LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 70

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

70

REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

vention.” “The matter” refers to a large extent to the very issues that the proposed lawsuit intends to raise. The Board
and the President have agreed upon an appointment process
and have made their respective appointments. Arrangements
for an initial meeting of this special committee will be made
during the Board’s May 2005 meeting.
CONCLUSION
This information is being shared with the Synod in the
hope and desire that the members and individuals in congregations of the Synod will be fully informed and reassured
regarding these matters. We are prayerful that any congregation or individual solicited to join in such needless and
divisive litigation involving these matters will decline to do
so, especially given the fact that the Board of Directors has
investigated the electoral circuit matter and has resolved not
to pursue such action, and given the additional fact that the
Board and the President have appointed a committee to look
into the very issues being raised by the would-be lawsuit. The
Holy Spirit-inspired words of St. Paul are commended for
prayerful consideration:
1
If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it
before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints?
2
Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if
you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge
trivial cases? 3Do you not know that we will judge angels?
How much more the things of this life! 4Therefore, if you have
disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even men of
little account in the church! 5I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a
dispute between believers? 6But instead, one brother goes to
law against another—and this in front of unbelievers!
7
The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means
you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather
be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 8Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers.
9
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral
nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards
nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
11
And that is what some of you were. But you were washed,
you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians
6:1–11)

Response submitted on May 6, 2005,
by the following:
Dr. Gerald B. Kieschnick, President of the Synod
Dr. William Diekelman, First Vice-President of the Synod
Dr. Raymond Hartwig, Secretary of the Synod
Dr. Tom Kuchta, Vice-President–Finance—Treasurer of
the Synod
Dr. Robert Kuhn, Chairman, Board of Directors of the
Synod
Rev. James Fandrey, Vice-Chairman, Board of Directors
of the Synod
Rev. William Hoesman, Chairman, Council of Presidents
of the Synod
Dr. Larry Stoterau, Vice-Chairman, Council of Presidents
of the Synod
2007 Convention Proceedings

ADDENDUM 1: Voting Delegate
Registrations and Attendance
The following is a comparison according to districts of voting delegate registrations and attendance at the Synod’s
1998, 2001, and 2004 conventions:
• The numbers in boldface print represent the number
of voting delegates registered for each convention.
• The numbers following in italic print represent the number of voting delegates that actually attended each convention.
• The numbers following in parentheses ( ) indicate the
number of requested exceptions granted by the President
of the Synod according to Bylaw 3.03.
• The numbers in brackets [ ] indicate the number of such
requests for exceptions that were denied.

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

1998

2001

24 22 (3) [1]
36 35 (4)
32 32
32 32
38 36
32 32 (1) [1]
43 43
26 26
40 40
32 32
88 86 (3)
22 22
36 35
52 52
58 58
12 12 (1)
44 43
18 17 (2)
12 12
16 16
40 39
52 52
48 47
30 30
14 14
56 55 (1)
28 28
6
6
22 22
54 54 (1)
38 38 (1) [1]
28 28
14 14
62 61 (2)
14 14 (2)
1199 1185 (21) [3]

20 19 (4) [4]
32 32 (4)
32 31
28 28 (1)
40 39 (11) [1]
31 32 (1) [1]
44 44
26 26 (1)
39 40
32 32
88 88 (5)
21 21 (1)
36 36 (1)
52 52
58 58 (1)
12 12 (1)
44 44
18 18 (2)
12 11
16 16 (3)
40 40
49 49 (2) [1]
48 48 (1)
30 30
16 16 (1)
52 52 (2) [3]
28 28 (1)
6 6
22 22
53 53 (2)
36 36 (1) [1]
28 28 (2)
14 14
72 72 (6) [2]
14 14 (2)
1191 1188 (56) [13]

In summary:
• Number of visitation circuits:
• Number of electoral circuits:
• Number of voting delegates registered:
• Number of voting delegates in attendance:
• Number of districts requesting exceptions:
• Number of exceptions granted:
• Number of exceptions not granted:
• Number of delegates from exceptions:
• Percentage of delegates from exceptions:

2004
24 24 (6)
36 36 (4)
32 32
32 32 (5)
38 38 (8)
44 44 (7)
44 44 (1)
26 26
40 40 (1)
32 31
88 88 (5)
24 24 (1)
36 36 (1)
52 51 (2)
58 57 (1)
12 12 (2)
44 44 (1)
18 18 (3)
10 9 (1)
12 12
40 40
52 52 (3)
50 49 (5)
30 30
18 18 (4)
64 64 (2)
28 28 (1)
6 6 (1)
22 22 (2)
54 54 (1)
40 40 (2)
28 28 (3)
22 22
76 75 (13)
14 14 (2)
1246 1240 (88) [0]

1998

2001

2004

629
601
1199
1185
11
21
3
42
3.5%

627
596
1191
1188
23
56
13
112
9.5%

644
623
1246
1240
28
88
0
176
14.2%

Excerpted from Report to LCMS Board of Directors,
February 24–25, 2005
Compiled by Dr. Raymond Hartwig, LCMS Secretary
[NOTE: In addition to the information in the original table
included above with this report, the numbers for the 2007 convention have been shown in a table included at the end of this
special report for the sake of complete comparison. (See Special Report Addendum A)]