LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 138

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138

RESOLUTIONS
advisory delegate to national conventions and
as a pastoral delegate to district conventions;
(2) hold any elected or appointed office on the
district or national Synod level that is assigned by the Bylaws of the Synod to “a pastor” or “an ordained minister” (although specific ministry pastors may serve in all other
capacities, especially representing the ministerial contexts in which they serve);
(3) supervise vicars; or
(4) serve as a circuit counselor.
(c) The ministers of religion—ordained records
maintained by district presidents as well as the
official membership roster of the Synod shall distinguish between specific ministry pastors and
other pastors.

(D) Change the titles and bylaw numbering of
subsequent paragraphs of Bylaw section 2.13 to
accommodate the introduction of the “specific
ministry pastor status and limitations”
paragraphs, as follows:
Restricted Status and Limitations
2.13.3
2.13.2 An individual member of the Synod may be placed…
Removal of Restricted Status and Limitations

mittee. The committee announced that the introductory information preceding the actual resolution was supplied only to inform
the convention’s decision. The Q & A session continued during
Session 5 until Res. 5-01B was introduced by the committee and
discussion continued for the remainder of the committee’s allotted
time.
During Session 8, the committee called attention to several
changes, inserting certification, before the words call and ordination in the second paragraph under step 3 of the introductory
information; inserting or “an ordained minister” after “a pastor”
in paragraph “a.” of step 5 of the introductory information; and
inserting the words or “an ordained minister” after “a pastor” in
paragraph (b) (2) of proposed Bylaw 2.13.1. A lengthy amendment
was proposed for the introductory materials accompanying the
resolution, which the chair ruled a substitute motion and which
was not accepted for consideration by the convention. An amendment to delete the words others responsible for the program in the
first resolve and replace them with Board for Pastoral Education
and Council of Presidents was agreed to by the committee. An
amendment was introduced to delete all of Step 6 after the word
Program and to replace it with will be expected, whenever possible, to pursue the path to become a “general ministry pastor.” To
accomplish this:—also deleting the next line, 1. They may remain
rostered as a specific ministry pastor. An amendment to the
amendment was then introduced to replace the word expected in
the amendment with encouraged. After further debate, the
amendment to the amendment was adopted, but the amended
amendment failed to be adopted. As discussion returned to the
original resolution, a motion was introduced to add a final resolve: Resolved, That the Specific Ministry Pastor Committee submit a progress report to the Synod at least nine months prior to
the 2010 convention. After this change was agreed to by the committee, Res. 5-01B was adopted as changed [Yes: 908; No: 287].)

2.13.4
2.13.3 An individual member of the Synod who is placed…
Suspended Status and Limitations
2.13.5
2.13.4 When formal proceedings have been commenced…

(E) Change Bylaw 3.1.3.1 to read as follows:
3.1.3.1 Each district shall select one advisory delegate for
every 60 advisory ordained ministers and specific
ministry pastors, and one advisory delegate for
every 60 commissioned ministers on the roster of
the Synod. Fractional groupings shall be disregarded except that each district shall be entitled to
at least one advisory delegate in each category.
and be it further

Resolved, That the DELTO Oversight Committee be renamed the Specific Ministry Pastor Committee; and be it
further
Resolved, That the Specific Ministry Pastor Committee
be placed under the supervision of the Board for Pastoral
Education; and be it further
Resolved, That the Specific Ministry Pastor Committee
develop comprehensive guidelines that are consistent with
the theological foundations, educational expectations, rostering process, training of mentors and supervising pastors,
and membership limitations intended for this Specific Ministry Pastor Program; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Specific Ministry Pastor Committee
submit a progress report to the Synod at least nine months
prior to the 2010 convention.
Action: Adopted (8)
(Discussion of this proposed action began during Session 3,
when the assembly received background information for Res. 501A and received answers during a Q & A session with the com-

2007 Convention Proceedings

To Address Licensed Lay Deacons
RESOLUTION 5-02
Overtures 5-11–12 (CW, pp. 216–217)
WHEREAS, 1989 Res. 3-05B, “To Adopt Recommendations
of Lay Worker Study Committee Report as Amended,”
which authorized lay men to serve in Word and Sacrament
ministry in certain circumstances as licensed lay deacons,
was never intended to serve as an alternate route into the
pastoral office; and
WHEREAS, The need for such licensed lay deacons may
still be present in those relatively rare and unusual situations where no ordained pastor is available, “lest God’s people be deprived of the opportunity for corporate worship
and the celebration of the Sacraments” (Convention Proceedings, 1989, p. 112); therefore be it
Resolved, That the Board for Pastoral Education and the
Council of Presidents be requested to study the situations
currently served by licensed lay deacons to determine
whether there continues to be a genuine need for this program within the Synod and to present a report with recommendations to the 2010 convention of the Synod.
Action: Adopted (9)
(After the committee chairman reported that Committees 3
and 5 had harmonized their nearly identical resolutions according
to the text of Res. 5-02, the resolution was introduced for consideration. A substitute motion was offered: Resolved, That all laymen licensed by synodical or district programs to conduct word
and sacrament ministry be enrolled in the specific ministry pastor
program by August 1, 2009, or such licensure shall be rescinded.
The assembly voted not to consider the substitute resolution, and
discussion continued until a motion was introduced to amend the
resolution by replacing the second and third paragraphs with the
following: WHEREAS, The need for such licensed lay deacons continues to be crucial and necessary, “lest God’s people be deprived of
the opportunity for corporate worship and the celebration of the