LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 259

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STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION 259

the institutional church, which in our case is the Synod, must serve
the ministry of Gospel and the people of God; and

Wuereas, Luther, the Reformers, Walther, Pieper, and many
others have left us a precious and clear heritage that is based on
our Lord’s concept of a ministry of loving service, rather than seek-
ing power and control in order to be served (see Matt. 20:24-28;
Mark 10:41-45); therefore be it

Resolved, That we help one another continue to create a Synod
that exists to serve its members rather than providing a top-down
polity in which the Synod is at the top, controlling, legislating, and
directing its members in coercive ways; and be it further

Resolved, That St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church,
Saratoga Springs, N.Y., clearly affirms that The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod exists to serve its members and recom-
mends that the 2004 LCMS convention do the same; and be it fur-
ther

Resolved, That all members of the Synod gratefully support the
work of the Synod as it carries out all of its objectives delineated in
the service-oriented language of Art. III of its Constitution; and be
it finally

Resolved, That all officers, boards, and committees of the
Synod and its Districts be commended in their helpful work to es-
tablish more clearly that the Synod is directed by an attitude and
practice that emphasizes ministry and service rather than power and
control.

St. Paul
Saratoga Springs, NY

7-22
To Clarify Responsibilities of Officers and Agencies

Rationale

The Synod divides itself into Districts, their names and bound-
aries determined by the Synod. Art. XII 12 of the Constitution of
the Synod provides: “The Districts are independent in the adminis-
tration of affairs which concem their District only, it being under-
stood, however, that such administration shall always serve the in-
terests of the Synod.”

Likewise, all other agencies of the Synod have been established
by the Synod to further the Synod’s objectives, including each
board, commission, council, seminary, university, college, and
Synodwide corporate entity (Bylaw 3.51 a).

For purposes of clarity with respect to the relationship of offi-
cers and agencies to the Synod, it will be beneficial to include a di-
rective within the Bylaws of the Synod that articulates this basic
relationship.

The Commission on Structure offers the following proposed
Bylaw changes for consideration by the 2004 convention of the
Synod.

Resolved, That current Bylaw 1.07 a be amended to incorporate
content from Art. XII 12 of the Constitution of the Synod, as fol-
lows:

PRESENF/PROPOSED WORDING

a. The delegate convention of the Synod is the legislative as-
sembly whieh that ultimately legislates policy, program, and fi-
nancial direction to carry on the Synod’s work on behalf of and
in service to the member congregations, reserving to itself the
right to give direction to all officers and agencies of the Synod,
who shall always serv interests of the Synod in carrying out
their responsibilities G¢nehiding-the-Distriete-seminaries unt
Consequently, all officers and agencies, unless otherwise speci-
fied in the Bylaws, shall be accountable to the Synod, and any
concems regarding the decisions of such officers or agencies
may be brought to the attention of the Synod in convention for
appropriate action. (This provision does not apply to specific
member appeals to Worker Benefit Plans, which has its own ap-
peal process for such cases.) The delegate convention of each
District of the Synod receives reports and counsel from the na-

tional Synod, makes recommendations thereto, assists in imple-
menting synodical decisions, and adopts or authorizes programs
to meet the unique needs of the District.

Commission on Structure

7-23

To Appoint Committee to Review
Requirements for Officers and Board Members

Wuereas, Within a most rapidly changing society, and facing
ever-pressing financial challenges, our designs of the past in terms
of officers, committees, and boards may not meet the daily changes
that surround us; therefore be it

Resolved, That the English District memorialize the 2004
LCMS convention to request the President of Synod to appoint a
committee to review the responsibilities, requirements, and terms
of office of all officers and board members within the structure of
the LCMS and bring recommendations to the 2007 convention.

English District

7-24

To Adopt Bylaw to Govern Removal
of Board Members

Rationale

At the 2001 convention, Floor Committee 7 prepared Res. 7-29
for action by the convention. However, the convention ran out of
time before the resolution could be considered.

Higher education institutions are receiving pressure from the
accrediting agencies to have a policy that governs the removal of
board members. Since a number of board of regent members are
elected by the Synod in convention, it is necessary for the conven-
tion to adopt a resolution for inclusion in the Bylaws of the Synod
to govern the removal of board members from boards of synodical
agencies.

Resolved, That the following Bylaw be adopted by the 2004
convention:

“Individual board members are accountable to the Synod
through the board on which they serve.

a. Causes for removal include persistent adherence to false doctrine,
fraud or illegal conduct, persistence in offensive conduct, or the ne-
glect of, refusal, or incapacity to carry out normal duties of board
membership as defined by the policies of the Board of Directors of
the Synod.

b. Removal of a board member shall require a two-thirds majority vote
of the total board membership.

c. If a disagreement occurs regarding this action, the LCMS Board of
Directors shall decide the matter.

d. In the case of removal of members of the synodical Board of Directors
the procedure specified in Art. XI of the Constitution shall be followed.

e. A vacancy in a board position as a result of a removal of a board
member shall be filled in the manner prescribed by these Bylaws
governing the filling of vacancies of that board.”

and be it further

Resolved, That the Commission of Constitutional Matters make
the appropriate changes in the Handbook (Bylaw 3.905 c).

Board for Higher Education/
Concordia University System

7-25

To Define Office as Used in Bylaws

Rationale

Bylaws 3.75 and 4.109 limit the number of elected and/or ap-
pointed offices an individual may hold simultaneously. These By-