LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 271

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STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION 271

Resolved, That Bylaw 2.27 be amended to return it to its
pre-1998 form.

Trinity

Walnut Creek, CA

7-90

To Delete Bylaw re Removal of District Presidents

Wtereas, District Presidents in the LCMS are elected at Dis-
trict conventions and serve the congregations and pastors of the
synodical District that elected them; and

Wtereas, 1998 Res.7-05A and 7-06A and the resulting Bylaw
2.27 g have created differing interpretations and misunderstandings
between Districts and the national church body rather than a re-
newed sense of partnership for the mission God has given the entire
church body; and

WHEREAS, The passage of these unfortunate resolutions and the
resulting Bylaw was undertaken after hundreds of voting delegates
had already left the 1998 synodical convention, leaving the im-
pression of a politically organized effort that seeks to take respon-
sibility away from the Districts that elect District Presidents and to
centralize power in LCMS headquarters; therefore be it

Resolved, That for the sake of decency and order the 2001 syn-
odical convention vote to delete synodical Bylaw 2.27 g from the
Handbook.

St. Peter, Brooklyn, New York; Circuit 9, Atlantic District;
Circuit 8, Atlantic District

7-91

To Set Aside 1998 Convention Action re Bylaw 2.27 g

WHEREAS, The Lord has entrusted his mission to the church,
calling us to work with Him while it is day before the night comes
when no one can work (John 9:4); and

Wuereas, The Lord has commissioned us to “make disciples
of all nations” (Matt. 28:19), an unfinished task too large for the
church to dissipate any energy in needless controversies but rather
calling for it to work together in love; and

WHEREAS, 1998 Res. 7-05A and 7-06A and their attendant
Bylaw 2.27g have created differing interpretations and misunder-
standings, rather than a renewed sense of partnership for the mis-
sion God has given us; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Florida-Georgia District respectfully request
the 2001 synodical convention to set aside 1998 Res. 7-05A and
7-06A and their attendant Bylaw 2.27 g; and be it further

Resolved, That the Florida-Georgia District memorialize the
Synod in convention to set in motion a process whereby the rela-
tionship between the synodical President and the District Presidents
can be addressed and articulated in such a way that lines of author-
ity, responsibility, and accountability are clarified, teamwork is en-
couraged, and the mission of God is advanced.

Florida-Georgia District; Pacific Southwest District;
Atlantic District

7-92

To Revise Bylaw re Removal of District President

WHEREAS, 1998 Res. 7-06A amended Bylaw 2.27 by adding the
following: “g. Because the President of the Synod has ecclesiastical
supervision of all District Presidents, the President of the Synod
shall proceed in the same fashion as a District President if he re-
ceives a complaint relative to a District President’; and

WHEREAS, 1998 Res. 7-06A does not define what ‘‘a complaint”
is; and

WuerEAS, The scriptural directive is to first address the com-

plainant directly before filing a formal complaint (Matt. 18:15-18 ;
Gal. 6: 1-2); therefore be it

Resolved, That the Northwest District in convention memorial-
ize the 2001 synodical convention to revise Bylaw 2.27 g to read as
follows:

“.. if the Synod President receives a formal written com-
plaint relative to a District President. As a part of his investiga-

tion, the Synod President will follow Matt. 18:15~20 and seek to
resolve the issue by working together with the District Board of

Directors. In cases under this subparagraph ...”
Northwest District

7-93

To Change Bylaws re Removal of District Presidents

WHEREAS, The District Presidents of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod are elected by all the congregations and a pastor
from each congregation of their District; and

WHEREAS, The President of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod is elected by single representatives, lay and pastor, repre-
senting several congregations; and

Wuereas, The District President is the most representative
highest office elected in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod;
and

WHEREAS, The congregations and professional church workers
who have signed the Constitution make up The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod; and

Wteereas, The District President is the elected official of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod of the congregations in his Dis-
trict; and

Wuereas, The present policy of The Lutheran Church—Mis-
souri Synod gives the synodical President authority to remove a
District President from office in fact or in essence; therefore be it

Resolved, That if the synodical President has reason that a Dis-
trict President should no longer serve as President of the District,
let him address his concern and opinion to the congregations of the
District that elected that President and convince them accordingly,
recognizing the authority of the congregations of the District; and
be it further

Resolved, That in an emergency the particular District Board of
Directors, convinced by the President of the Synod of the appro-
priateness of the action, may temporarily remove its District Presi-
dent until the congregations and their delegated layperson and pas-
tor have opportunity to vote on the removal of the District
President; and be it further

Resolved, That a District President can only be removed from
office, in fact or in essence, by a two-thirds majority vote of the
congregations of the District that elected him; and be it finally

Resolved, That the necessary changes be made in the Synod’s
Constitution and Bylaws that express this resolution.

St. John
Portland, OR

7-94

To Revise and Review Bylaw
re Removal of District Presidents

WHEREAS, The 1998 synodical convention in one of the last ac-
tions of its final session adopted a new Bylaw on the synodical
President’s supervision of District Presidents; and

WHEREAS, The important provisions of this Bylaw fail to in-
clude those who are most directly involved in the ministry of a Dis-
trict President, namely, the members of his District; and

WHEREAS, The complaints against a District President to which
this Bylaw speaks are not explicitly limited to those which may
lead to the expulsion of the District President (as is properly the
case in parallel Bylaw 2.27 a), thereby introducing the possibility of
serious ambiguity and consequent harm in the application of this
Bylaw; therefore be it

2001 Convention Workbook