LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 197

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9. STRUCTURE AND ADMINISTRATION
congregation parish is entitled to more than one pastoral
and one lay voting representative because of its
inclusion of congregations from different visitation
circuits.
C. WITH REGARD TO ELECTORAL CIRCUITS
Rationale
At the electoral circuit level, the same rule is proposed (with
regard to the pastor, his assignment to a visitation circuit will
dictate his assignment to an electoral circuit). It is important
to note that this impacts his eligibility to serve as circuit
delegate.
Therefore be it
Resolved, That Bylaw 3.1.2.1 be amended as follows:

circuits. No circuit shall elect as a lay delegate or
alternate a member of any congregation that is served
(in other than an assisting capacity) by a pastor elected
as delegate or alternate.
(de) … (subsequent subparagraphs re-lettered similarly)
Action: Adopted (3)

After discussion by the assembly, a delegate moved closure of
debate, which was carried. The resolution was adopted by voice
vote.

To Amend Various Bylaws
to Provide Clarity or
to Address Practical Considerations

PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
Voting Delegates
…
3.1.2.1
Elections of voting delegates shall take place in
accordance with established policy and procedure.
(a) Each electoral circuit shall meet at the call of the
circuit visitor(s) to elect its delegates not later than nine
months prior to the opening day of the convention.
When in-person meetings are burdensome (e.g.,
geographically large circuits), a circuit may select
another manner of meeting (e.g., e-meeting
technologies) that is suitable and made available to all
participants, taking into consideration the need to
provide for an open and fair exchange of ideas and
secure, private, and confidential voting.
(b) Each electoral circuit may adopt procedures and
methods that will insure efficiency and accuracy,
including the use of mechanical, electronic, or other
methods of casting, recording, or tabulating votes.
(c) The privilege of voting shall be exercised by one
pastor and one layperson from each member
congregation or multi-congregation parish of the circuit,
both of whom shall have been elected in the manner
prescribed by the congregation or parish. Congregations
of a multi-congregation parish not contributing a lay
voter may send an advisory lay representative, with
voice but no vote. A pastor serving a congregation in an
assisting capacity (Bylaw 2.5.6) is not eligible to cast that
congregation’s pastoral vote.
(d) Should a multi-congregation parish involve
congregations having membership in different electoral
circuits, each lay representative, voting and advisory,
shall attend the forum of that circuit of which the
representative’s congregation is a member. The pastoral
delegate shall attend the forum of the circuit, within
which he serves a congregation and within the district in
which he holds membership, to which he is assigned by
his district president. His eligibility for election as circuit
delegate shall be within that circuit only. No multicongregation parish is entitled to more than one pastoral
and one lay voting representative because of its
inclusion of congregations from different electoral
Resolutions

RESOLUTION 9-02
Overture 9-02 (CW, 366–71)
Preamble
The Commission on Handbook (COH) “responds to requests
from agencies of the Synod to propose new provisions to
address specific Handbook-related issues that surface between
conventions” (Bylaw 3.9.4.2 [e]). Where it finds that these
changes may be of a substantive nature, it proposes them to
the Synod convention for adoption. This omnibus contains a
variety of more minor changes, which are severable by a floor
committee or by the convention but otherwise not likely to
merit individual convention consideration. As a result of its
work in the 2019–2023 “triennium,” in consultation with the
noted officers and agencies, COH has proposed the following
for adoption:
A. ELECTION OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION
ADVISORY REPRESENTATIVES
Rationale
The Commission on Constitutional Matters (CCM) in its
Opinion 22-3000 (Minutes, Nov. 4–5, 2022), in response to a
request from a university faculty member for an opinion to
clarify, in Bylaw 3.1.4.1, who participates in election of faculty
representatives and who could serve in that capacity,
ultimately found that if an inference had to be drawn from
Bylaw section 3.1.3, it would be sensible for those members of
the faculty included in the ratio calculation to be those who do
the electing of, and who are eligible to be elected as, the
advisory representatives. The opinion continues:
However, this is clearly an inference and, since
Bylaw 3.1.4.1 (a) does not address the issue of
how the advisory representative of an
educational institution is to be selected, the
commission must conclude that Bylaw 3.1.4.1 (a)
does not provide a definitive answer to the
question as asked.
The commission notes that the present
questions reflect the reality that the essential
content of these provisions has remained static
PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2023 (68TH) LCMS CONVENTION | 197