LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 367

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STRUCTURE AND ADMINISTRATION
noted officers and agencies, COH has proposed the following for
adoption:
A. ELECTION OF SYNOD CONVENTION ADVISORY
DELEGATES
Rationale
The Commission on Constitutional Matters (CCM) in its Opinion
22-3000 (Minutes, Nov. 4–5, 2021), in response to a request from a
university faculty member for an opinion to clarify, in Bylaw
3.1.4.1, who participates in election of faculty representatives and
who could serve in that capacity, ultimately found that if an
inference had to be drawn from Bylaw section 3.1.3, it would be
sensible for those members of the faculty included in the ratio
calculation to be those who do the electing of, and who are eligible
to be elected as, the advisory representatives. The opinion
continues:
However, this is clearly an inference and, since Bylaw 3.1.4.1
(a) does not address the issue of how the advisory representative
of an educational institution is to be selected, the commission
must conclude that Bylaw 3.1.4.1 (a) does not provide a
definitive answer to the question as asked.
The commission notes that the present questions reflect the
reality that the essential content of these provisions has remained
static while the makeup of Concordia college and university
faculties has changed substantially over time. This commission
therefore recommends that the Commission on Handbook
consider this matter and provide language that clarifies—if the
above inference is to be made normative—that the representative
is to be selected by those individuals being represented, which
would be consistent, regarding those eligible to make the
selection, with Bylaw section 3.1.3.
The commission therefore offers the following proposal to the
convention to make Bylaw 3.1.4.1 more precise, specifying who
does the electing of, and who is to be elected as, the advisory
representatives of Synod educational institutions.
Therefore be it
Resolved, That Bylaws 3.1.4.2 be amended as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
Other Advisory Representatives
…
3.1.4.2
Each educational institution of the Synod shall be
represented at conventions of the Synod.
(a) Educational institutions of the Synod shall be represented by
one board member in addition to the district president, by their
presidents, and by one faculty member for every 30 full-time
faculty members who are members of the Synod, elected from
among and by the same.
(b) Fractional groupings shall be disregarded except that each
institution having any full-time faculty members on the roster of
the Synod shall be entitled to at least one faculty representative.

B. ELECTION OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION
ADVISORY REPRESENTATIVES
Rationale
The Commission on Constitutional Matters (CCM) in its Opinion
22-2999 (Minutes, Nov. 4–5, 2021), in response to a request for
opinion from a district secretary, interpreted Bylaws 3.1.3–3.1.3.1,
regarding the election of Synod convention advisory delegates.
While its interpretation did not challenge current practice, it did note

367

unclarities that should be remedied, some of which resulted from or
were exacerbated by features of 2019 Res. 9-05. The proposal
removes the first sentence of Bylaw 3.1.3, which relates to district
conventions instead of the Synod conventions treated here. It is also
redundant with Bylaw 4.2.3 and Const. Art. XII 10 b. It also treats
uniformly the two reasons an individual might be excluded from the
advisory delegate pool: either potential for election as circuit
delegate or for selection as an advisory representative. Finally, the
bylaw is updated to take into account those who may be serving in
only an assisting capacity (cf. Bylaw 2.5.6), a feature not previously
made explicit.
Therefore be it
Resolved, That Bylaws 3.1.3–3.1.3.1 be amended as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
Nonvoting Advisory Delegates
3.1.3
The advisory delegates of a district convention shall
consist, unless they present a valid excuse, of all individual members
of the Synod within the district, except those pastors representing
member congregations as voting delegates. In a convention of the
Synod, all commissioned ministers and those ordained ministers not
eligible for election as a voting delegate under Bylaw 3.1.2.1 (d) and
who are not eligible to represent other entities or offices in the Synod
as advisory representatives in any category under Bylaw 3.1.4 shall
be represented as follows:
3.1.3.1
Each Within each district shall select one advisory delegate
shall be selected for every 60 such advisory ordained ministers and
specific ministry pastors, and one advisory delegate shall be selected
for every 60 such commissioned ministers on the roster of the Synod.
Fractional groupings shall be disregarded except that each district
shall be entitled to at least one advisory delegate in each category.
(a) Selection of district advisory delegates to conventions of the
Synod shall be made by the respective groups meeting at the call
of the district secretary, either during the district convention or,
at official district conferences of ordained and/or commissioned
ministers, or via electronic means according to Board of Directors
policy (Bylaw 1.5.3). The district secretary may assist the groups
by facilitating the elections.
(b) Such selections must be completed at least nine months prior
to the opening day of the convention.
(c) Individuals Ordained ministers who are eligible for election
as a voting delegate under Bylaw 3.1.2.1 (d) (that is, all parish
pastors except specific ministry pastors and those serving only in
an assisting capacity) and all individuals who are eligible for
selection in any category under Bylaw 3.1.4 shall not be counted
in determining the number of advisory delegates from each
district, shall not be eligible to be selected as delegates from the
groups defined in this bylaw, and shall not participate in the
election process.
3.1.3.2
All district voting and nonvoting advisory delegates and
representatives and their alternates shall be certified before attending
a convention of the Synod.
(a) The names and addresses of all voting and nonvoting
advisory delegates and representatives and their alternates shall
be forwarded by the district secretary before the announced
registration deadline to the Secretary of the Synod on registration
forms provided by the latter.
(b) This procedure shall constitute certification.

C. COMMISSION ON THEOLOGY AND CHURCH
RELATIONS, STAFF REPRESENTATION
AT SYNOD CONVENTIONS

2023 Convention Workbook