LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2019, Page 28

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voting delegates had pre-registered for the convention. He
reported the following present for the opening of the
convention:
Voting delegates
Advisory delegates
Advisory representatives
Special guests and others

1,061
149
166
118

A motion was introduced and carried to adopt the report
of the committee [Yes votes: 1000; No votes: 7]. A delegate
rose to a point of order, asking that the ten-second timer on
the voting equipment be checked.
The chair declared the presence of a quorum and then
introduced those seated at the front with particular
convention roles: the Council of Presidents, the Commissions
on Handbook and Constitutional Matters, the Board of
Directors, executive directors and staff, special international
guests, Parliamentarian Chris Dickey, Secretary John Sias,
Assistant Secretary Marvin Temme, convention timekeeper
Paul Philp, and those assisting the chair during the
convention, including Second Vice-President Scott Murray,
Sixth Vice-President Christopher Esget, Dorothy Krans, Jon
Vieker, and Barbara Below.
Standing Rules
The chair called attention to the proposed Special
Standing Rules for the convention, printed on pages 15–16 of
the pre-convention edition of Today’s Business (TB, 1:15–16),
with Rule 1 modified to read as in the version of TB 2B:235–
36. (TB 2B was delivered over the lunch hour due to an
overnight issue with the local print vendor’s equipment).
After a motion to adopt the rules was introduced and during
discussion, a motion was introduced and seconded, and
carried by voice vote, to amend Standing Rule 16 to add that
“the microphone queue should be displayed so that
delegates can see their position in the queue.”
Another motion was introduced and seconded to add
Standing Rule 27, to read, “Voting lists in any form (written
or electronic) from outside interest groups under any title
(United List, Congregations Matter, etc.) will not be allowed
on the convention floor at any time during the convention by
voting delegates, advisory delegates, or guests. Delegates are
encouraged to use the Biographical Synopses and Statements of
Nominees and their own personal notes.” The motion also
indicated the renumbering of subsequent rules, and that the
chair would “immediately instruct pages to collect all lists
printed on paper and give all delegates a moment to delete
the lists from their electronic devices; the lists are not to be
used from this time forth in the convention. The chair would
instruct the delegates not to use any of these lists prior to the
election of each position during the convention.” After
discussion, it was moved and seconded to call the question;
this motion carried [Yes: 846; No: 62]. The main motion
failed [Yes: 215; No: 709].
Another amendment was moved and seconded that the
second sentence of Rule 14 be struck, to allow the
28 | PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2019 (67TH) LCMS CONVENTION

microphone queue to persist beyond consideration of other
debatable motions. After a clarification by convention staff
that this is not possible with the equipment available the
motion was withdrawn.
It was then moved and seconded to modify Rule 19 to read
that “A delegate who speaks on an issue may not make any
motion at the close of his or her speech.” Following
clarification by the parliamentarian the motion was
defeated by show of hands.
It was moved and seconded to call the question; this
motion carried [Yes: 898; No: 49]. The standing rules as
amended were adopted [Yes: 914; No: 31].
Convention Schedule
Due to the printing issue with TB issue 2B, the chair called
attention to the first day’s schedule on the cover of TB issue
2A (TB, 2A:179), deferring the adoption of the remaining
days’ schedules. A motion to adopt the first day’s schedule
was introduced. After discussion, the motion carried by an
immediate voice vote.
President’s Report, Part 3
President Harrison, opening with 1 Thess. 5:16–18,
welcomed and thanked the delegates for their willingness to
serve, thanked the Florida-Georgia District, and spoke on
our joy in Christ, that joy that is a product of the Gospel, in
the forgiveness of sins, for us and for our neighbors. He noted
that despite imperfections, a “great slate of resolutions” is
before the convention, ready to be improved by the body.
“We’ll look back and thank God for the work and for each
other.” Harrison reviewed in outline the first three articles of
the Synod Constitution, spending some time on Article III 1
and its intent that the Synod’s members give bold answer
before the world to Jesus’ question, “Who do you say that I
am?” “The Small Catechism is [our] answer: ‘You are the
Christ, the Son of the living God’” (Mark 16:15). Harrison
noted the “eschatological dimension” of confession and
Luther’s last confession on the Lord’s Supper, quoted in the
Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration VII 30f. “This kind of
God-given depth of confession gives God-given depth of joy.
Come what may, let us not shrink in the face of all the world
can throw at us. God help us!”
Harrison noted a number of topics handled by the floor
committees, commenting that what is at stake here is not the
essence of the church but the bonum esse, what is good for the
church. He noted especially the colloquy of some 120
licensed lay deacons in a process led by First Vice-President
Herbert Mueller. “We are back into full conformity with the
Scriptures (Rom. 10) and the Augsburg Confession (AC XIV),
and we on the COP have all agreed: ‘If a man is doing the
work of the office of the ministry, he should be in the office
of the ministry.’” He noted no action under new
ecclesiastical supervision bylaws, adopted pursuant to 2016
Res. 12-14; some challenges with colleges and universities
regarding issues of gender and sexuality, which are being
addressed; and the closure of Selma, which “grieves
Minutes