Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 2004 · 62nd Convention, St. Louis › Page 275
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 275

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

STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION 275

WHEREAS, The previous less restrictive bylaw limitation had
served the Synod well for many years; and

WHEREAS, It is desirable that the best qualified candidates for
office be elected; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Texas District memorialize the 2004 LCMS
convention to amend Bylaw 3.181 a to read as follows:

PRESENF/PROPOSED WORDING
No more than one of the four elected ordained ministers may

be from any one District. No more than one of the eight elected
laypersons may be from any one District.

Texas District; Trinity, Roselle, IL; Florida-Georgia
District; St. Paul, Saratoga Springs, NY

7-73

To Study Way of Improving Synodical Elections

WHEREAS, The electoral process of selecting officers and board
members in our Synod and Districts has become an occasion for
and has encouraged sinning against the Eighth Commandment to
“not bear false witness against our neighbor”; and

WHEREAS, Many in our beloved Synod find the campaigning
that happens as a result of our current process both wearying and
discouraging; and

WHEREAS, St. Paul warned a group of Christian congregations,
“If you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not
consumed by one another” (Gal. 5:15); and

WHEREAS, The goal of synodical elections is to select the most
qualified leaders by seeking God’s direction and blessing; and

Whereas, The Word teaches, “The lot is cast into the lap, but
its every decision is from the Lord” (Prov. 16:33); and

WuereEAS, The apostles, in replacing Judas Iscariot, first nomi-
nated qualified men and then cast lots that the decision might be
the Lord’s; and

WHEREAS, Selecting officers and board members by casting of
lots or by some other means may help us restrain from the sinful
behavior in which we too easily have become entangled when
using the current process; and

WHEREAS, The Scriptures do not mandate nor forbid the demo-
cratic election of leaders in the church, nor do they provide demo-
cratic elections as an example of such selection; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention charge the Commission
on Constitutional Matters (CCM) to consider ways in which our
process of selecting leaders might be improved so that we might
Testrict our opportunity to sin; and be it further

Resolved, That the CCM be charged to study also alternate
means of selecting officers and board members; and be it finally

Resolved, That the CCM report its findings and its recommen-
dations to the Synod at its next regular convention.

Circuit 3 Forum
Ohio District

7-74

To Change District Convention Attendance
Expectations for Advisory Members

Rationale

Bylaw 4.27 provides that all advisory members are expected to
attend all sessions of District conventions. It also provides that
when regular convention attendance makes undue demands, as may
be expected in the case of classroom teachers, these members “shall
nevertheless, in consultation with their supervisory boards, arrange
for their own partial or occasional attendance and participation in
accordance with policies established by their supervisory boards.”

In actual practice the expectations of this Bylaw are not always
realistic, given the conflict that convention attendance creates for

church workers such as classroom teachers and the limited in-
volvement of advisory delegates in the proceedings of a conven-
tion (Bylaw 4.25). ,

In order to modify the Bylaw to more accurately reflect the
practice of the Synod, the Commission on Structure proposes the
following change.

Resolved, That Bylaw 4.25 be amended to read:

PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING

4.25 Advisory Delegates

All nonvoting ordained ministers who are members of the
Synod within the District and all commissioned ministers who
are members of the Synod within the District ¢keH are encour-
aged to serve as advisory delegates entitled to voice and vote on
a floor committee, if appointed, and to voice in the convention.

and be it further
Resolved, That Bylaw 4.27 be amended to read:

PRESENF/PROPOSED WORDING

4.27 Attendance

All duly elected voting delegates shall attend all sessions of
the convention regularly until the close of the convention. All
advisory members are expeeted encouraged to attend all ses-
sions of the convention. Those advisory members whose office
in the Synod, District, or other entity or agency imposes profes-
sional or service requirements on which full and regular con-
vention attendance makes undue demands, sheH-nevertheless are
encouraged, in consultation with their supervisory boards, to
arrange for their own partial or occasional attendance and par-
ticipation in accordance with policies established by their su-
pervisory boards.

Commission on Structure

7-75

To Restructure Synod from 35 Districts to 5 Regions

WHEREAS, The Lord Jesus Christ said, “The harvest is truly
plentiful but the laborers are few, therefore pray the Lord of the
Harvest to send workers into the harvest”; and

WHEREAS, There is a great shortage of pastors in the LCMS;
and

WHEREAS, In the past it was deemed necessary to increase the
number of Districts due to the increase of the number of communi-
cant members; and

WHEREAS, Today technology makes it easier and quicker to
communicate; and

Wtereas, There has been a large increase in the number of pas-
tors serving in synodical and District positions; and

Wrereas, A shortage of funds has resulted in the need to recall
overseas missionaries and reduce home missions; therefore be it

Resolved, That the 35 District structure of the LCMS be dis-
solved; and be it further

Resolved, That 5 regions serve the same geographical area; and
be it finally

Resolved, That more congregational activities and issues be
handled in the present Circuit structure.

Pecos Circuit; Rio Grande Circuit; Rocky Mountain
District

7-76

To Revise Constitution re President
and District Presidents
WHEREAS, The present Art. X—XII of the Constitution of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod when describing the work of

the President of Synod, as well as that of a District President and
others, reads almost identical to the description of a CEO of a pub-