LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 261

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STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION 261

7-28
To Provide for Resolution of Invalid Elections

Rationale

At times the Synod has elected individuals who are later deter-
mined to be ineligible to serve according to the Constitution and
Bylaws of the Synod. There are no provisions in the Constitution
and Bylaws for addressing and resolving invalid elections.

The 2001 convention included in Omnibus Res. A Overture 7-
131, “To Provide Process for Resolving Invalid Elections,” thereby
referring the matter to the Commission on Structure. The Commis-
sion submits the following Bylaw changes to the 2004 convention.

Resolved, That Bylaw 3.990 be amended by adding the follow-
ing new paragraph d and changing current paragraph d to read “e”:

PRESENF/PROPOSED WORDING :
d. If an election is deemed invalid during the course of the
vention, the Commi Electi 1 prepare ot
to elect ano er_person to thi sition from names lied b
the om for Convention Nominations, this ballot to in-
| e fr ious igible for el
and be it father

Resolved, That Bylaw 3.985 b be amended to read as follows:
PRESENF/PROPOSED WORDING

b. The chairman of the Committee for Convention Nomina- °

tions shall have on hand at the convention a reserve list of nom-
inees, approved by the committee, for use if required, e.g., if a
new board or commission is to be elected or if an election is
deemed invalid during the course of the convention. Whenever

possible, however, the Committee for Convention Nominations
should be informed in advance if any new board or commission
is likely to be established at a synodical convention, so that it
may have a slate of candidates in readiness.

Commission on Structure

7-29

To Equalize Tenures on Board
for Black Ministry Services

Rationale

Bylaw 3.61 b speaks of successive terms for members of boards
and commissions of the Synod. It establishes limitations of two
successive terms for offices with six-year terms and three succes-
sive terms for offices with three-year terms “unless otherwise pro-
vided in the Bylaws.”

Res. 1-01 of the 2002 LCMS Black Ministry Family Convoca-
tion, “To Equalize the Tenures of the Board for Black Ministry Ser-
vices,” petitioned the Commission on Structure to advocate in-
creasing the term limitation for appointed members of the Board
for Black Ministry Services from three three-year terms to four
three-year terms, thereby equalizing the potential length of service
of elected and appointed members of the board.

Noting the provision of Bylaw 3.61 b, which allows exceptions
to its requirements when “otherwise provided in the Bylaws,” the
Commission on Structure recommends the following amendment
to Bylaw 3.801 to accommodate the request of the Black Ministry
Family Convocation.

Resolved, That Bylaw 3.801 be amended as follows:

PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
3.801 Membership

The Board for Black Ministry Services shall consist of nine
members. One ordained minister, one commissioned minister, and
one layperson shall be elected by the Synod in convention. Three
ordained ministers and three laypersons shall be appointed by the
President of the Synod. The President shall appoint from a list of at
least three candidates for each vacant seat on the board which the
representatives of the black congregations, meeting in convoca-

tion, will have reviewed, evaluated, and approved. Vacancies on
the board shall be filled by appointment by the President of the
Synod from the remaining nominees on the same slate of candi-
dates. Elected members of the board shall be eligible to serve for
two six-year terms, and appointed members shal] be eligible to
serve for four three-year terms.

and be it further

Resolved, That Bylaw 3.61 b be amended as follows:

PRESENF/PROPOSED WORDING
b. All members of all synodical boards and commissions
shall be ineligible for reelection or reappointment to the same
board or commission after serving etotal-of ¢ twe-steeessive-sit-

1 12 successive years, unless otherwise provided
in the Bylaws. They may become eligible again for election or
appointment to the same office, board, or commission after an
interval of three or more years. One-half or more of a term shall
be regarded as a full term under limited tenure rules.

Commission on Structure

7-30

To Equalize Tenures of Board for Black Ministry
Services Members

WHEREAS, Bylaw 3.59 a states, “The term of office ... of all ap-
pointed boards, commissions, and standing committees [shall be]
three years, unless these Bylaws shall hereinafter specifically pro-
vide otherwise”; and

WHEREAS, The Synod convention elects one ordained minister,
one commissioned minister, and one layperson to the Board for
Black Ministry Services for a six-year term, with a two-term limi-
tation, for a possible total of 12 years served; and

WHEREAS, The Synod President appoints three ordained minis-
ters and three laypersons to the Board for Black Ministry Services
for a three-year term, with a three-term limitation, for a possible
total of nine years served; and

WHEREAS, The 2001 Black Ministry Family Convocation has
adopted Res. 1-06 (p. 77 of Convocation Workbook) affirming
nine-year term limitations between the election process by the con-
vention and the convocation process; therefore be it

Resolved, That the 2002 Black Ministry Family Convocation re-
quest the Board for Black Ministry Services to petition the Commis-
sion on Structure to increase the term limitation for appointed posi-
tions to the Board for Black Ministry Services from three terms of
three years for a total of nine years possible service to four terms of
three years for a total of 12 years possible service; and be it further

Resolved, That these new term limitations be retroactive to the
Synod President’s 2001 appointments to the Board for Black Min-
istry Services; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Commission on Structure share its opinion
with the Board for Black Ministry Services by June 1, 2003, so the
appropriate action can be taken at the 2004 Synod convention.

Black Ministry Convocation

7-31

To Change Review Process of Commission
on Doctrinal Review

Rationale

The President of the Synod is responsible for the appointment
of doctrinal reviewers for various entities of the Synod according to
their needs (Bylaws 3.101 A 1; 10.05 a) and for appointing re-
placements in the event of the termination of a reviewer (Bylaw
10.05 b). He is also responsible for the appointment of the five-
member Commission on Doctrinal Review from the total number
of doctrinal reviewers (Bylaw 3.907).