LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2019, Page 209

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10. ECCLESIASTICAL SUPERVISION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION
ordained ministers who have been admitted to their
respective ministries in accordance with the rules and
regulations set forth in these Bylaws and have thereby
become members of the Synod; (2) candidates for the
pastoral ministry who have satisfied the qualifications and
requirements for assignment of first calls by the Council of
Presidents acting as the Board of Assignments; or (3)
ordained ministers who are members in good standing of
church bodies that have been formally recognized to be in
altar and pulpit fellowship with the Synod when
agreements for such calls are in place.
2.5.3
Congregations that are members of the Synod,
association schools, agencies, auxiliaries, and recognized
service organizations shall call only (1) commissioned
ministers who have been admitted to their ministries in
accordance with the rules and regulations set forth in these
Bylaws and have thereby become members of the Synod;
(2) candidates of LCMS colleges and universities who have
satisfied the qualifications and requirements for
assignment of first calls by the Council of Presidents acting
as the Board of Assignments; or (3) commissioned ministers
(or those holding positions comparable to commissioned
ministers) who are members in good standing of church
bodies that have been formally recognized to be in altar and
pulpit fellowship with the Synod when agreements for such
calls are in place.
2.5.4
Congregations that violate these requirements and
persist in such violation shall, after due admonition, forfeit
their membership in the Synod.

C. PROCEDURAL CLARIFICATIONS REGARDING
INACTIVE STATUS
Rationale
Elimination of non-candidate status and the adjustment of
parameters for candidate status (2016 Res. 12-03) left
lingering procedural questions, compounded by unclarity
in related bylaws. Workers whose calls terminate without
having another call in hand also often do not apply timely
for candidate status, sometimes for years after their calls
have terminated. Bylaws have not dealt with the status of
these members between the time their active status
terminates (with the conclusion of a call) and the time their
candidate status is granted. It is proposed to require
candidate status to be applied for and granted within 30
days of call termination, in the case of ordained, and 120
days, in the case of commissioned ministers (the longer
period for the latter, because of the number of teachers
whose continuation over the summer is in question).
Finally, it is proposed to clarify the qualifications for
granting or annual continuation of candidate status, and to
provide an explicit procedure (namely, reinstatement,
Bylaw section 2.18) by which a member can seek to reverse
a decision not to grant or not to extend candidate status.
Therefore be it
Resolved, That Bylaws 2.11.2–2.11.2.2 be amended to
clarify qualifications and procedures regarding inactive
status:
Resolutions

PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
2.11.2
Inactive members are advisory members of the
Synod.
(a) As such, they have all the rights, privileges, and
responsibilities of advisory membership in the Synod as
defined in the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod.
(b) To remain on the roster of the Synod as an inactive
member, an ordained or commissioned minister of
religion must be a communicant member in good
standing of a congregation which is a member of the
Synod and must qualify and make application for one of
the following categories.
(c) A member whose active service terminates while
awaiting installation to another accepted call to active
service shall have candidate status.
(d) A member whose active service terminates without
prior acceptance of another call to active service has 30
days, if ordained, and 120 days, if commissioned, to apply
for inactive status (candidate or emeritus, as
appropriate). Should inactive status not be applied for
within said period, membership in the Synod is forfeited.
(e) The district president shall act on all applications
within 90 days.
(f) A member may seek to reverse a denial of emeritus or
candidate status, whether initial or continuing, by
application for reinstatement to the roster of the Synod
(Bylaw 2.18.1).
Emeritus
2.11.2.1
An “emeritus” member is one whose membership
is held for retention on the roster upon retirement after
reaching the age of 55 or for reasons of total and permanent
disability. Any unusual case shall be decided by the Council
of Presidents if the appropriate district president so
requests.
(a) The emeritus member or a representative identified
by his district president shall, by January 31, make an
annual report to the member’s district president.
(b) This report shall include current contact
information and address the criteria for remaining an
inactive member of the Synod.
Candidate
2.11.2.2
A “candidate” member is one who is eligible to
perform the duties of any of the offices of ministry specified
in Bylaw section 2.11 but who is not currently an active
member or an emeritus member.
(a) A candidate may be continued on the roster for a
period not to exceed ten years by act of the president of
the district through which the person holds
membership. A candidate may be further continued on
the roster for a period not to exceed five additional years
upon recommendation of the applicant’s district
president and approval of three fourths (75%) of the
Council of Presidents.
(b) The candidate shall, by January 31, make an annual
report to the district president who shall
evaluatedetermine the member’s eligibility for
remainingto remain on candidate status. The
PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2019 (67TH) LCMS CONVENTION | 209