LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 122

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

122 SYNODICAL REPORTS

B, of the Constitution shall be eligible for election. The privilege of
voting shall be exercised by one pastor and one layperson from
each member congregation of the Circuit, both of whom shall have
been selected in the manner prescribed by the congregation. Multi-
ple parishes shall be entitled to a lay vote from each member con-
gregation. Each delegate may write in the names of two pastors on
the initial ballot. The three pastors (or more, in case of a tie vote)
who receive the highest number of votes in this preliminary ballot
shall be placed on the next ballot. Each voter shall now vote for
only one candidate. Balloting shal] continue with the lowest candi-
date being removed from each succeeding ballot until one pastor
shall have received a simple majority of all votes cast, whereupon
he shall be declared the pastoral delegate. The congregation or con-
gregations served by the elected pastoral delegate shall be removed
from consideration for supplying any other voting delegate or al-
ternate for that particular convention.

b. Prior to the meeting of the electoral Circuit, each congrega-
tion may nominate one layperson, either from its congregation or
from the Circuit. These names must be submitted to the Circuit
Counselor(s) prior to the day of the Circuit meeting and shall con-
stitute the slate of candidates. All congregational nominees, except
those who have been eliminated through the election of the pas-
toral delegate, shall be eligible for election. Each delegate may
write in the names of two of the remaining lay nominees on the ini-
tial ballot. The three laypersons (or more, in case of a tie vote) who
received the highest number of votes in this preliminary ballot,
shall be placed on the next ballot. Each voter shall now vote for
only one candidate. Balloting shall continue with the lowest candi-
date being removed from each succeeding ballot until one layper-
son shall have received a simple majority of all votes cast, where-
upon he or she shall be declared the lay delegate. The congregation
from which the lay delegate has been elected shall then be removed
from consideration for supplying any remaining alternates to that
particular convention.

3.07 Responsibilities of Delegates

Congregations shal} not require their delegates to vote in accor-
dance with specific instructions, but every delegate shall be per-
mitted to vote according to his or her own convietion. Delegates
are nevertheless responsible to their Circuits, whom they represent,
and shall attempt to discover the sentiment of the members thereof.
They shall be expected to be faithful in attendance at all sessions of
the convention. After each convention they shall report the actions
of the Synod to their Circuits, preferably appearing before each of
the congregations which they represent. Voting delegates shall
serve a three-year term beginning with the convention; they shall
function as advisory members of the Circuit Forum, shall serve as
resource persons in the Circuit. and shall assist in the dissemina-
tion and implementation of synodical resolutions in their area.

5.31 Representation

Each congregation shall be represented at the Circuit Forum at
least by its pastor and one member designated by the congregation,
although each Circuit may request additional representation de-
pending on its adopted objectives. The Circuit Forum will meet at
least once triennially to elect circuit delegates to the national con-
vention and in addition is encouraged to meet at least twice a year.

5.35 Election of Synodical Convention Delegates

It is the Circuit Forum which tnennially shal! elect the pastoral
and lay delegate, and their alternates, to the national convention of
the Synod according to the regulations of the Synod. The lay dele-
gate shall upon his election serve through the triennium following
the next convention as an advisory member of the Circuit Forum.

2001 Convention Workbook

appoint a Circuit Counselor to serve as chairman of each electoral
region caucus. The election shall be by written ballot. All pastors
who are not advisory members under Article V B of the Constitu-
tion shall be eligible for election. The privilege of voting shall be
exercised by one pastor and one layperson from each member con-
gregation of the electoral region, both of whom shall have been se-
lected in the manner prescribed by the congregation. Multiple
parishes shall be entitled to one lay vote from each member con-
gregation. Each voter may write in the names of two pastors on the
initial ballot. The three pastors (or more. in case of a tie vote) who
receive the highest number of votes in this preliminary ballot shall
be placed on the next ballot. Each voter shal] now vote for only
one candidate. Balloting shall continue with the lowest candidate
being removed from each succeeding ballot until one pastor shall
have received a simple majority of all votes cast, whereupon he
shall be declared the pastoral delegate. The congregation or con-
gregations served by the elected pastoral delegate shall be removed
from consideration for supplying any other voting delegate or al-
ternate for that particular synodical convention.

b. Prior to the caucus of the electoral region, each congregation
within the electoral region may nominate one layperson, either
from its congregation or from the electoral region. These names
must be submitted to the appointed Circuit Counselor prior to the
day of the electoral region caucus and shall constitute the slate of
candidates. All congregational nominees, except those who have
been eliminated through the election of the pastoral delegate, sha!]
be eligible for election. Each voter may write in the names of two
of the remaining lay nominees on the initial ballot. The three
laypersons (or more. in ease of a tie vote) who received the highest
number of votes in this preliminary ballot shall be placed on the
next ballot. Each voter shall now vote for only one candidate. Bal-
loting shall continue with the lowest candidate being removed from
each succeeding ballot until one layperson shall have received a
simple majority of all votes cast, whereupon he or she shall be de-
clared the lay delegate. The congregation from which the lay dele-
gate has been elected shall then be removed from consideration for
supplying any remaining alternates to that particular synodical con-
vention.

3.07 Responsibilities of Delegates

Congregations shall not require their delegates to vote in accor-
dance with specific instructions, but every delegate shall be per-
mitted to vote according to his or her own conviction. Delegates
are nevertheless responsible to their electoral regions, which they
represent, and shall attempt to discover the sentiment of the mem-
bers thereof. They shall be expected to be faithful in attendance at
all sessions of the synodical convention. After each synodical con-
vention they shall report the actions of the Synod to their electoral
regions, preferably appearing before each of the congregations that
they represent. Voting delegates shall serve a three-year term be-
ginning with the synodical convention; they shall function as advi-
sory members of the Circuit Forum(s) within their electoral region,
shall serve as resource persons in the electoral region, and shall as-
sist in the dissemination and implementation of synodical resolu-
tions in their region.

5.31 Representation

Each congregation shall be represented at the Circuit Forum at
least by its pastor and one layperson designated by the congrega-
tion, although each Circuit may request additional representation
depending on its adopted objectives. The Circuit Forum is encour-
aged to meet at least twice a year.