LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 271

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STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION 271

delegates (Bylaw 3.03), advisory delegates (Bylaw 3.09), and
advisory representatives (Bylaw 3.13).

, Our Redeemer

Columbia Falls, MT

7-60

To Nominate and Elect Synod Vice-Presidents
Two through Five by Regions to Serve Synodwide

WHEREAS, It is the primary role and function of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod to facilitate the mission and ministry of
its member congregations in their efforts to “tell the good news
about Jesus”; and

WHEREAS, The mission and ministry of our individual congre-
gations reflect our church’s responsibility under God to serve the
spiritual needs of increasingly diverse populations that reside
within a number of the Synod’s Districts; and

Wuereas, The future of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod as a viable and vital evangelical Christian body within the
United States will depend largely on the ability of individual mem-
ber congregations to respond assertively to mission opportunities
among the increasingly diverse populations in their communities,
with the enthusiastic understanding and support of the Synod
through the leadership of its Praesidium; and

WuereaS, A Synodwide mission and ministry that is respon-
sive to the demographic changes in our nation’s population can be
best facilitated by a Praesidium that is representative of the cultural
and geographic diversity within our Synod; and

WHEREAS, The current process of nominating and electing
Synod’s Vice-Presidents two through five by general ballot on the
convention floor can become the result of name recognition or sup-
port by particular interest groups within and without the Synod;
therefore be it

Resolved, That the Pacific Southwest District memorialize the
2004 convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to take
the following action: Res. 8-02 [“That Synodical Vice-Presidents
Two through Five Continue to be Elected and Serve Synodwide
and That They Be Placed on the Ballot by Congregational Nomi-
nation”] as adopted by the 2001 Synod convention and subsequent
changes made to the Bylaws of the Constitution of the Synod in
order to implement Res. 8-02, be declared null and void as of the
date of the adoption of this resolution; and be it further

Resolved, That beginning with the 2007 Synod convention, the
second through fifth Synod Vice-Presidents shall be nominated and
elected at the convention on the basis of geographic regions; and be
it further

Resolved, That such nomination and election shall be performed

by the lay and pastoral delegates of the Districts that comprise, and
are members of, one of four regions within the Synod, as follows:

Eastern Central-North Central-South Western
Atlantic Central Illinois Florida-Georgia California-Nevada-Hawaii
Eastern Iowa East Kansas Montana
English Iowa West Mid-South Northwest
Indiana Minnesota North Missouri Pacific Southwest
Michigan Minnesota South Oklahoma Rocky Mountain
New England Nebraska SELC ‘ Wyoming
New Jersey North Dakota Southern
Ohio North Wisconsin Southern Illinois
Southeastern Northern Illinois Texas

South Dakota

South Wisconsin
and be it further

Resolved, That each voting congregation shall be entitled to
nominate from the clergy roster of the Synod four ordained minis-
ters from its region as candidates for their regional vice-president;
and be it further

Resolved, That the ballot for Vice-Presidents two through five
shall be the four candidates within each region receiving the high-
est number of votes; and be it further

Resolved, That the voting delegates from each region elect the
Vice-President from their region; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod in convention choose the ranking of
the Vice-Presidents once the regional Vice-Presidents have been
elected.

Pacific Southwest District

7-61

To Elect Board for Communication Services

WuerEAS, The Board for Communication Services consists of
seven members, yet only two of them are elected by the Synod in
convention (five are appointed by the Board of Directors); and

WHEREAS, It is a privilege to elect individuals to positions of
leadership in the.Synod; and

WHEREAS, The church meeting in convention often elects a ma-
jority of the members of various commissions, etc., thus giving the
broad church an opportunity to speak in these matters; therefore be
it

Resolved, That the Minnesota North District, in convention,
memorialize the Synod, in convention, to amend the Synod’s By-
laws so that four members of the Board for Communication Ser-
vices are elected at convention, with the other three members ap-
pointed by the Synod’s Board of Directors.

Minnesota North District

7-62

To Elect Board for Communication Services

WHEREAS, The Board for Communication Services consists of
seven members, yet only two of them are elected by the Synod in
convention (five are appointed by the Board of Directors); and

WHEREAS, This limits the rights of the convention delegates to
be involved in the selection process, thereby eliminating any sys-
tem of checks and balances in the selection of the individuals; and

WHEREAS, It is a good thing to have the delegates involved in
the life of the Synod and the conduct of her business; therefore be it

Resolved, That in order to better ensure the confessional and
Synod commitment of the Synod’s official press, the Synod, in
convention (beginning at the current convention), elect five mem-
bers of the Board for Communication Services and the Synod’s
Board of Directors appoint two members of the Board for Com-
munication Services.

Crookston Circuit Forum
Minnesota North District

7-63

To Require Concurrence of Board of Directors
for CCM Appointments

Rationale

The present process for the appointment of members to the
Commission on Constitutional Matters already includes a number
of checks and balances:

* Candidates are nominated by District boards of directors;

* Names of candidates are presented to the Council of Presidents by the
Secretary of the Synod;

* The Council of Presidents selects through an election process five
candidates for each vacant position;

¢ The candidates are presented to the President of the Synod through
the office of the Secretary of the Synod;

¢ The President consults with the Vice-Presidents of the Synod prior to
his appointment of the members of the Commission.