LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — September 3-4, 2011, Page 2

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Article II, paragraph 5: The commission recommends inserting the words “insofar as these may
be applicable (Synod Bylaw 4.2.1 [a])” after the first phrase, “District conventions shall be
governed by the Bylaws of the Synod….”
Article II, paragraph 6: The wording in the first sentence, “responsible to the district in
convention for equipping, enabling, and encouraging congregations to proclaim the Gospel”
exceeds the business of the board of directors as described by Synod Bylaw 4.5.1. This subject
matter has already been covered in the earlier Preamble section, and the commission advocates
deleting it from this paragraph.
Article II, paragraph 7: The second half of this paragraph, which changes to the subject of
visitation and electoral circuits, appears to warrant a new paragraph “8. Circuits” with references
to the content of Synod Bylaws 5.1.1 and 3.1.2 (a).
Article III, paragraph 1: Each of the references to the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod
should also include mention of the Synod’s resolutions, to therefore read “Constitution, Bylaws,
and resolutions of the Synod.” Similarly, the reference to the Bylaws of the district should also
include mention of its resolutions.
Article III, paragraph 1, subparagraph a: The second sentence will better read: “The district
president shall carry out all responsibilities described in the Synod’s Constitution (Article XII)
and Bylaws (Bylaw section 4.4). The following two sentences (“He shall represent….He shall be
responsible…”) and the final sentence should be eliminated.
Article III, paragraph 1, subparagraph b: Mention in the final sentence of the second vicepresident’s duty to serve as “circuit counselors’ representative for the president” should be
reconsidered or at last further defined to take into consideration the president’s responsibility to
have a direct relationship with all circuit counselors (Bylaw 5.2.3).
Article III, paragraph 1, subparagraph c: The final sentence with its reference to the duties of the
district secretary associated with the district nominations committee must reflect the same caution
expressed by the Bylaws of the Synod for the Synod Secretary, that he not be closely involved
with the work of the committee. Where elective positions other than president and vice-president
are concerned, his role should be limited to assisting the nominations committee by providing
names and nominee information and convening the initial meeting of the committee.
Article III, paragraph 1, subparagraph e: As of the 2010 Synod convention, circuit counselors
may be nominated and elected from the ordained minister roster of the Synod—not only from the
pastors and pastors emeriti of the circuit. Following election, however, a circuit counselor must
serve as a called pastor of a congregation of the circuit or agree to hold membership in a
congregation of that circuit as a pastor emeritus. Reference should be made to Synod Bylaw
section 5.2 for a complete description of the election process and the duties of a circuit counselor.
Article III, paragraph 2: Each reference to the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod must also
include mention of the resolutions of the Synod.
Article III, paragraph 2, subparagraph c: The title and reference in this paragraph are unclear as to
whether they refer to the Lutheran Church Extension Fund of the Synod or to a district Church
Extension Fund.
Article III, paragraph 3: To distinguish between how various appointments are made, this
introductory paragraph, given the content of the sub-paragraphs that follow, would more
accurately read: “Appointments to district positions may include but not be limited to the
following and shall be made as follows. Appointments made by the district president shall be
ratified by the district board of directors.”
Article III, paragraph 3, subparagraph h: The reference here (and elsewhere) in parentheses would
better read consistently “Synod Bylaw 1.10.10.” The final sentence of this paragraph should be
deleted, as the Synod’s Bylaws do not support the statement that a reconciler’s first responsibility
is to the district.
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