when the Synod meets in convention, its members be present and vote.
Trinity
Tryon, NC
8-44

To Elect Delegates by Regions within Districts
Whereas, One of the circuits of the Southern Illinois District submitted to the 2007 LCMS national convention a suggestion similar to
that of the BRTFSSG for congregational representation at national
conventions, tying the number of pairs of delegates to a national
convention with a formula based on the number of congregations
and communicant members of a district, which would eliminate all
exceptions; and
Whereas, It is critical that these delegate pairs be chosen in a uniform way throughout the Synod; and
Whereas, It is critical that the process of choosing these pairs
not be open to the possibility of eliminating views differing from the
majority, such as by electing all delegate pairs at large; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Southern Illinois District encourage the
BRTFSSG to pursue the proposal to assign delegate pairs to districts
based on a formula of number of congregations and number of communicant membership; and be it further
Resolved, That in the proposal the delegate pairs be elected by
region within a district, the regions being established by district convention action; and be it further
Resolved, That in the proposal the actual selection of the delegates
be done by the congregations of the region, with a pastor and a lay
delegate of each congregation voting; and be it finally
Resolved, That in the event either the delegate or alternate delegate
is unable to serve, the district president shall appoint a replacement in
consultation with the circuit counselor(s) of that region.
Southern Illinois District
8-45

To Allow Vacant Congregations Two Lay Delegates
Whereas, In 2005, President Gerald Kieschnick appointed the
Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and Governance; and
Whereas, Experience teaches that maximum attention must be
given to details and wording in making adjustments and/or changes
impinging on structure; and
Whereas, The Synod would do well to proceed with prayerful and
appropriate care in considering any changes; and
Whereas, Recommendation 6 in the task force’s final report of
October 15, 2009, has far-reaching and significant import; and
Whereas, It is important that each congregation maintain two voting delegates; and
Whereas, ordained ministers comprise less than 0.5 percent of
baptized members; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod allow those congregations without a
called pastor to send TWO lay delegates to conventions.
Zion
Wilton, IA

2010 Convention Workbook

2010 Convention.indb 236

4/15/10 2:39 PM