LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 338

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338

PASTORAL MINISTRY AND SEMINARIES

Resolved, That in response to the task force’s report, Bylaw
2.11.2.2 be amended as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
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.
…
(d) The Council of Presidents be authorized to place ordained
minsters on candidate status at their request to placements among
the congregations having asked for a candidate each spring under
the following conditions:
(1) All new seminary graduates have received their first calls.
(2) The candidate’s district president approves the
candidate’s request for a placement. Such a request in no way
restricts a candidate from receiving a call in the regular
manner. A candidate who has requested placement by the
Council of Presidents shall immediately inform his district
president upon reception of another call. He shall then be
removed from consideration for a placement that year,
excepting such circumstances as his district president certifies
the call as non-viable for the candidate for a specified
reason(s). If the reception of a call occurs between the
placement decision by the Council of Presidents and the
announcement of such a placement or for some other reason
the candidate placed declines the call, the Council of
Presidents shall at its next meeting place a candidate to that
congregation if the congregation still desires. The
announcement of the placements for ordained candidates shall
take place at that year’s second placement service after the
announcement of calls issued to seminarians. If placements
take place at the subsequent meeting they shall be announced
then.
(3) If the candidate’s district president rejects the candidates
request for placement, the candidate may appeal to the
Colloquy Committee for the Pastoral Ministry to adjudicate,
with both the candidate and his district president appearing
before it according to rules to be established by the Colloquy
Committee for the Pastoral Ministry and approved by the
Council of Presidents.
(e) The Secretary of Synod and a member of the Council of
Presidents selected by that body shall act as the directors of
placement for all ordained candidates receiving placement by the
Council of Presidents. These directors of placement shall both
receive and examine from each candidate the same placement
application paperwork used by the seminaries. They shall then
either both or, according to a division mutually agreed upon by
them, one of them shall interview each candidate and, if the
candidate is married, the candidate’s wife by phone or if
convenient in person to better ascertain where a good placement
for the candidate might be.
(f) The Council of Presidents in consultation with the seminary
directors of placement and the Secretary of Synod shall at their
first meeting following the passage of this resolution establish a
deadline for ordained candidates to request placement by the
Council of Presidents. This deadline may be changed by the
Council of Presidents in consultation with the seminary directors
of placement and the Secretary of Synod, but any such a change
shall take effect only after the next spring placement occurs.

and be it further
Resolved, That a committee competent to address the specifics
of placement of commissioned ministers be appointed to draw up
similar bylaw changes, or that such an amendment be considered
friendly to this resolution; and be it finally
2023 Convention Workbook

Resolved, That the convention rise and sing a doxology in
thanksgiving to God for the diligent work of district presidents to
resolve the issue of qualified candidate status ministers within the
limits available to them under the current bylaws.
Holy Trinity
Walnut, IL
Ov. 6-30

To Consider Use of Deacons
in Word and Sacrament Ministry
WHEREAS, There is an increasing number of congregations who
are unable to support a pastor and his family on a full-time basis;
and
WHEREAS, There is an increasing number of congregations with
pastoral vacancies due to lack of ordained candidates; and
WHEREAS, Licensed Lay Deacons (LLD) served effectively in
the Synod from 1989–2016 (with a short pause); and
WHEREAS, The licensed lay diaconate has resulted in deacons
pursuing ordination; and
WHEREAS, The Synod has changed its position on the use of
LLDs in Word and Sacrament ministry a number of times during
these years; and
WHEREAS, The Synod has affirmed its position that Word and
Sacrament ministry must be carried out under the office of the
ministry; and
WHEREAS, The number of congregations facing shared ministry
or potential closure continues to increase; and
WHEREAS, The scriptural and historical foundations of the
diaconate being established through the laying on of hands is clear
and continues in our partner churches today; and
WHEREAS, The present technological resources available to
congregations make supervision of LLDs by general ministry pastor
(i.e., not specific ministry pastor) more accessible and effective; and
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod affirms the
Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit in calling people to
faith in Jesus Christ and sustaining them in that faith through God’s
servants; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Northwest District in convention memorialize
the Synod to form a task force to consider the establishment of a
diaconate for Word and Sacrament ministry within its
congregations; and be it further
Resolved, That members of the task force specifically include
representatives from districts that have historically made extensive
use of LLDs in Word and Sacrament ministry; and be it further
Resolved, That the task force examine the use of non-ordained
servants in foreign partner churches; and be it further
Resolved, That any use of deacons in Word and Sacrament
ministry must occur under the direct supervision of a general
ministry pastor; and be it further
Resolved, That the appointed task force study the document,
Workers for His Harvest, submitted by the Northwest District Board
of Directors following the 2016 Synod convention; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Northwest District in convention submit this
resolution to the 2023 Synod convention.
Northwest District