Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 2019 · 67th Convention, Tampa › Page 84
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2019, Page 84

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

84

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
gations and districts more effectively in building on
that success.
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supported the Office of the Secretary in developing
and improving critical nominations and elections
processes and data processing systems for the 2019
LCMS convention, including a new nomination information tracking database in support of the Committee for Convention Nominations and the process
and associated system for registration of presidential
election voters.

••

has very recently been asked by the Council of
Presidents to initiate the project, in coordination with
many other contributors, of developing, on the basis
of LISN and on the model of CMIF, a “unified,
online-interactive roster and notice management
system.” This will be a major project to consolidate
activities presently requiring several distinct systems,
volumes of paperwork, and no insubstantial amount
of labor, into a coherent system that will support and
guide the basic processes surrounding call, roster,
and ecclesiastical supervision of members. The
department is excited by the prospect of significantly
improving its level of service to the districts and
membership of the Synod, and looks forward to delivering, with the input of many experienced partners,
a system that is not only more efficient but also more
effective—a system that does not simply improve
data storage and retrieval, but advances the way we
carry out administrative tasks together as a Synod
and facilitates a better and fuller and more connected
“life together.”

Research Services provides a full range of research and
analysis services for the Synod and its agencies. Key reports delivered in the past triennium include studies of youth and retention, worker wellness, and changing Synod demographics. Close
integration of Research Services with Rosters and Statistics and
the Office of the Secretary, as well as close interaction with ministry units at the International Center and with the Council of
Presidents, have proven fruitful in exploration of new approaches and fields of study with real potential to impact the present
and future ministry of the Synod and its constituents; the same
connections will be increasingly so as core technologies and access to analyzable data continue to be enhanced.

Nominations and Elections
The Office of the Secretary supports the nomination and
election processes of the Synod convention (Bylaw 3.12), performing the preliminary and final work for the Committee on
Convention Nominations (CCN) as well as the administration of the processes for nomination of the President and his
election and for the nomination of the vice-presidents of the
Synod—these latter nomination processes being ballot-based
and numerical. The 2016 convention transferred regional board
positions from ballot-based, numerical processes to the CCN, a
decision that seems to have proven wise, although the addition
of these offices to the committee’s responsibilities did not result
in an increase in the number of nominations submitted. A total
of 347 individuals were nominated (291 new and 56 incumbent)
for at least one of the 70 offices to be filled by the convention;
2019 Convention Workbook

265 of the individuals nominated agreed to nomination for at
least one position, and 147 of them, having been selected by the
committee in its January meeting, will appear on ballots.
Statistics on participation in nomination and election processes for the President and vice-presidents of the Synod are
not available at the time of writing. The accustomed, relatively
low level of participation in these processes—both the relative
dearth of nominations received by the CCN for some positions
and a relatively low level of participation in numerical, ballotbased nomination processes, is of concern for the Synod. By
widespread inaction, the Synod is not made aware of talent
that might be offered in service to the greater good. Even more
concerning is that decreasing participation in numerical, ballotbased processes can render them susceptible to disproportionate influence by relatively small but highly organized political
efforts.
The stream of postcards, emails, and other communications issuing from the Office of the Secretary is intended to
ensure that no congregation or individual, as appropriate, that
desires to participate is left out. I would plead, though, in addition, with all congregations and members of the Synod, that—
mindful of the bold endeavor of common faith and the investment of gifts made and to be made for the common welfare and
mission of the church—they would, through these mechanisms
and through submission of overtures and sending of delegates,
zealously guard and eagerly advance Synod’s life together. The
most natural safeguard of the integrity of these processes, more
fundamental than all the significant effort my office exerts in the
interest of their integrity, is full participation.
These nomination and election processes result in intense
labor for the Office of the Secretary and for others, and the office intends to continue technological developments to improve
efficiency and the ease of congregations and individuals participating in the processes in proper and timely manners.

Facilitation of Appointment Processes, Vacancy
and Regular
The office facilitates appointment processes for positions
elected by the convention that become vacant mid-term and for
positions appointed by the Board of Directors and Council of
Presidents. Annual appointments include Concordia Plan Services, the Lutheran Church Extension Fund Board of Members, and the National Housing Support Corporation; triennial appointments, the Concordia University System Council
of Members, LCMS Foundation, and CCM and Commission
on Handbook. This triennium has seen additional vacancy
appointments to the National Housing Support Corporation,
Concordia Historical Institute, Concordia University Nebraska, Concordia University—Portland, and Concordia Seminary
(twice). District boards of directors and others often have the
opportunity to participate in the nomination processes, and
their input is generally low in volume but greatly appreciated.

Dispute Resolution and Expulsion Processes
The Office of the Secretary administers the Synod’s processes of dispute resolution and expulsion, provides associated
training, and has a key practical role, with the CCM and Council of Presidents, in maintaining the processes’ Standard Operating Procedure Manuals. The triennium now drawing to a close
saw the conclusion of hearing panel proceedings as follows: one