LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — February 26–28, 2010, Page 20

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3.8.3.8.5ff. of the Handbook. As of the time of this report, the SOPMs for Bylaw sections
2.15 and 2.16 remain on the commission’s agenda.
The CCM has spent much time over the past year reviewing the material and bylaw change
recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and Governance “to
determine their agreement in content and language with the Constitution and Bylaws of the
Synod” (Bylaw 3.9.2.2.1). The commission will also be represented at the meetings of all
floor committees for the 2010 convention of the Synod that are considering constitutional and
bylaw matters. Prior to the meetings of the floor committees in May, the commission will
have examined all reports and overtures asking for amendments to the Constitution and
Bylaws.
Following the 2007 convention, the CCM spent time carrying out Bylaw 3.9.2.2.3 which
directs the commission to “revise the Handbook of the Synod immediately after each
convention of the Synod to bring it into harmony with the resolutions or changes adopted by
the convention.”
In addition to carrying out its responsibility to interpret the Synod’s Constitution, Bylaws,
and resolutions, the commission has spent time in carrying out the responsibilities set forth in
Bylaws 3.9.2 and 3.9.2.2.4 that call on the CCM to “insure that the governing instruments of
the Synod and its agencies are in accord with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod”
(Bylaw 3.9.2). The commission continues to review and approve proposed revisions to
constitutions, bylaws, and other governing instruments of the districts and other agencies of
the Synod. It has also, through its secretary, requested from the various agencies copies of
their policy manuals and is presently moving forward in an attempt to evaluate all of them.
Due to the time that was required to examine the proposed changes to the structure of the
Synod, time will be needed following the 2010 convention to complete this task.
The CCM has been represented on the Commission on Structure for the past three years by its
chairman Albert Marcis. Commission members Wilbert Sohns and Raymond Hartwig served
as members of the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and Governance. Philip Esala
has served on the Res. 8-06 Task Force mandated by the 2007 convention.
Each meeting of the Commission on Constitutional Matters begins with devotional time led
by one of its members, asking the Lord to bless its efforts in serving our Synod. During the
past triennium, the CCM met 16 times and addressed nearly 160 agenda items. Its opinions in
response to requests received, as well as several former opinions of particular interest to the
convention, are published in Appendix I of this Convention Workbook.
B. Thank You Letter
The commission asked the Secretary to write a letter to Chief Administrative Officer Ron Schultz and his
administrative assistant Brenda Wilson for their efforts to create and make available to the commission
electronic copies of many of the Synod’s important documents from past years.
C. BRTFSSG Proposal #18
The commission spent several hours of the meeting reviewing bylaw change proposals as a result of its
meeting with leaders and representatives of 2010 Floor Committee 8 and the Blue Ribbon Task Force on
Synod Structure and Governance.