LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — November 1–2, 2012, Page 3

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55. Bylaw Section 2.12: District Membership and Ecclesiastical Supervision (12-027)
Ron Schultz initiated discussion of this major subject by offering a draft of proposed bylaw changes to
address the need for better order in this important area of Synod life: district membership and
ecclesiastical supervision. During the discussion that followed, it was noted that conversations on this
topic are also taking place among other Synod leaders, including the officers and staff of the International
Center and the Council of Presidents. The following bylaw amendment proposal, tentatively adopted in
concept by the commission pending consultation with the district presidents and national staff, will serve
as a discussion document to be taken by the Secretary of the Synod to the International Center staff and
the next meeting of the Council of Presidents, with feedback brought back to the next commission
meeting.
2.12 District Membership and Ecclesiastical Supervision
2.12.1 Each individual member of the Synod shall hold membership through a district.
2.12.2 Individual members of the Synod shall hold membership in the Synod through the district in
which their calling body is headquartered, except
(a) members who are called to a congregation of a non-geographic district, who shall be
members of the Synod through that non-geographic district;
(b) members having emeritus status, inactive members having candidate or non-candidate
status, and members having restricted status, who shall hold membership through the
district through which membership was held at the inception of their current status unless
a transfer is approved by both the president of that district and the president of the district
to which membership would be transferred; and
(c) members having suspended status, who shall continue to hold membership through
the district through which membership was held at the time of the suspension.
2.12.3 A member shall be under the ecclesiastical supervision of the president of the district through
which membership in the Synod is held, except as otherwise provided.
2.12.4 The district through which an individual holds membership and the district through which a
member is ecclesiastically supervised will not be determined in any case on the basis of the
district membership of the congregation to which the member belongs.
56. “Omnibus” Resolutions (12-032)
During its August, 2012 meeting, the commission discussed using one or more “omnibus” resolutions to
submit minor changes and handbook clarifications to the 2013 convention. At this November, 2012
meeting, the secretary of the commission presented initial drafts of three such resolutions, to address (1)
general handbook issues, (2) Bylaw section 1.10 dispute resolution issues, and (3) Bylaw sections 2.14,
2.15, 2.16, and 2.17 expulsion from membership issues. When time for discussion of these materials
expired, the commission agreed that these overtures will continue to be works in progress, to be given
additional consideration at future meetings.
57. Joint Discussion of Handbook-Related Issues
[Note: The entire second day of the commission’s meeting time was spent in a joint meeting with the
Commission on Constitutional Matters, Synod officers, and President’s Office staff. The meeting was

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