LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 249

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STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION 249

Resolved, That the LCMS in convention prohibit District Pres-
idents from receiving, and/or using the title of “bishop” and to use
the given title of “District President” exclusively at all times.

Hope
Akron, Ohio

7-32

To Seek Advice of District President
in Names for Call List

WHEREAS, Bylaw 2.45 a states the following: “Congregations
shall seek the advice of the respective District President when cail-
ing ordained or commissioned ministers”; and

WHEREAS, Bylaw 2.45 b states, “Congregations which are mem-
bers of the Synod, in conformity with Article VI 3 of the Constitu-
tion of the Synod, shall call and be served only by ordained or com-
missioned ministers who have been admitted to these respective
ministries in accordance with the rules and regulations set forth in
this Handbook and have thereby become members of the Synod”;
therefore be it

Resolved, That congregations be advised to seek the advice of
their respective District President in receiving names for their call
list and shall always be encouraged to produce for themselves
names for that call list since they are the congregation with the va-
cancy and since the District President is only to act as their elected
servant and not as their bureaucratic supervisor or master.

Concordia
South Haven, MN

7-33

To Eliminate Council of Presidents

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod began with
constitutional stipulation that the clerical vote should never exceed
the lay vote; and

WHEREAS, The Council of Presidents (COP) is composed only
of District Presidents, with no lay representation; and

WHEREAS, The Council of Presidents is a new entity and is not
part of the traditional church polity of the LCMS; and

Wuereas, The Council of Presidents holds luxurious, expen-
sive, and unnecessary meetings; and

WHEREAS, The Council of Presidents has become more pro-
nounced in many theological dilutions; and

Wuereas, The Council of Presidents have not sought to work in
harmony with the President of the Synod or hold to the Constitu-
tion and Bylaws of the Synod (Allowing for open Communion to
be practiced in Florida-Georgia District; as well as supporting and
participating in unionistic services in other Districts); and

WHEREAS, One of the conditions of membership in The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is: “renunciation of unionism
and syncretism of every description” (Constitution Art. VI ); there-
fore be it

Resolved, That the Council of Presidents (COP) be eliminated;
and be it further

Resolved, That Bylaw 3.930 be eliminated; and be it finally

Resolved, That duties previously delegated to the Council of
Presidents be assumed or assigned by the Board of Directors.

Pilgrim
West Bend, WI

7-34

To Return COP to Its Original Purpose

WHEREAS, The ruling structure of the LCMS is not a hierarchical
structure, but rather a democratic structure guided by autonomous
congregations; and

WuerEas, The Council of Presidents is assigned very limited
functions by the synodical Bylaws; and

WHEREAS, The Council of Presidents has over the years estab-
lished unnecessary committees and councils within the COP that
are a duplication of synodical and District committees; and

WHEREAS, There is no need for the Council of Presidents to
serve as a ruling or guiding body within the Synod; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention direct the Council of
Presidents to limit their duties and responsibilities to those defined
in the Bylaws of the LCMS.

Zion
Tomball, TX

7-35

To Restructure Council of Presidents

WHEREAS, The District Presidents are the representatives of the
President of the Synod (Bylaw 3.930 b); and

WHEREAS, The President of the Synod is to advise and counsel
his representatives, the District Presidents; and

WHEREAS, The District Presidents are in turn to give counsel
and advice to the President of the Synod; and

WHEREAS, The President of the Synod is to oversee the doctrine
and practice of and in the Synod, which he accomplishes in part
through his representatives, the District Presidents; and

WHEREAS, The Council of Presidents is made up of the Presi-
dent of the Synod, the Vice-Presidents of the Synod, and the Dis-
trict Presidents; therefore be it

Resolved, That the President of the Synod be the chairman of
the Council of Presidents; and be it further

Resolved, That the President of the Synod, as chairman of the
Council of Presidents, set the agenda for, and direct the meetings of
the Council of Presidents.

Mount Hope
Casper, WY

7-36

To Require Council of Presidents
to Align Its Practice with Scripture

WHEREAS, The Council of Presidents (COP) and Praesidium
have the sole responsibility for approving those whose names are to
be listed on the official roster of pastors (Bylaw 2.31); and

WHEREAS, Bylaw 2.23 a 1-3 states that no pastor can be re-
moved from the roster other than for three basic reasons (inepti-
tude, immorality, false doctrine); and

WHEREAS, In the case of some who were denied extension of
their “candidate” (formerly “CRM”) status, the COP did not give
any reasons for its action; and

WHEREAS, The refusal to grant extension in effect causes a pas-
tor to lose his clergy status in Synod; and

WHEREAS, In a letter from one of Synod’s leaders it is stated “I
can report to you ... that the COP does not have the right to dismiss
workers, take them off the roster without stating the reason(s). Ac-
tion to remove a worker from a synodical roster can only take place
on the basis of specific reasons following careful discussion with
the individual involved"; therefore be it

Resolved, That any pastor to be removed from the roster be
treated in the same way as the above Bylaw directs; and be it fur-
ther

Resolved, That upon request by the nonextended “candidate,”
the COP be directed to give the reason(s) for the nonextension (i.e.,
removal from the roster) so that Law and Gospel principles can be
followed so that the alleged offending party has the opportunity to
repent of any error(s) of such magnitude as to have been removed
from office; and be it finally