LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 230

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appropriate training within six months following
each national Synod convention.
1.10.10.1 The term of service of a reconciler shall be six years,
renewable immediately following every even-numbered Synod convention (2010, 2016, etc.) without
term limitations. TheyReconcilers shall be people “of
good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom”
(Acts 6:3). Vacancies for an unexpired term shall be
filled by the district board of directors in the same
manner as regular appointments by the district board
of directors within 30 days following their occurrence. The district board of directors may add to the
district roster of reconcilers a reconciler who has
moveds into the district from another district where
appointed.
__________
D. To Update Bylaws re Appointment and Replacement of
Hearing Facilitators

(b) Any vacancy in an unexpired term or which
results from a decision not to continue at the end
of a term of service shall be filled in the same manner as described above as needed and as requested
by the Secretary of the Synod.
1.10.12.1 Limitations on holding multiple offices do not apply
to hearing facilitators.
1.10.12.2 If a hearing facilitator moves from the district where
nominated, such hearing facilitator, if on the roster
of hearing facilitators, shallmay remain as a member
ofon the Synod’s roster of hearing facilitators until
the term of service of the hearing facilitator expires.
1.10.12.3 A hearing facilitator shall not serve as a reconciler or
as a voting member of a panel.
__________
E. To Strengthen Bylaw 1.10.2 Requiring Members
to Honor Dispute Resolution Procedure

Rationale

Rationale

Current Bylaws 1.10.12–1.10.12.3 provide for the appointment and
replacement of dispute resolution and expulsion process hearing
facilitators. These bylaws require updating and will better and more
accurately read as follows.

Members of the Synod (ministers of religion—ordained or ministers of religion—commissioned and congregations) by their
membership agree to honor dispute resolution decisions (Bylaw
1.10.2). On occasion, member congregations that have received
an unfavorable result from the dispute resolution procedure have
disregarded binding decisions, relinquished membership, and
received support for such actions from a civil court, the court failing to comprehend the nature of membership in the Synod.

Therefore be it
Resolved, That the following Bylaws be amended as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
Hearing Facilitators
1.10.12
After the training of the reconcilers and in consultation with the appropriate district presidents, the
Secretary of the Synod shall maintain a roster of identify 25 hearing facilitators selected from the roster of
thetrained reconcilers. They may be ordained ministers, commissioned ministers, or laypersons whoand
shall exhibit skills in the proper conduct of a fair and
impartial hearing. to comprise the Synod’s roster of
hearing facilitators, whoThey shall be trainedreceive
training for such purpose.
(a) Their term of service, monitored by the
Secretary of the Synod, shall be six years, renewable without limit. Within three months after
even-numbered conventions of the Synod (2010,
2016, etc.), the Secretary of the Synod shall contact thoseall hearing facilitators whose terms have
been completed to learn of their availability and
willingness to continue for an additional term.
Resulting vacancies on the roster of hearing facilitators shall be filled by the Secretary of the Synod
from the Synod roster of reconcilers after consultation with the appropriate district presidents in
time for resulting vacancies on district rosters of
reconcilers to be filled by appointment by district
boards of directors.
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U P O N T H I S R O C K • Resolutions

Short of proposing a constitutional amendment to make clear the
binding nature of the dispute resolution procedure on members
of the Synod, the Commission on Handbook proposes that Bylaw
1.10.2 be amended to make even clearer this requirement of membership in the Synod.
Proposed Action
Therefore be it
Resolved, That Bylaw 1.10.2 be amended as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
Purpose
1.10.2
This procedure is established to resolve, in a
God-pleasing manner, disputes … that involve theological, doctrinal, or ecclesiastical issues except those
covered under Bylaw sections 2.14–2.17 and except
as provided in Bylaw 1.10.3, and shall be binding
on all parties. It is applicable whether the dispute
involves only a difference of opinion without personal animosity or is one that involves ill will and
sin that requires repentance and forgiveness. No person, congregation, or agency to whom or to which
the provisions of this dispute resolution process are
applicable because of their membership inbecause
such person or agency is a member of the Synod may
render these provisionsthis procedure inapplicable
by terminating that membership during the course
“12. Ecclesiastical Supervision and Dispute Resolution”