LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 245

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PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION 245

not favorable to his interpretation of the facts, and thus prevent the
dissemination of facts and arguments that the delegates might need
in order to judge the actions of the Synod President; and

WuerEasS, The President of the Synod acknowledged that he did
make use of this new power (2004 Today’s Business, p. 18); there-
fore be it

Resolved, That the 2006 Southern Illinois District convention
memorialize the 2007 LCMS convention to change the references
in Bylaw 3.1.6.2 (c) from “The President of the Synod” to “The
Praesidium of the Synod.”

Southern Illinois District

7-22

To Revise Bylaw 3.1.6.2 (c)

WHEREAS, The 2001 LCMS convention passed Res. 7-04A, “To
Promote Truth and Integrity in Convention Overtures,” which gave
the President of the Synod the sole discretion to reject any over-
ture that he deemed to contain “information which is materially in
error, or contain any apparent misrepresentation of truth or of char-
acter”; and

WHEREAS, Bylaw 3.1.6.2 (c), states,

“The President of the Synod shall determine if any overture con-
tains information which is materially in error or contains any apparent
misrepresentation of truth or of character. He shall not approve inclu-
sion of any such overture in the Convention Workbook and shall refer
any such overture to the district president who has ecclesiastical super-
vision over the entity submitting the overture for action. If any pub-
lished overture or resolution is found to be materially in error or con-
tains a misrepresentation of truth or of character, it shall be withdrawn
from convention consideration and referred by the President of Synod to
the appropriate district president for action”;

and

WHEREAS, The President of the Synod could use this power in
order to refuse to print overtures that in his opinion are simply not
favorable to his interpretation of the facts, and thus prevent the dis-
semination of facts and arguments that the delegates might need in
order to judge the actions of the Synod’s President; and

WHEREAS, The President of the Synod acknowledged that he did
make use of this new power (Today’s Business, 2004, p.18); and

WHEREAS, The Secretary of the Synod would not be as likely to
have a conflict of interest; therefore be it

Resolved, That the LCMS in convention change the references
in Bylaw 3.1.6.2 (c) from “The President of the Synod” to “The
Secretary of the Synod.”

Trinity, Herrin, IL; Greater Egypt Circuit Forum 11,
Southern Illinois District

7-23

To Amend Bylaw re Selection
of Convention Floor Committees

WHEREAS, The Synod should desire and welcome participation
from all geographical areas of the Synod and from a wide variety of
ministries in the Synod in the deliberations and actions of the
Synod in convention; and

WHEREAS, The Synod has benefited from the participation of a
more representative number of people on various committees (e.g.,
the expanded Committee for Convention Nominations); and

WHEREAS, The Synod could benefit by allowing a more repre-
sentative group of individuals to participate in the selection of
Synod convention floor committees; and

WHEREAS, The presidents of the districts of the Synod comprise
such a representative group; and

WHEREAS, The presidents of the districts of the Synod are aware
of the qualifications and capabilities of the delegates from the var-
ious districts; and

WHEREAS, That awareness is of benefit in selecting the mem-
bers of the various floor committees; therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Northwest District submit an overture to the
2007 LCMS convention that requests the Synod to revise Bylaw
3.1.7 to read as follows:

All reports and overtures accepted by the President in accordance
with the foregoing paragraphs shall be referred by him to convention
committees appointed by him in the name of the convention.

(a) Appointments will be made from among the voting delegates
(Bylaw 3.1.2ff), advisory delegates (Bylaw 3.1.3ff), and advisory rep-
resentatives (Bylaw 3.1.4ff) submitted to the President by a committee

i ident fr ist of j Vi
Presiden il of Presi

[The rest of the Bylaw continues as written in the Handbook.]
Northwest District

7-24

To Amend Bylaw 3.1.7 re Appointment
of Convention Committees

WHEREAS, Synod Bylaw 3.1.7 states, “All reports and overtures
accepted by the President in accordance with the foregoing para-
graphs shall be referred by him to convention committees ap-
pointed by him in the name of the convention” (emphasis added);
and

WHEREAS, These committees wield great power in that they de-
termine, to a large extent, the business that comes before Synod
conventions; and

WHEREAS, Resting the appointment of these committees in the
hands of the President of Synod alone creates a centralization of
power that may not be healthy for the Synod; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Montana District convention memorialize
the Synod to amend Bylaw 3.1.7 to read, “All reports and overtures
accepted by the President in accordance with the foregoing para-
graphs shall be referred by him to convention committees ap-
pointed by a committee consisting of the Synod President and four
district presidents elected by the Council of Presidents one year
prior to the Synod convention” (emphasis added).

Montana District; Christ, Sioux Falls, SD

7-25

To Amend Bylaw 3.1.7 re Convention Committees

Whereas, Convention committees are required to take action
on many overtures that are asking for changes to be made in the
way that officers of the Synod are using their authority; and

WHEREAS, The appointment of advisory representatives (offi-
cers of Synod, including district presidents, and representatives of
the Synod’s boards, commissions, educational institutions, etc., per
Bylaw 3.1.4) to convention committees may bring these individuals
into a conflict of interest when entertaining overtures; and

WHEREAS, Voting delegates and advisory delegates may not feel
free to act on some overtures with officers of the Synod on the

committee; and

WHEREAS, Already “any member of the Synod (congregation,
ordained minister, commissioned minister) and any lay delegate to
the convention wishing to express comments on reports and over-
tures appearing in the Convention Workbook may submit them in
triplicate at least seven weeks prior to the convention to the Secre-
tary of the Synod, who shall transmit them to the appropriate con-
vention committee for consideration” (Bylaw 3.1.8 [c]); and

WHEREAS, Voting delegates are elected by circuits and advisory
delegates are selected by districts, and therefore have been deter-
mined to be capable to attend to the matters of the Synod in con-
vention; and