LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — February 1–2, 2013, Page 10

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197. CCM Report to the 2013 Convention of the Synod
Chairman Wilbert Sohns reviewed his draft of the commission’s report to the 2013 convention and
received suggestions for final changes. The final version of the report, adopted by the commission and
attached to the protocol copy of these minutes, will be printed in the Convention Workbook.
198. Standard Operating Procedures Manual Revision Suggestions
Following each convention and the publishing of a new Handbook incorporating bylaw changes adopted
by the convention, the commission must also update the procedures manuals accompanying the Bylaw
sections 1.10, 2.14, 2.15, 2.16, and 2.17 dispute resolution and expulsion processes. The commission
noted and discussed specific areas of the manuals that may invite additional attention during the updating
process, based upon experiences with the dispute resolution and expulsion processes during the current
triennium. Among those areas discussed were the following:
• The need for persons involved in panel formation and performance to make certain that all
information received is made available to both parties in a dispute.
• Clarification that district president responsibilities, particularly in the expulsion processes, pertain
to the office and not the individual district president, so that a change in district presidents
holding office transfers bylaw responsibilities to the newly-elected president.
• Introductory wording employed in Opinion 12-2660 (“Special Hearing Panel Procedures and
Role of the Administrator”) should be repeated in the procedures manuals as an overarching
principle.
• General direction will be needed in the procedures manuals (in addition to bylaw changes that
may be adopted) to assist the special panels formed to decide challenges to the service of persons
selected for dispute resolution or expulsion process panel service.
199. Miscellaneous
The meeting included a number of other items of interest:
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The President of the Synod joined the commission for an evening meal and cordial conversation.
Chairman Sohns provided a report of issues being addressed by the Commission on Handbook
and reviewed some of the business that commission will be submitting to the 2013 convention.
Chairman Sohns provided a report from the Res. 8-07 Task Force (district realignment), noting
that the task force will not be suggesting changes to the current district configuration, instead
encouraging districts to do their own evaluating based upon viability principles. The task force
will, however, be submitting overtures to the 2013 convention addressing ecclesiastical
supervision and district viability issues.
The commission noted two bylaw issues in addition to those known already to be addressed by
overtures to the convention: (1) Nominations for regional positions on the district level, now
open to the entire clergy roster of the Synod, would more reasonably be limited to persons within
the designated region (as already is the case in national regional elections); and (2) Removal of
mention of the President of the Synod in the Bylaw 3.2.1 list of convention-elected positions,
since his election takes place prior to the convention.
The commission reviewed overtures received for the 2013 convention to identify those with
Handbook-related content, in preparation for providing assistance to floor committees.
The commission reviewed the business to be held over to the next meeting or otherwise pending:
o Questions re “close” v. “closed” Communion (12-2654)
o Questions re “fellowship of peers” (13-2665)
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