LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — November 11–13, 2011, Page 36

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language of the Constitution in Article V A which speaks of ‘every congregation or parish,’” the principle
that “two or more congregations being served by one pastor shall be regarded as one parish entitled to
only one set of delegates” is not contrary to the Constitution and does not cause a congregation to lose its
lay delegate representation at a district convention. Rather, it shares its representation with the other
congregation(s) in the parish, presumably in a fair and equitable manner.
3. A large congregation which does not need the financial support of any other congregation,
allows their pastor to provide pulpit supply on Sunday afternoons for a small congregation
which cannot afford a full-time pastor. There are no other pastors available in the area.
Opinion: The question speaks of “pulpit supply.” It also speaks of “a small congregation which cannot
afford a full-time pastor.” Regardless of financial considerations, if the pastor is regarded by the small
congregation as its pastor and speaks of him as its pastor, and if he provides Word and Sacrament
ministry, ministers to the sick and dying, etc., this and the larger congregation are a dual parish being
served by one pastor and, therefore, a parish to be represented at district conventions by the pastor and
one lay delegate. Such lay representation will be shared in a manner that presumably is fair and equitable
for both congregations.
4. Two congregations that are being served by one pastor (the pastor is called to a large
congregation which does not need any financial help to support their pastor). The large
congregation allows their pastor to provide pulpit supply on Sunday afternoons for the small
congregation which cannot afford a full-time pastor, and where no other pastor is available.
The large congregation is in one visitation circuit and the small congregation is in a different
visitation circuit. Does each congregation have a lay vote at the respective circuit forum in
electing (by a voting process) a circuit counselor? If so, how is this different from voting
representation at a district convention? Does the small congregation, in effect, have to forfeit
its lay vote to the district convention to receive word and sacrament service from the large
congregation?
Opinion: This question again speaks of “pulpit supply” and a “small congregation which cannot afford a
full-time pastor.” Again, if the pastor is regarded by the small congregation as its pastor and speaks of
him as its pastor, and if he regularly provides Word and Sacrament ministry, ministers to the sick and
dying, etc., this and the larger congregation are a dual parish according to the Synod’s definition, entitled
to representation at district conventions by the pastor and one lay delegate. The fact that the congregations
are in separate visitation circuits has no bearing on the requirement for one pastor and one lay delegate
representation at district conventions.
Representation at circuit forums is another matter, such representation determined by Bylaw 5.3.2: “The
circuit forum consists of a pastor of each congregation and one member of each congregation designated
by the congregation.” In this case, each congregation sends a representative to its own circuit’s forum, the
pastor serving as representative to the forum of the circuit of the congregation in which he holds
membership.
Regarding whether the small congregation must “forfeit” its lay vote to the district convention in order to
receive Word and Sacrament service by the pastor of the large congregation, here again it must be said
that a parish arrangement does not cause either congregation to lose its lay delegate representation at a
district convention. Rather, the congregations’ representation is shared—presumably through a fair and
equitable arrangement.
5. Two congregations that are being served by one pastor in a dual arrangement (both
congregations are needed to provide for a full-time pastor) where one congregation is in
one district and the other in a different district. Does one congregation have to forfeit
their lay vote at their district convention because they are in a dual parish arrangement?
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