LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 179

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8. National/District Synod Relations
To Clearly Delineate Ministry
of Visitation in Bylaws
RESOLUTION 8-01
Report 8-01 (CW, pp. 103–05); Overtures 8-15,
8-18–22 (CW, pp. 293–94)
WHEREAS, During our Synod’s earliest years, theological
and doctrinal unity was supported by having the synodical
President visit each congregation to encourage and support
pastors, to supervise doctrine and its application, and to encourage congregations in the mission of the church, just as
Paul visited the churches and elders and encouraged them
in their mission; and
WHEREAS, When Districts were created in 1854, District
Presidents were given, and still have, the responsibility to
visit all congregations in their respective Districts (Art. XII
7, Bylaw 4.73); and
WHEREAS, Visitation can be a key to preserving the true
faith and an opportunity to encourage and strengthen our
mission of “Telling the Good News about Jesus”; therefore
be it
Resolved, That the Council of Presidents develop guidelines to be used to define the intent and purpose of congregational visits and to provide a foundation for training the
visitors; and be it further
Resolved, That the Bylaws be amended as proposed:

Committee 8 Chairman Ronald Garwood

portunities, and assistance so God’s people can grow in
their faith, hope, and love.
6. The jurisdiction of the District President shall include nonmember congregations whose pastors are
members of the Synod. However, for the purpose of official visits in such a congregation the consent of the
congregation shall first be secured. The District President may appoint the Circuit Counselor in whose Circuit such a congregation is located to be his official representative.

PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
1. District President
4.71 Role of District President
[Note: Much of this material derives from current
Bylaws 5.13, 5.15, 5.19, and 5.21 on the responsibilities
and relationships of Circuit Counselors.]
[Retain 4.71 a, b, c]
d. The District President shall, in accordance with
the Constitution of the Synod, in his ministry of ecclesiastical supervision visit the congregations of the District.
1. He shall arrange in advance for an official visit to
each congregation of his District at least once every
three years and otherwise as he deems it necessary. He
may call upon the Circuit Counselors and Vice-Presidents to assist him with the triennial visitation of congregations.
2. In his official visits he shall seek to bring about
to the greatest possible degree the achievement of the
Synod’s objectives as expressed in Art. III of its Constitution.
3. He shall conduct his official visits in an evangelical manner.
4. He shall come to the pastor and the congregation
as a brotherly advisor, reminding them of the joy of
serving in the mission and ministry of the church.
5. In his visits he shall include fraternal discussion
in regard to worship and Communion attendance; participation by the congregation in missions and the work
of the church at large; the congregation’s evangelism
and education endeavors; its cultivation of sound stewardship principles; all aspects of compensation for professional church workers; the need for maintenance of
purity of doctrine; the strengthening of the bond of
Christian fellowship; and the provision of resources, op-

2. Circuit Counselor
5.03 Relationships: Officers, Forum, Convocation
a. The Circuit Counselor is the principal officer of
the Circuit and serves in accordance with the duties assigned to this position in the Constitution and Bylaws
of the Synod and Districts.
b. The Circuit may select such other officers as it
deems necessary. The Circuit Counselor and these
other officers shall have the primary responsibility of
preparing the agenda for the Circuit Forum and Convocation and maintaining liaison between the Circuit
and the District and national Synod.
b c. The Circuit Forum, consisting of the a pastor of
each congregation and one member of each congregation designated by the congregation, is the group which
that aids the process of keeping congregations, particularly the lay leaders, teachers commissioned ministers,
and pastors, supportive of one another in their common
confession and mutually active in developing programs
for the good of member congregations, in considering
and recommending new work, and in suggesting
improvements for District and synodical services and
programming. Depending on each Circuit’s adopted
objectives, the Circuit may provide for additional representation from each congregation.
c d. The Circuit Convocation is a larger gathering of
members from Circuit congregations during a year in
which there is no synodical or District convention.

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200l Convention Proceedings