LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — June 30, 2005, Page 1

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MINUTES
COMMISSION ON CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS
Conference Call Meeting
June 30, 2005

59. Call to Order and Opening Prayer
Chairman Albert Marcis called the conference call meeting to order and asked Gordon Tresch to open the
meeting with prayer. All members of the Commission participated in the telephone conference call
meeting.
60. Resolution 8-01A, Standard Operating Procedures Manuals (04-2404)
Secretary Raymond Hartwig called attention to the most recent draft of the Standard Operating
Procedures Manual for Bylaw section 2.14, “Expulsion of Congregations or Individuals from
Membership in the Synod,” and noted the most recent changes made upon suggestion of the Council of
Presidents. The Commission agreed to accept the latest version for use, subject to further input from the
Council. The Commission also asked the Secretary to incorporate the same general changes into the
manuals for Bylaw sections 2.15, 2.16, and 2.17, subject to final approval by the Commission on
Constitutional Matters and the Council of Presidents.
61. Review of “Guidelines for Constitutions and Bylaws of Congregations” (04-2412)
Secretary Raymond Hartwig reviewed the Commission’s plans to provide a revision of its “Guidelines for
Constitutions and Bylaws of Congregations” by the end of 2005. Copies of responses received to date
from district constitution committee chairmen identifying issues to be addressed and providing copies of
supplemental materials used on the district level will be forwarded to the other members of the
Commission’s committee responsible for initial work on the revision, Don Little and Gordon Tresch.
62. Reconsideration of CCM Opinion 04-2409 (05-2423)
In a March 22, 2005 e-mailed letter, a pastor of the Synod submitted questions regarding the
Commission’s earlier Opinion 04-2409, “Effect of Congregational Vote on Implementation of 2004
Resolution 7-21.” The letter from the chairman of the Commission to the chairman of the Board of
Directors inviting input regarding the question received and the reply from the Board of Directors as
recorded in the Board’s minutes were reviewed. The Commission will continue to await further response
from the Board.
63. Approval of Congregation Constitutions by District Boards of Directors (05-2424)
In a letter dated May 16, 2005, the secretary of a district, writing on behalf of his district’s board of
directors, submitted questions regarding matters pertaining to the approval process of congregations’
constitutions and bylaws involving his district’s constitution committee and board of directors.
Question 1:

A congregation of our district has sought approval of bylaw provisions to its constitution
that include a statement that prohibits women from serving “as a teacher of an adult Bible
class containing men.” Our district’s constitution committee referred this back to the
congregation under the opinion that this statement would not be consistent with the policy
or theology of the Synod. Is the inclusion of this phrase consistent with the policy of the