LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — February 1–2, 2013, Page 8

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195. Review of Constitution and Bylaws of Trinity Lutheran Church, Frankfurt am Main,
Germany (13-2664)
The Secretary of the Synod received a copy of the Constitution and Bylaws of Trinity Lutheran Church,
Frankfurt am Main, Germany, with a request that the Commission on Constitutional Matters review the
documents. The congregation being an independent Lutheran congregation that has been jointly served by
pastors of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA) since World War II but now is expressing interest in being served solely by the LCMS,
the commission, appreciative of the opportunity to be of service, agreed to provide a review of the
documents as a courtesy to the congregation, as follows.
1. The commission is unclear of the congregation’s intentions for the immediate future.
(a) If the congregation intends to remain an independent Lutheran congregation with close ties to
the LCMS, it should give consideration to documents provided to such congregations by the
Synod’s Council of Presidents. A copy of those documents will be attached to the
congregation’s copy of this opinion. A copy of the Synod’s Handbook will also be provided,
since Bylaw 1.7.3 (p. 39) addresses this subject as well.
(b) If the congregation intends to approach the LCMS for membership in the Synod, this will
require substantial amending of its Constitution and Bylaws. To aid the congregation in this
process, the congregation will want to give consideration to “Guidelines for Constitutions and
Bylaws of Lutheran Congregations,” which assists congregations in preparing for
membership in the Synod. A copy of the guidelines will also be attached to the
congregation’s copy of this opinion.
2. If Trinity Lutheran Church does intend to relate solely to the LCMS, several major issues will
need to be addressed in its Constitution regardless of the congregation’s intentions for the
immediate future.
(a) Section 3 of Article II of the Constitution (“Confession of Faith”) will require amendment to
bring it into agreement with Article II of the Synod’s Constitution (“Confession”).
(b) In Articles III (“Purpose”) and IV (“Recognition”), references to recognition by the ELCA
and/or other church bodies will no longer be pertinent.
(c) Specific terminology issues such as “election [vs. “call”] of a pastor” (Art. IX) and use of the
terminology “deacons” (Art. X, Section 1) will require attention.
(d) Miscellaneous issues such as the requirement for membership of “English-speaking” (Art. IV,
Section 2) and the responsibility of the church council for “general oversight of the spiritual
life and activities of the congregation” (Art. X, Section 3 a) will require attention (the latter
being the responsibility of pastors in the LCMS).
3. Similar kinds of details in the “Bylaws” document will require attention.
This brief review hopefully will be helpful in providing the congregation with some idea of the
expectations that will accompany a closer relationship with the LCMS. Copies of this opinion will also be
provided to the LCMS President and its Chief Mission Officer to make them aware of what is being
shared as a result of this general review by the LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters.
196. Requirements of Subsidiary or Affiliated Agencies (13-2666)
LCMS National Housing Support Corporation (“National Housing”) was established by action of the
Synod’s Board of Directors as a Missouri nonprofit corporation of which LCMS is the sole corporate
member. The board resolution approving the formation of the corporation delegates a number of the
board’s powers, including the ability “to create or join with other entities in creating subsidiary or
affiliated entities for the purpose of carrying out its activities as set forth in…the Amended and Restated
Articles of Incorporation of National Housing.”
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