LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 185

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NATIONAL/DISTRICT SYNOD RELATIONS

To Study More Equitable Representation
at Conventions
RESOLUTION 8-10
Report 8-01 (CW, pp. 120–22); Overtures 8-26, 8-81,
8-83–85, 8-87–89 (CW, pp. 294, 308–10)
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has
grown under the blessing of God to include many congregations and ordained and commissioned ministers of religion; and
WHEREAS, There exists a great disparity in the size of
congregations, Districts, and Circuits, resulting in a perceived inequality in our present representational structure;
and
WHEREAS, There is concern that commissioned workers
and professors cannot be voting delegates at conventions;
and
WHEREAS, There is concern that some congregations are
being underrepresented because their Circuits do not meet
the formula for the selection of voting delegates to conventions as specified in Bylaw 3.03, “Voting delegates shall
consist of one pastor and one layman from each electoral
Circuit. An electoral Circuit shall consist either of one or
two adjacent visitation Circuits, as shall be determined by
each District, on the basis of the following requirements:
each pair of delegates shall represent from 7 to 20 member
congregations, involving an aggregate communicant membership ranging from 1,500 to 10,000. Exceptions to these
requirements and limitations can be made only by the President of the Synod upon request of a District Board of Directors”; and
WHEREAS, The Task Force on National/District Synod Relations has addressed some of the issues and still has some
concerns and recommends further study; therefore be it
Resolved, That in the event that a permanent Commission on Structure is established that these matters are referred to it. In the event that it is not established, the Secretary of the Synod shall refer these matters to the Board of
Directors for the establishment of a task force for further
study. In either case, the entity to which these matters are
assigned shall bring recommendations for resolving them
to the 2004 synodical convention; and be it further
Resolved, That all action taken in this resolution shall be
used to help carry out “The Great Commission” and shall
not in any way detract or distract from the primary mission
of God’s kingdom here on earth. We will remember 1-02!
Action: Adopted (8)
(A substitute resolution to include the same first two whereases and the resolve offered by the Task Force on National/District Synod Relations in Overture 8-81 (Workbook, pp. 121–23)
was not accepted for consideration. The resolution presented by
the committee was adopted without amendment [yes: 942; no:
173]. The final resolve is added as required by Res. 1-02, adopted
by the convention in an earlier session.)

To Celebrate 100 Years of SELC Blessings
RESOLUTION 8-11
Overtures 8-70–71 (CW, p. 305)
WHEREAS, The Slovak Evangelical Lutheran Church
(later the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches or the
SELC) was organized in convention on September 2–4,

185

1902, in Connellsville, PA, and issued a charter on April
25, 1903; and
WHEREAS, On January 1, 1971, the Synod of Evangelical
Lutheran Churches was accepted as a nongeographical District (the SELC District) of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod; and
WHEREAS, The SELC and the LCMS have walked together in doctrine and practice as members of the Synodical
Conference and now as a District and Synod; and
WHEREAS, The Lord has blessed this relationship
throughout the years; and
WHEREAS, The year 2002 marks the centennial of the
SELC, and the year 2001 marks the 30th anniversary of
the SELC District as a nongeographical District of the
LCMS; therefore be it
Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
gathered in convention in the year of our Lord 2001 join
with the brothers and sisters of the SELC District in celebration and in thanksgiving to our heavenly Father, our
Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit for all the blessings
bestowed upon the SELC these last 100 years and the
SELC District these past 30 years; and be it further
Resolved, That all action taken in this resolution shall be
used to help carry out “The Great Commission” and shall
not in any way detract or distract from the primary mission
of God’s kingdom here on earth. We will remember 1-02!
Action: Adopted (12)
(The resolution was adopted without amendment [yes: 803;
no: 20]. The final resolve is added as required by Res. 1-02,
adopted by the convention in an earlier session.)

To Respectfully Decline Overtures
RESOLUTION 8-12A
WHEREAS, The floor committee has considered all overtures assigned to it and has concluded, for various reasons,
that certain overtures should be declined; therefore be it
Resolved, That the following overtures be respectfully
declined for the reasons given:
Number
Ov. 8-01
Ov. 8-02
Ov. 8-03
Ov. 8-04
Ov. 8-05
Ov. 8-06
Ov. 8-07
Ov. 8-08
Ov. 8-09
Ov. 8-10
Ov. 8-11
Ov. 8-12
Ov. 8-13
Ov. 8-14
Ov. 8-16
Ov. 8-17
Ov. 8-23
Ov. 8-24
Ov. 8-25
Ov. 8-27
Ov. 8-28
Ov. 8-30
Ov. 8-33
Ov. 8-34
Ov. 8-36
Ov. 8-39

Subject

Reason

Reject Report of Task Force
Decline Report of Task Force
Reject TF Report
Reject Recommendations of Task Force
Remove Proposed Changes
Decline Consideration of TF
Recommendations
Postpone Action on TF Report
Table Action on TF Report
Table TF Report to Allow Study
Table TF Report for Input
Table TF Report to Address Concerns
Provide Study Documents for TF Report
Consider TF Recommendations Later
Declare Moratorium on Restructuring
Clarify Synod Relationship
Affirm Synod
Provide Information for Elections
Provide Orientation for DPs
Change Visitation Circuits
Amend Bylaw re Circuits
Amend Bylaw re Visitation Circuits
Reject District Budget Consultation
Restructure Council of Presidents
Change Functions of COP
Reject Proposals re COP
Decline Proposal re CTCR Appointments

Requested by 1998 convention
Requested by 1998 convention
Requested by 1998 convention
Requested by 1998 convention
Inaccurate information
Requested by 1998 convention
Requested by 1998 convention
Requested by 1998 convention
Requested by 1998 convention
Requested by 1998 convention
Requested by 1998 convention
Requested by 1998 convention
Requested by 1998 convention
Requested by 1998 convention
Current wording is clear
Synod’s role clear from Article III
Current Bylaw is adequate
Present orientation is sufficient
Current structure is sufficient
Current structure is sufficient
Current structure is sufficient
Already addressed by TF
Inaccurate assumptions
Inaccurate assumptions
Not in final TF Report
Not in final TF Report

200l Convention Proceedings