LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 266

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266 STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION

trict Presidents that all District conventions are to be held in agree-
ment with the synodical Handbook, namely for discussion and vot-
ing on resolutions, issues, policies, and directions of that District;
and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod in convention instruct all District
Presidents to cease conducting all District conventions as convo-
cations, equipping conferences, etc., and allow the business of the
District to be freely and openly discussed, debated, and voted on
by the delegates at the convention, and thereby return to the con-
gregations the right to have a voice in the policy-making decisions
of the District.

Salem
Taylorsville, NC

7-86

To Deal with Status of Candidates for Ministry

WHEREAS, The CRM status has traditionally meant ‘a person
who has been officially declared a qualified candidate for the min-
istry, or a pastor who is temporarily in an inactive status”; and

WHEREAS, Many pastors who are now placed under this desig-
nation have in some way become stigmatized, even though they are
in all ways eligible for a call, and it is their hope to again serve their
Lord in a full-time ministry, and to be thus called into such a min-
istry; therefore be it

Resolved, That this designation be reconsidered in regard to a
means whereby qualified men can be more readily called into a
pastorate or ministry; and be it further

Resolved, That the District Presidents be directed to consider
the men in their area who are so designated, and reclassify those
who are not eligible for a call or who are not desirous of a call, and
place them in an appropriate status.

Blessed Savior, Florissant, MO; St. Jacobi, Jennings, MO;
Circuit 23, Missouri District

7-87
To Clarify Membership on Candidate Status

Rationale

At each of its meetings the Council of Presidents finds it neces-
sary to deal with a large number of requests for extension of candi-
date status. Frequently these requests include applications from
persons who have been on that status for many years and who ei-
ther have no intention or prospect of becoming active workers in
the near future. It would seem that four years on this status would
be a reasonable period of time for moving to active status. Beyond
that, a better approach would be for one to leave the roster and
apply for reinstatement at the point at which he/she wishes to once
again become an active worker.

Resolved, That Bylaw 2.19 a be amended as follows:

PRESEM-F/PROPOSED
2.19 Candidate Status

a. An ordained or commissioned minister who is eligible to
perform the duties of any of the offices of ministry specified in
Bylaw 2.15 but who is not currently performing those duties on
a regular basis, and who is not emeritus, may be continued on
the roster for a period not to exceed two years by act of the Pres-
ident of the District through which the person holds member-
ship. For extension of candidate status beyond two years, the
Council of Presidents shall require an emma} application from
the candidate, as well as an evaluation by the District President.
The council shall determine by majority vote on written ballot
whether or not the request shall be honored, in each instance,
for er-additienet-yeer one final two-year period.

Board of Directors
California-Nevada-Hawaii District

7-88

To Promote Clarity Concerning Synodical Membership

WHEREAS, Reports continue to trouble the Synod that some con-
gregations and pastors who are members of the LCMS are also
members of the ELCA; and

WHEREAS, It is a requirement of membership in the LCMS to
renounce unionism and syncretism, etc. (Constitution Art. VI);
therefore be it

Resolved, That the Secretary of Synod ascertain which individ-
ual members of the Synod and which congregational members of
the the Synod are, in fact, holding “dual membership’’ in the
LCMS and ELCA and communicate to them within 90 days from
the end of this 1998 convention that this arrangement is no longer
acceptable; and be it further

Resolved, That any individual member, active or emeritus, or
congregational member of the LCMS who is also a member of the
ELCA be notified of the fact that this arrangement is no longer sat-
isfactory, and be given 90 days in which to resign membership in
the ELCA; and be it finally

Resolved, That failure to comply will result in the forfeiture of
membership in, and continued fellowship with, the LCMS.

Bethany
Fort Wayne, IN

7-89

To Review and Reform Candidate Status Proceedings

WHEREAS, The church is told by St. Paul to do all things “in a
fitting and orderly way” (1 Cor. 14:40); and

WHEREAS, The category of candidate status is only briefly ad-
dressed in the synodical Handbook, Bylaw 2.19, without stating the
exact criteria involved in granting, extending, or removing a mem-
ber from candidate status of the Synod; and

WHEREAS, The synodical Handbook does not provide for an or-
derly system of making a candidate status member aware of actions
and decisions that might be taken, nor does it provide for a system
of appeal on the part of the affected member; and

WHEREAS, Confusion regarding the candidate status renewal/re-
view process has resulted in removals from the clergy roster of
Synod; and

WHEREAS, Bylaw 2.19 requires only a “majority vote” to re-
move a member from candidate status and hence the synodical ros-
ter, and synodical Bylaw 2.33 requires ‘an affirmative vote of at
least 75% of the district presidents present and voting” for rein-
statement; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod, gathered in convention, direct the
Commission on Constitutional Matters to propose reforms of the
present system of candidate status review and removal, setting forth
clear guidelines for criteria to be applied in renewing or removing
candidate status and including a requirement for the applicable Dis-
trict President to personally interview the candidate before making
recommendations; and be it further

Resolved, That an appeal system be developed by which a can-
didate, having been removed from the synodical roster, may hear
the reasons and/or charges which resulted in the actions and be al-
lowed to speak to them for the record; and be it further

Resolved, That a person whose candidate status has been re-
moved under the present system, as printed in the synodical Hand-
book, 2.19, be allowed to petition for reinstatement through a com-
mittee of three District presidents (the President of the District in
which membership was last held, a District President appointed by
the President of Synod, and a District President chosen by the re-
moved member); and be it finally

Resolved, That Bylaw 2.33 be immediately amended by chang-
ing 75% to read “A decision to reinstate shall require an affirmative