LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — April 4–5, 2008, Page 7

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Page 7, paragraph 7.01: Reference should also be made to the Synod’s bylaws as a source for the
responsibilities of the president (Bylaws 3.8.3.7ff.).

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Page 12, paragraph 8.06: Mention should also be made of the Standard Operating Procedures
Manuals that further govern the various dispute resolution processes.

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Page 12, paragraphs 8.06.1ff.: Including “employees” in the coverage of the Bylaw 3.8.3.8.9
dispute resolution process exceeds the bylaw’s intended coverage and may be problematic.

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Page 15, paragraph 8.07.2: Synod Bylaw 3.8.3.6.4 (g) reserves responsibility for the approval of
faculty members to the board.

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Page 20, paragraph 10.01: Indemnification language is overly broad and includes matters
unrelated to school business.

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Page 22, paragraph 12.0: Paragraph should include mention of the need for amendments to be
consistent with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod and the requirement for prior approval
by the Synod’s Commission on Constitutional Matters (Bylaw 3.9.2.2.4).

The Commission on Constitutional Matters requests that the Board of Regents of Concordia University,
Ann Arbor consider these concerns and suggestions, make necessary changes, and report back to the
commission as soon as possible (Bylaw 3.9.2.2.4 [a]).
(Bylaws reviewed April 4–5, 2008)
32. Wyoming District Bylaws (07-2510; 07-2510A)
At its November 2007 meeting, the commission asked the Secretary to request from the Wyoming
District a complete copy of the Wyoming District Bylaws to facilitate its review of bylaw changes
submitted earlier for review. The requested document having not yet been received, the commission will
complete its review at its June 6–7 meeting.
33. Southern District Bylaws (08-2513)
With a letter dated January 7, 2008, the secretary of the Southern District submitted proposed changes to
the district’s bylaws. Because the commission did not have opportunity to study final documentation
received from the district, this matter will be placed on the agenda of the commission’s June 6–7 meeting.
34. Dispute Resolution Process (08-2514)
A member congregation of the Synod has asked a number of questions relating to the dismissal of a
pastor and the application of the dispute resolution process (Bylaw section 1.10) relating to that dismissal.
It is the opinion of the commission that the questions as posed necessarily invoke dispute resolution. (For
example, the first question asks, “Is the (congregation) Voters Team correct in contending that the
(district) “reconciler” failed to obey and honor LCMS Bylaws, stated previously, that Matthew 18 face-toface meetings be held between the dismissed pastor and (congregation) voters which dismissed him, and
he also failed to follow these proper bylaw steps, so that the LCMS Secretary has no bylaw authority to
force (congregation) voters to go to LCMS “dispute resolution” before the LCMS bylaw requirements of
Matthew 18 face-to-face meetings have been achieved?”) The role of the Commission on Constitutional
Matters is not dispute resolution. The role of the commission is to “interpret the Synod’s Constitution,
Bylaws, and resolutions upon the written request of a member…official, board, commission, or agency of

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