Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 2001 · 61st Convention › Page 310
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 310

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

310 NATIONAL/DISTRICT SYNOD RELATIONS

circuits (i.e., Bylaw 3.03, which states in part: “... each pair of del-
egates shall represent from 7 to 20 member congregations, involv-
ing an aggregale communicant membership ranging from 1,500 to
10,000”); and

WHEREAS, Such disparity can allow one Circuit with 1,500 com-
municant members to wield the influence of another Circuit with
10,000 communicant members; and

WHEREAS, Funding for the synodical conventions is based on a
per communicant formula; and

WHEREAS, Issues regarding adequate representation have been
expressed in the past; therefore be it

Resolved, That the issue of representation be studied in order to
provide a more balanced representation of delegates to the synodi-
cal convention; and be it further

Resolved, That the Texas District of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod memorialize the 2001 synodical convention to
amend Bylaw 3.03, effective as of the 2004 synodical convention,
to read:

“Voting delegales shall consist of one pastor and one lay-
man from each electoral Circuil. An electoral Circuil shall eer-
determined by each District, on the basis of the following re-
quirements: each pair of delegates shall represent from ++te20
3 to 20 member congregations, involving an aggregale commu-
nicant membership ranging from 1,500 10 10,000. Exceptions to
these requirements and limitalions can be made only by the
President of ihe Synod upon request! of a District Board of Di-
rectors.”

Texas District

8-88

To Instruct President re Exceptions
for Electoral Circuits

WHEREAS, Bylaw 3.03 places 7 to 20 congregation, 1,500 to
10,000 aggregate communicant limitations on electoral Circuit rep-
resentation to synodical conventions and that “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, Such exceptions have been routinely granted for
decades when one of the two basic criteria were met; and

WHEREAS, [n multiple cases across the United States these rou-
tine exceptions were not granted for the 2001 synodical conven-
tion, so that between 30 and 40 voting delegates were eliminated
from the voting roster through the Office of the President of the
LCMS; and

WHEREAS, Urban and rural Circuits were most adversely af-
fected by the failure to grant these exceptions; and

Wuereas, The biblical dictate “Let all things be done decently
and in order” (1 Cor. 14:40) is not honored when areas of “mar-
ginal” LCMS membership, particularly in the inner cities of the

2001 Convention Workbook

U.S., are eliminated from consideration for participation in the de-
cision-making process of the denomination; and

WHEREAS, The mission of the church to “al] nations” (Matt.
28:19) is obscured when delegates from diverse backgrounds are
eliminated by the action of the Office of the President: and

Wuereas, The “normal” exception procedure in this case would
have sufficed; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Office of the President of the LCMS be in-
structed by the delegates to the 2001 synodical convention that
“normal” exception to Circuit delegate totals, no matter what new
numerical configurations take place, will be understood to mean
that if either the congregational total or the communicant aggre-
gate for an electoral Circuit are reached, the exception be granted if
requested; and be it further

Resolved, That priority be given in the configuration of dele-
gates to making it possible for the participation and selection of
Circuit delegates from a diversity of backgrounds, including the
many congregations and leaders new to the LCMS through Pente-
cost 2000 and other mission strategies; and be it further

Resolved, That language translation be made available for dele-
gates from other than English-speaking backgrounds; and be it fi-
nally

Resolved, That priority be given not only in synodical conven-
tion delegate selection but in all areas of synodical enterprise and
committee work to include the maximum amount of persons repre-
sentative of the global mission of the church.

Atlantic District

8-89

To Appoint New Task Force to
Study Convention Representation

Wuereas, Res. 7-02A of the 1998 convention directed the Task
Force on National/District Relations “to study ... the manner of
electing convention delegates”; and

Wuereas, The preliminary report of this task force concludes
that there is no need for change; and

WHEREAS, The same groups of disenfranchised individuals exist
today and the disparity in representation continues to plague us;
therefore be it

Resolved, That a new task force be appointed to deal seriously
with the issue of representation at synodical conventions; and be it
further

Resolved, That the Praesidium of the Synod, the District Presi-
dents on the Council of Presidents, and the Board of Directors
jointly determine the number of individuals to be appointed to this
task force and that these three bodies appoint an equal number of
members.

Trinity
Walnut Creek, CA