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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 405

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

ECCLESIASTICAL SUPERVISION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Christmas, a busy time for members and district presidents alike;
while a summertime reporting period will provide more time for a
thoughtful exchange; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Indiana District in convention memorialize
the 2023 Synod convention to amend Bylaw 2.11.2.2 as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
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) While a member is a candidate, the district president shall
minister to that member either directly or through others, concern
himself with the spiritual well-being of that member, and
continue efforts to return that member to active service.
(bc) The candidate shall, by JanuaryJuly 31, make an annual
report to the district president who shall determine the member’s
eligibility to remain on candidate status. The candidate’s report
shall include current contact information and address the criteria
for remaining on candidate status.
(cd) The district president shall determine whether or not to grant
or, upon annual review, continue candidate status based on the
following criteria:
(1) The member’s health;
(2) The member’s efforts to address any unresolved issues
involving fitness for ministry;
(3) The member’s current involvement in ministry; and
(4) The member’s written statement addressing any
impediments to consideration and acceptance of a call to any
of the offices of ministry specified in Bylaw section 2.11; and
(5) The member’s cooperation in keeping personnel
documents up to date.

Indiana District
Ov. 10-07

To Establish Common Procedures for Sake of
Unity and Avoiding Unnecessary Offense
WHEREAS, The psalmist says, “Behold, how good and pleasant it
is when brothers dwell in unity!” (Psalm 133:1); and
WHEREAS, It is beneficial to that unity to avoid unnecessary
offense; and
WHEREAS, It is useful to that end to have known and agreed upon
procedures for interacting with one another in a spirit of Christian
love; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Council of Presidents be directed to produce
and make available on the Synod and district websites a handbook
of recommended procedures for those aspects of our life together
where offense may easily be caused unintentionally, such as
receiving and accepting or declining calls, joint endeavors with
pastors or officials in other districts, the establishment of mission
sites, officiating weddings or funerals of other pastors’ members,
notification when members of another congregation visit
repeatedly, etc.

405
Holy Trinity
Walnut, IL

Ov. 10-08

To Provide All Standards of Accountability
to Members of Synod
WHEREAS, The members of the Synod are bound by the
Constitution and Bylaws of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod, and the policies and procedures drawn up by those
prescribed by said documents (including but not limited to the
Praesidium, the Council of Presidents Manual, Commission on
Constitutional Matters, etc.); and
WHEREAS, The members of the Synod desire to comply with
these governing documents as well as all policies, regulations, and
standards to which they may be held accountable; and
WHEREAS, The district president represents the Synod in his
district to serve as liaison between congregations, district, and the
Synod (Bylaw 4.4.2); therefore be it
Resolved, That upon written request of a member of the Synod
to their district president, he shall immediately make available to
them for review all current policies, regulations, standards,
governing documents, including the Council of Presidents Manual,
or any other such materials to which the member may be held
accountable.
Ohio District
Ov. 10-09

To Amend Bylaw 3.10.1.3 re Placement
WHEREAS, Bylaw 2.9.1 states:
The Council of Presidents, acting as the Board of Assignments,
shall regularly assign to qualified graduates of educational
institutions of the Synod and workers available from colloquy
programs as “first calls” those calls that have been duly extended
to fill active member positions as identified in Bylaw 2.11.1 for
ordained and commissioned ministers if positions for which
candidates are qualified are available.
(a) The placement officers of the respective
institutions shall be consulted before assignments
are made.
(b) The president of the district in which a
candidate is to be placed shall be consulted, and his
concurrence shall be an essential part of the final
recommendation to the Board of Assignments.
and
WHEREAS, Bylaw 3.10.1.3 states:
The Council of Presidents shall serve as the Board of
Assignments of the Synod. It shall assign first calls to candidates
for the offices of ordained and commissioned ministers. The
Council of Presidents may in its policies delegate authority for
interim placement (between its regular meetings) to a committee
of its own members or the chairman of that committee.
and
WHEREAS, With the advent of modern communications
technology, the Council of Presidents (COP) is able to conduct
meetings electronically easily and economically; and

2023 Convention Workbook