LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 246

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246 PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION

WuereEaS, The formation of these committees should be done
with the utmost propriety and with no possibility for even the per-
ception of favoritism; therefore be it

Resolved, That Bylaw 3.1.7 be amended as follows:

PRESENF/PROPOSED WORDING
All reports and overtures accepted by the President in accordance
with the foregoing paragraphs shall be referred by him to convention

committees appeimted selected by him and the Secretary of the Synod

by lot in the name of the convention.

(a) “ppetntments it rs will be made selected from
among the voting delegates (Bylaw 3.1.2ff) and advisory delegates
(Bylaw 3.1.3ff}-endeadvisery

(b) Ordained ministers, commissioned ministers, and laypersons
shall be represented on all committees in numbers determined by the

(c) The President shail notify committee members of their eppent
ment selection and of the time and place of their first meeting no later
than 12 weeks before the start of the convention.

(d) The committee rosters shall be published in an official periodical
at least 10 weeks before the convention.

(e) If the President deems it advisable, he may convene any com-
mittees prior to the opening of the convention.

(f) After due consideration of the matters referred to it, each com-
mittee will report its findings and recommendations to the convention.

(g) Each proposed resolution involving expenditures, prior to its
consideration on the floor of the convention, shall be presented to the
floor committee on financial matters, which in consultation with the ac-
counting department shall attach to the recommended resolution ac-
companying information on estimated cost on an annual or project
basis.

Redeemer
Nashville, TN

7-26

To Use Designated Criteria for Convention Resolutions
WHEREAS, Resolutions can be difficult to evaluate; and

WHEREAS, Delegates can sometimes have a hard time deciding
on how to vote; and

WHEREAS, Floor committees, at times, bring resolutions to the
floor of the convention that accomplish little but take up dispro-
portionately large amounts of time, and

WHEREAS, These criteria should be considered:
1. No resolution should determine or decide the truth of Scripture.

2. No resolution should determine or decide the truth of the Lutheran
Confessions or Lutheran confessional teaching.

3. No resolution should be contrary to the Synod’s Handbook.
4. No resolution should take away rights of the voting delegates.

5. A resolution should do something substantial beyond “encourage,”
“reaffirm,” etc.

6. No new bureaucracy is needed in our Synod.
7. No new studies are needed in our Synod.
8. Resolves should account for funding the action of the resolution.
9. There should be compelling and clearly stated reason for change.
10. There should be no redundancy, that is, resolving to do what is al-
ready being done;
and
WHEREAS, These 10 criteria can be helpful in the preparation of
and the voting for resolutions; therefore be it
Resolved, That the floor committees use criteria such as these
as a guide in the preparation of resolutions; and be it further

Resolved, That delegates use criteria such as these as a guide in
determining their votes on resolutions.

Mount Olive, Billings, MT; St. John, Laurel, MT;
Eastern/Southern Pastors Conference, Montana District

7-27

To Bring Resolutions to Floor of Convention
in Order of Importance

WHEREAS, It was promised for the 2004 convention that the
most important resolutions would be brought to the convention be-
fore those of lesser importance; and

WHEREAS, The structure of the convention did not allow that
promise to be kept; and

WHEREAS, The orders of the day brought particular floor com-
mittees to the floor of the convention instead of particular resolu-
tions of importance; and

WHEREAS, The decisions of the CCM clearly had greater im-
portance to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod than encour-
aging congregations to make quilts; and

WHEREAS, The 2004 convention passed a resolution to encour-
age quilting but never addressed the divisive CCM decisions; there-
fore be it

Resolved, That the President of the Synod structure the 2007
LCMS convention in order to bring resolutions to the floor of the
convention in order of importance; and be it further

Resolved, That the 2007 LCMS convention recess in order to
allow one hour for the chairman of the convention to meet with the
chairmen of the floor committees in order to prioritize the resolu-
tions on the basis of importance to the Synod; and be it further

Resolved, That the resolutions for the 2007 LCMS convention
be brought to the floor of the convention in the order of impor-
tance; and be it finally

_ Resolved, That Today’s Business for the 2010 convention num-
ber the resolutions according to floor committees but print them in
order of importance, which will be the order in which they come to
the convention floor.

Board of Directors
Montana District

7-28

To Make Standing Rule for Keeping Debate Open

WHEREAS, 34 percent of all delegates can keep the debate open
on a given resolution; and

WuerEAS, Some delegates falsely think that the convention
must deal with every resolution proposed by the floor committees
and so must cut short the debate on many resolutions; and

WHEREAS, 34 percent of the delegates may feel pressure to go
with the will of the majority; and

WHEREAS, It is better to have full debate on a few resolutions
than to have minimal debate on many resolutions; and

WuereEAS, Out of Jove for one another, it is better to make sure
that everyone has heard all points of view; and

WHEREAS, For the sake of 10 righteous people even God would
not act against Sodom; therefore be it

Resolved, That the President of the Synod propose a standing
or special rule for the 2007 convention that would keep debate open
as long as there are at least 10 people standing at the microphones;
and be it further

Resolved, That the 2007 LCMS convention will keep debate open
as long as there are at least 10 people standing at the microphones.

Board of Directors
Montana District

7-29

To Discontinue Use of Behnken Rule

WHEREAS, The Behnken Rule is used mainly when a floor com-
mittee presents a substitute resolution to the delegates in place of a
submitted resolution (see 2004 Synod Proceedings, p. 151); and