LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — February 26–28, 2010, Page 14

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(7) Such adopted and ratified doctrinal statements shall be regarded as the position of
the Synod and shall be “accepted and used as helpful expositions and explanations”
(FC SD Rules and Norm 10). They shall be honored and upheld (“to abide by, act, and
teach in accordance with” [1971 Res. 2-21]) until such time as the Synod amends or
repeals them.
Bylaw 1.3.4

Congregations together establish the requirements of membership in the Synod (Art. VI). In
joining the Synod, congregations and other members obligate themselves to fulfill such
requirements and to diligently and earnestly promote the purposes of the Synod by word
and deed. Members agree to uphold the confessional position of the Synod (Art. II) and to
assist in carrying out the objectives of the Synod (Art. III), which are objectives of the
members themselves. Thus, while congregations of the Synod are self-governing (Art. VII),
they, and also individual members, commit themselves as members of the Synod to act in
accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod under which they have agreed to
live and work together and which the congregations alone have the authority to adopt or
amend through conventions. (Emphasis added)

[Following preparation of the opinion, a motion was introduced and carried “to share the draft with the
President of the Synod prior to its finalization, pursuant to Bylaw 3.9.2.2 (b).”]
158. Review of Bylaws and Handbook of Operations of Rocky Mountain District (09-2574)
Upon review of the Bylaws of the Rocky Mountain District, the commission makes the following
recommendations:
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Art. I, 1.06, paragraph A: The final authority of the district shall be the “member congregations,”
not the “membership” as currently stated.
Art. I, 1.06, paragraph B would better read: “The Board of Directors is the body of the district
responsible for managing the business and legal affairs of the district between conventions.”
Art. II, the title to 2.02 “Officers” might more clearly read “Elected Officers” since 2.06 speaks of
“Appointed Officers.”
Art. II, 2.03 will need to be amended to agree with Synod Constitution Art. XII 9 (d) which gives
this responsibility solely to the president of the district.
Art. III, 3.01, paragraph A 3: The first sentence should note that the election of a member of the
Synod’s Committee for Convention Nominations takes place every other convention at the
direction of the Secretary of the Synod according to the Synod’s Bylaws.
Art. IV, 4.02: The second-last paragraph should be changed to read “A multiple-congregation
parish shall elect one lay delegate…”
Art IV, 4.03, paragraph D: Synod Bylaw 4.2.1 (a) requires conventions of districts to be governed
by the bylaws adopted by the Synod for its conventions. Bylaw 3.1.6 (a) makes it the
responsibility of a committee consisting of the president, first vice-president, and secretary to
determine how late overtures will be regarded.
Art. V, 5.01, paragraph A: This entire section requires reconsideration in light of Synod Bylaw
section 4.8, which limits “official conferences” to “all ordained and commissioned ministers on
the respective rosters” meeting “in plenary sessions.”
Art. VI, 6.01: This paragraph should include the provision that all amendments to the district’s
Bylaws must be examined in advance by the Synod’s Commission on Constitutional Matters “to
ascertain whether they are in harmony with the Constitution, Bylaws, and resolutions of the
Synod.”

Upon review of the Handbook of the Rocky Mountain District, the commission recommends the
following: