LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — April 26–27, 2012, Page 1

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MINUTES
COMMISSION ON HANDBOOK
St. Louis Crowne Plaza Airport Hotel
April 26–27, 2012
19. Call to Order/Opening Devotion
Chairman Gordon Tresch called the meeting to order with all members present. Following the opening
devotion (Albert Marcis served as devotion leader for the meeting), Chairman Tresch reviewed his plan
for attending to the agenda for the meeting.
20. Formation of Electoral Circuits (11-008)
Current Bylaw 3.1.2 is unclear regarding how districts are to go about combining adjacent visitation
circuits to create an electoral circuit when necessary. Incorporating input received from the commission’s
December 2011 meeting, Secretary Hartwig presented a draft for a proposed overture to the 2013 Synod
convention for consideration. During discussion it was noted that this overture may not be needed,
depending upon the commission’s response to 2010 Res. 8-05B. Nonetheless, the commission approved
the proposed overture as presented, as follows:
To Amend Bylaw 3.1.2 re Formation of Electoral Circuits
WHEREAS, Current Bylaw 3.1.2 (a) calls upon each district to determine the composition of its
electoral circuits prior to each convention of the Synod on the basis of requirements provided by the
bylaw; and
WHEREAS, Current Bylaw 3.1.2 (a) is unclear regarding how districts are to make the
determination to combine adjacent visitation circuits to create an electoral circuit to meet the stated
requirements; therefore be it
Resolved, That Bylaw 3.1.2 be amended as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
3.1.2

Voting delegates shall consist of one pastor and one layperson from each electoral circuit.
(a) An electoral circuit shall consist either of one or two adjacent visitation circuits, as shall
be determined by eachthe district board of directors on the basis of the following
requirements: each pair of delegates shall represent from 7 to 20 member congregations,
involving an aggregate communicant membership ranging from 1,500 to 10,000.
(b) Exceptions to these requirements may be made only by the President of the Synod upon
request of a district board of directors.

21. District Regional Elections (11-010; 11-011)
An increase in regional representation by district vice-presidents and board of directors members has
prompted the question whether such elections, if conducted within the regions, should be ratified by