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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 434

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

434

ECCLESIASTICAL SUPERVISION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION
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D. To Update Bylaws re Appointment
and Replacement of District Reconcilers

Rationale
Current Bylaws 1.10.10 and 1.10.10.1 contain requirements for
the appointment and replacement of district reconcilers that are no
longer reasonable or practicable. These bylaws will better and more
accurately read as proposed.
Proposed Action
Therefore be it
Resolved, That Bylaws 1.10.10 and 1.10.10.1 be amended as
follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
1.10.10 Within three months after conventions of the Synod, eEach
district board of directors shall appoint and maintain a district roster
of four reconcilers (ministers of religion—ordained, ministers of religion—commissioned, and laypersons), no more than two of whom shall
be ordained ministers of religion—ordained, from a list supplied by the
circuit visitors of the district. The Synod shall provide appropriate training within six months following each national Synod convention.
1.10.10.1 The term of service of a reconciler shall be six years, renewable immediately following every even-numbered Synod convention (2010, 2016, etc.) without term limitations. TheyReconcilers shall
be people “of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom” (Acts
6:3). Vacancies for an unexpired term shall be filled by the district board
of directors in the same manner as regular appointments by the district
board of directors within 30 days following their occurrence. The district board of directors may add to the district roster of reconcilers a
reconciler who moves has moved into the district from another district
where appointed.

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E. To Update Bylaws re Appointment
and Replacement of Hearing Facilitators
Rationale
Current Bylaws 1.10.12–1.10.12.3 provide for the appointment
and replacement of dispute resolution and expulsion process hearing
facilitators. These bylaws require updating and will better and more
accurately read as follows.
The Commission on Handbook therefore proposes the following changes:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
Hearing Facilitators
1.10.12 After the training of the reconcilers and in consultation
with the appropriate district presidents, the Secretary of the Synod shall
maintain a roster of identify 25 hearing facilitators selected from the
roster of thetrained reconcilers. They may be ordained ministers, commissioned ministers, or laypersons, whoand shall exhibit skills in the
proper conduct of a fair and impartial hearing. to comprise the Synod’s
roster of hearing facilitators, whoThey shall be trainedreceive training
for such purpose.
(a) Their term of service, monitored by the Secretary of the Synod,
shall be six years, renewable without limit. Within three months
after even-numbered conventions of the Synod (2010, 2016, etc.),
the Secretary of the Synod shall contact thoseall hearing facilitators
whose terms have been completed to learn of their availability and
willingness to continue for an additional term. Resulting vacancies

2016 Convention Workbook

on the roster of hearing facilitators shall be filled by the Secretary
of the Synod from the Synod roster of reconcilers after consultation
with the appropriate district presidents, in time for resulting vacancies on district rosters of reconcilers to be filled by appointment by
district boards of directors.
(b) Any vacancy in an unexpired term or which results from a decision
not to continue at the end of a term of service shall be filled in the
same manner as described above as needed and as requested by the
Secretary of the Synod.
1.10.12.1 Limitations on holding multiple offices do not apply to
hearing facilitators.
1.10.12.2 If a hearing facilitator moves from the district where
nominated, such hearing facilitator, if on the roster of hearing facilitators, shallmay remain as a member ofon the Synod’s roster of hearing
facilitators until the term of service of the hearing facilitator expires.
1.10.12.3 A hearing facilitator shall not serve as a reconciler or as a
voting member of a panel.

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F. To Strengthen Bylaw 1.10.2, Requiring Members
to Honor the Dispute Resolution Procedure
Rationale
Members of the Synod (ministers of religion—ordained or
ministers of religion—commissioned and congregations) by their
membership agree to honor dispute resolution decisions (Bylaw
1.10.2). On occasion, member congregations that have received an
unfavorable result from the dispute resolution procedure have disregarded binding decisions, relinquished membership, and received
support for such actions from a civil court, the court failing to comprehend the nature of membership in the Synod.
Short of proposing a constitutional amendment to make clear the
binding nature of the dispute resolution procedure on members of the
Synod, the Commission on Handbook proposes that Bylaw 1.10.2
be amended to make even more clear this requirement of membership in the Synod.
Proposed Action
Therefore be it
Resolved, That Bylaw 1.10.2 be amended as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
Purpose
1.10.2 This procedure is established to resolve, in a God-pleasing
manner, disputes … that involve theological, doctrinal, or ecclesiastical
issues except those covered under Bylaw sections 2.14–2.17 and except as provided in Bylaw 1.10.3, and shall be binding on all parties. It
is applicable whether the dispute involves only a difference of opinion
without personal animosity or is one that involves ill will and sin that requires repentance and forgiveness. No person, congregation, or agency
to whom or to which the provisions of this dispute resolution process
are applicable because of their membership inbecause such person or
agency is a member of the Synod may render these provisionsthis procedure inapplicable by terminating that membership during the course
of the dispute resolution process.

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G. To Provide Opportunity for District Presidents
to Appeal Hearing Panel Decisions
Rationale
Current Bylaws 2.14.7.9, 2.14.8, 2.17.7.9, and 2.17.8 do not grant
to the involved district president the same right to request examination