LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 212

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9. STRUCTURE AND ADMINISTRATION
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
The Lutheran Church Extension Fund—Missouri Synod
3.6.4
The Lutheran Church Extension Fund—Missouri
Synod, as established on June 15, 1978, as a corporate entity
under the laws of the State of Missouri, is operated by its
members and Board of Directors, in accordance with its
Articles of Incorporation and corporate Bylaws, to further
the objectives and duties of the church extension fund by
providing financial resources and related services for
ministry, witness, and outreach within the Synod and, as
approved by the Synod Board of Directors, beyond the
Synod: (1) to and within partner churches with which the
Synod is in altar and pulpit fellowship; or (2) upon the
recommendation of the President of Synod, to Lutheran
entities formed and operating outside of the United States
that assist in fulfilling the Synod’s ministry and mission
objectives in foreign countries. It is formed to provide
financial resources and related services for ministry,
witness, and outreach of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod.
(a) Any amendment to the Articles of Incorporation and
the corporate Bylaws of the Lutheran Church Extension
Fund—Missouri Synod as heretofore adopted shall be
made by a two-thirds vote of the members of the
Lutheran Church Extension Fund—Missouri Synod as
set forth in its Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws.
(b) Amendments shall be reported to the next
convention of the Synod.
…
3.6.4.4
The Lutheran Church Extension Fund—Missouri
Synod shall raise funds primarily through the issuance of
corporate notes and other debt instruments.
3.6.4.4.1 The assets of the Lutheran Church Extension
Fund—Missouri Synod shall be used exclusively to provide
financing and services for the acquisition of sites, for the
construction of facilities, for the purchase of buildings and
equipment, for operating expenses, for professional church
worker education, for the residential housing needs of
professional church workers, for promoting strategic
ministry planning and assisting in capital campaigns; and
for other purposes approved by its governing board and the
Synod Board of Directors, which purposes shall be
consistent with the ministry and mission of the Synod
under policies approved by the Board of Directors of the
Synod.
3.6.4.4.2 The assets of the Lutheran Church Extension
Fund—Missouri Synod shall also be used exclusively to
provide financing for its own operations and for
distribution of operating results to its member districts,
congregations, and corporate Synod, as determined by its
governing board.
Action: Adopted (9)

To Amend Bylaw 3.12.2.4
to Change How Subsequent Ballots Are
Determined in Election of Synod President
RESOLUTION 9-12
Overture 9-36 (CW, 390–91)
WHEREAS, There are five candidates for President of Synod
(Bylaw 3.12.2.1); and
WHEREAS, The number of candidates was changed from
three to five at the previous Synod convention in 2019
Resolution 9-07, “To Amend Synod Bylaws 3.12.2.1 and
3.12.2.2” (Proceedings, 194); and
WHEREAS, Current bylaws provide that “if no candidate
receives a majority of the votes cast … the candidate receiving
the fewest votes and all candidates receiving less than 15
percent of the votes cast shall be dropped from the ballot”
(Bylaw 3.12.2.4); and
WHEREAS, This practice has the potential to unnecessarily
restrict the choice of credentialed voters from selecting a
consensus candidate in the event of multiple rounds of
balloting; therefore be it
Resolved, That Bylaw 3.12.2.4 be amended as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
Elections of President and First Vice-President
3.12.2.4 Six weeks prior to the national convention, the
Secretary of the Synod shall provide, via a secure and
verifiable method, opportunity for two voting delegates
from each congregation, as determined according to Bylaw
3.12.2.3, to vote for one of the candidates for President. The
Secretary shall, with the approval of the Board of Directors
of the Synod, obtain the assistance necessary to accomplish
this task. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes
cast, a second or succeeding ballots are required for a
majority; the candidate receiving the fewest votes and all
candidates receiving less than 15 percent of the votes cast
shall be dropped from the ballot, unless only one candidate
receives 15 percent or more of the votes cast, in which case
the three highest candidates shall constitute the ballot, and
another vote shall be taken in the same manner.
Action: Adopted (9)

After debate, closure was called and carried. The resolution was
adopted [Yes: 535; No: 249].

After a speech by Chief Mission Officer Kevin Robson strongly
encouraging adoption and his own supportive remarks, the
chair called the question; closure of debate was carried. The
resolution was adopted by unanimous voice vote.

212 | PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2023 (68TH) LCMS CONVENTION

Resolutions