LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — August 25–26, 2012, Page 2

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

•

allow for greater stewardship of the gifts of God’s people for the work of mission and
ministry by opening up less expensive venues; therefore be it

Resolved, That the number of voting delegates to the Synod convention be fixed based upon ten
percent (10%) of the number of member congregations in the Synod six months prior to the first
district convention; and be it further
Resolved, That Bylaws 3.1.2ff. 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 each district 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.
The Office of the Secretary shall facilitate the election of voting delegates to the next
following national convention. These delegates shall be elected for three-year terms
during the conventions of the districts of the Synod.
(a) The total number of voting delegates shall be set at ten percent (10%) of the
number of member congregations of the Synod six (6) months prior to the start of the
first district convention. Such number shall be rounded to the higher even number to
enable delegate pairs (one layperson and one minister of religion—ordained).
(b) Two factors shall be averaged to determine the number of delegates from each
district:
(1) The percentage of the district’s member congregations compared to the
number of member congregations of the Synod; and
(2) The percentage of the number of confirmed members of a district’s
congregations compared to the number of confirmed members of the member
congregations of the Synod.
(c) The most recent roster statistics available six months prior to the convention shall
be used to determine all matters related to delegate representation.
(d) One-half of the district’s total allotment of delegates shall be laity from member
congregations of the district and one-half shall be ministers of religion—ordained
with membership in the congregations of the district.

Overture to the 2013 Convention
To Change Process for Electing Delegates to Synod Conventions
WHEREAS, The Synod convention is the “principal legislative assembly, which amends the
Constitution and Bylaws, considers and takes action on reports and overtures, and handles appropriate
appeals and establishes general positions and policies of the Synod, provides overall program
direction and priorities, and evaluations all such positions, programs, policies, directions, and
priorities in order to provide responsible service for and on behalf of its members” (Bylaw 3.1.1); and

Page 19 – 08.25 to 08.26.12 – COH Minutes