LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — January 31−February 1, 2006, Page 12

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Question 3: If such informal statements of faith are applicable, what would be the worship occasion? For
example, in a congregational Contemporary or Praise Lutheran worship is it permissible to
use a creedal statement other than one of the three general creeds? May district-sponsored
worship services use alternate statements of faith?
Opinion: The resolution in question does not prohibit the use of informal statements of faith in public
worship services, whatever their description or occasion. However, in its whereas section the resolution
does caution that “informal statements of faith are subject to an imprecise and even erroneous confession
of faith,” leading to the exhortation that the members of the Synod “beseech one another…for the regular
use of the three general creeds.” This caution and exhortation is consistent with Article VI 4 of the
Synod’s Constitution that calls for “exclusive use of doctrinally pure agenda, hymnbooks, and catechisms
in church and school.”
127. Interpretation of Bylaw 3.12.3.7 (b) re Floor Nominations (05-2456)
In a letter to the Secretary of the Synod dated December 23, 2005, the committee charged with the given
responsibility in Res. 7-22 of the 2004 Synod convention asked the Commission for a clarification of
Bylaw 3.12.3.7 (b).
Question:

Please give us an opinion on Bylaw 3.12.3.7 (b): “Floor nominations shall be brought
individually before the convention for approval before being added to the ballot.” Our
question concerns the words “individually” and “approval.” Does this mean that every
individual nomination from the floor has to be acted upon as it is presented? Does this
require a simple majority vote of the convention for a name to be added to the ballot? Is
this any different from past procedures?

Opinion: Bylaw 3.12.3.7 (b) sets forth how a convention may amend a slate by nominations from the
floor. The bylaw provision for floor nominations is that each nomination must be brought before the
convention for action and approved singularly in order to be added to the ballot. In other words, each
floor nomination is to be acted upon separately by a convention vote. When the convention approves the
receipt of each nomination, one by one, by an affirmative vote of the assembly according to accepted
parliamentary rules (paragraph (i) (3) of Bylaw 3.1.9), this constitutes an amendment of the slate.
For the slate to be amended by nominations from the floor and/or for a nomination to be added to the
ballot, bylaw provisions set forth in Bylaws 3.12.3.7 (b), (c), and (d) are also required.
Past procedures, which differed from Bylaw 3.12.3.7 (b), were based upon Bylaw 3.985 (2001 Handbook)
which read:
The convention may amend the slate by nominations from the floor. Such floor
nominations may only be made from the list of names which have previously been
offered to the Committee for Convention Nominations prior to the final deadline
established and published by the committee, unless the convention shall otherwise order
by a simple majority vote. If the convention approves the receipt of such additional
nominations, any delegate making such a nomination shall have secured prior written
consent of the candidate being nominated and shall immediately submit it to the chairman
of the Committee for Convention Nominations along with the written pertinent
information concerning the nominee as detailed in Bylaw 3.983 e.
However, the above bylaw (2001 Bylaw 3.985) and the past procedures do not reflect the mandate of
1992 convention Res. 9-01, which was still in force for the 2004 convention:
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