LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 430

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430

ECCLESIASTICAL SUPERVISION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION

members, as long as these provisions do not conflict with the Bylaws
of the Synod.
(a) District presidents who, by the opening of the district convention,
have not visited or caused to be visited at least 90 percent of the
member congregations in their district each triennium will be automatically disqualified from being elected to any district or Synod
office for a period of six years.
(b) District presidents who do not visit or cause to be visited a congregation of their district for two successive triennia for any reason other
than the congregation’s refusal to receive the district president or his
representative, will automatically be disqualified from being elected
to any district or Synod office for a period of six years.
2.11.1 To remain on the roster of the Synod as an active member, an
ordained or commissioned minister of religion must be a communicant
member of a congregation which is a member of the Synod (except as
provided in paragraph [c] below) and be regularly performing the duties
of one of the following:
…
(l) District presidents disqualified under bylaw 4.7.1 (a) or 4.7.1 (b)
from continued service as district president, shall during the same
period, also be ineligible for any positions under Bylaws 2.11.1 (d)−
(k), or any appointed Synod or district office. Such disqualification
shall have no effect on the emeritus status of the individual.

Trinity
Wheatland, WY
12-38

To Call to Faithful Confession
Whereas, We are taught to pray that the devil may not deceive
us or mislead us into false belief; and
Whereas, Scripture clearly teaches that creation came into being
by the Word of God (Ps. 33:6–9; 2 Pet. 3:5); and
Whereas, The Lord Jesus says that in the beginning God made
them male and female (Matt. 19:4–6) and designed human sexuality
to be expressed exclusively within the institution of Holy Matrimony
(1 Cor. 6:9–11); and
Whereas, The apostolic faith confesses that only qualified men
are called into the Office of the Holy Ministry (1 Tim. 3:1–7); and
Whereas, Despite the clear truth of God’s Word, some within
our fellowship continue actively to deceive and mislead members
of Christ’s Body and thereby profane the name of God among us by
teaching contrary to God’s Word on the matters listed above, thereby
destroying the unity of our confession and endangering the eternal
welfare of those for whom Christ died; therefore be it
Resolved, That those who no longer confess the faith once delivered to the saints as evidenced in “A Call for Discussion” (Daystar
Journal, August 2015) be placed under church discipline by their
respective district presidents or, if necessary, by the President of the
Synod and, absent repentance, be removed from membership in the
LCMS in accord with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod.
Concordia
Kingsport, TN
12-39

To Address Concerns re Ecclesiastical Supervision
in Constitution and Bylaws
Whereas, Constitution Art. XI B 3 defines the duties and responsibilities of the President of the Synod, stating: “The President has
2016 Convention Workbook

and always shall have the power to advise, admonish, and reprove. He
shall conscientiously use all means at his command to promote and
maintain unity of doctrine and practice in all districts of the Synod”
(emphasis added); and
Whereas, Constitution Art. XI B 7 states, “The President shall
perform all additional duties assigned to him by the Bylaws or by special resolution of the Synod in convention”; and
Whereas, In defining the matter of ecclesiastical supervision in
Synod as it applies to the President of the Synod and district presidents and their responsibility “to supervise on behalf of the Synod the
doctrine, life, and administration of its members, officers, and agencies,” Synod Bylaw 1.2.1 (i) assigns to the President of the Synod
and district presidents the authority to take “appropriate disciplinary
measures to assure that the Constitution, Bylaws, and resolutions of
the Synod are followed and implemented; and
Whereas, Bylaw 3.3.1.1.1 (b) states: “In the districts of Synod,
he [i.e., the President of the Synod] shall carry out his ecclesiastical
duties through the district president; and
Whereas, Bylaw 2.14 deals with the matter of “Expulsion of
Congregations or Individuals from Membership in the Synod”; and
Whereas, Bylaw 2.14.1 identifies the cause for action leading
to termination of membership in the Synod; namely, that “it is clear
that those who are being terminated after previous futile admonition
have acted contrary to the confession laid down in Constitution Art.
II or the conditions of membership laid down in Constitution Art. VI
or have persisted in offensive conduct (Constitution Art. XIII 1)”; and
Whereas, Bylaw 2.14.1 (b) states: “The action to commence
expulsion of a congregation or individual from membership in the
Synod is the sole responsibility of the district president who has the
responsibility for ecclesiastical supervision of such member”; and
Whereas, Bylaw 2.14.5 and 2.14.5.1 indicate that the district
president “may” form a Referral Panel made up of three circuit visitors of the district chosen by blind draw to review the accusation and
determine whether or not to initiate formal proceedings; and
Whereas, Bylaw 2.14.5.2 indicates that if the district president
or the Referral Panel determines not to initiate formal proceedings,
that “shall terminate the matter”; and
Whereas, Bylaw 3.3.1.2 (c) (1)–(3) charges the President of the
Synod to call up for review any action of an officer or agency of the
Synod which may be in violation of the Constitution, Bylaws, and
resolutions of the Synod. This bylaw further gives the President of the
Synod the authority to request that such action be altered or reversed,
and, if the matter is not resolved, to refer it to the Synod’s Board of
Directors, the Commission on Constitutional Matters, or the Synod
in convention as he deems appropriate; and
Whereas, There is concern regarding the procedure for exercising
ecclesiastical supervision by the President of the Synod in a decision
to not initiate formal proceedings under Bylaws 2.14.5, 2.14.5.1, and
2.14.5.2. The President of the Synod is the chief ecclesiastical officer
of the Synod, charged with the supervision of the doctrine, life, and
administration of Synod’s members, officers, and agencies. While
Bylaw 3.3.1.1.1(b) indicates that the President of the Synod “shall
carry out his ecclesiastical duties through the district president,” the
wording of Constitution Art. XI B 3 speaks of a broader authority of
the President of the Synod, charging that he “shall conscientiously
use all means at his command”; therefore be it
Resolved, That the South Dakota District in convention affirm the
responsibility of the President of the Synod as stated in current Bylaw
3.3.1.2 (c) (1)–(3); and be it further