LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — November 1–2, 2012, Page 4

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requested by the Commission on Constitutional Matters to discuss solutions to bylaw issues remaining
from the restructuring decisions of the 2010 LCMS convention.]
Commission on Constitutional Matters Chairman Wilbert Sohns called the joint meeting to order.
Participating from the Commission on Constitutional Matters (CCM) in addition to the chairman were:
Daniel Lorenz, Philip Esala, George Gude, Neely Owen, and Raymond Hartwig; participating from the
Commission on Handbook (COH) were Chairman Gordon Tresch (who co-chaired the meeting), Walter
Rosin, Richard Nuffer, Albert Marcis, Marvin Temme, Wilbert Sohns, Ronald Schultz, and Raymond
Hartwig; also participating were Ronald Schultz as Chief Administrative Officer; Gregory Williamson,
Chief Mission Officer; and Barbara Below from the President’s Office.
After commenting on the “historic” nature of the meeting, Chairman Sohns called on Secretary Raymond
Hartwig, who served as chaplain for the CCM meeting, to provide an opening prayer.
Chairman Sohns called on each member of the CCM to present a portion of the business of the joint
meeting (see bullets below). During each portion of the CCM presentation, possible solutions arrived at
by consensus were provided to the Commission on Handbook for its use in developing 2013 convention
bylaw amendment actions to address issues discussed (see sub-bullets below).
•

Dan Lorenz provided general introduction and background information. Referring to CCM Opinion
11-2600 and its content, he noted that lines-of-authority decisions of the 2010 convention, intended
by the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and Governance to make the Synod better
organized and efficient (already discussed in a November, 2011 joint meeting of the CCM with the
President of the Synod and his staff) beg further discussion, clarification, and convention
consideration.

•

George Gude addressed Bylaw 1.2.1 issues (paragraphs [h], [l], [n], [o], [t], and [u]) regarding
definitions for “executive director,” “mission board,” “oversight,” “supervision,” and “operating
boards,” in light of related Bylaws 1.5.5.1, 3.3.1.3, 3.4.3.1, 3.8.2.3, 3.8.3.3, 3.8.2.4, and 3.8.3.4.
For COH consideration:
o Bylaw 1.2.1 (h): Change “board” to “office” and add “department,” so as to read: “(h) Executive
Director: The top staff administrator of a mission office or department or commission of
corporate Synod.” A possible second solution: clarify that the Bylaw 1.2.1 definitions pertain
only to the use of terminology in the Handbook and not the entire operations of the Synod—in
which case the addition of “department” would be unnecessary. While Bylaw 1.5.5.1 also speaks
of executive directors (defined by Bylaw 1.2.1 [h]) and has raised questions of applicability, the
inclusion of mention of human resources policies when filling executive offices resolves the need
for additional bylaw change (see also Bylaw 3.3.1.3 [e]).
o Bylaw 1.2.1 (l): The terminology “an operating function of the Synod” in this definition of
“mission board” is undefined and should be changed to “the Office of National Mission or the
Office of International Mission of the Synod as prescribed in the Bylaws.”
o Bylaw 1.2.1 (n): Remove this definition from Bylaw 1.2.1 since the term “operating board” is no
longer used in the Handbook.
o Bylaw 1.2.1 (t): Remove this definition from Bylaw 1.2.1 since the term “subcommittee” is no
longer used in the Handbook.
o Bylaw 3.4.3.1: Replace the words “and executive directors (if any) who report to the Chief
Mission Officer shall serve as staff resources(s)” with the words “shall provide,” so that the
paragraph will read: “The Chief Mission Officer shall provide staff resources to the Board for
National Mission and the Board for International Mission.”

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