LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — February 23, 2013, Page 24

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(a) He shall encourage the fellow pastors of the circuit in their preaching and teaching, in the
exercise of church discipline in an evangelical manner, and in the proper supervision of
Christian education and training in the parish.
(b) He shall encourage, in a brotherly manner, the pastors of the circuit in their spiritual and
family life.
(c) He shall encourage the pastors of the circuit to continue both formal and informal
continuing professional education.

(B) Circuit Counselor Selection Process When No Candidate Is Available
(Bylaw 5.2.2)
Rationale
A difficulty develops in the Bylaw 5.2.2 circuit counselor selection process when, prior to convention
election action, no candidate has been selected by a circuit forum or a properly selected candidate no
longer is available to serve. Current bylaws provide no direction for making a selection under these
circumstances. The commission proposes the following bylaw amendment to provide such direction.
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
5.2.2

The circuit counselor shall hold his position by virtue of his selection by the circuit forum and
ratification by the district convention.
(a) Circuit forums shall meet at the call of their circuit counselors to select their circuit
counselors no later than the time established by the district.
(b) Nominations for candidates for the office of circuit counselor may be submitted by a
voting congregation of the circuit and suggested by the district president, in consultation with
the praesidium of the district.
(c) Selection of the circuit counselor shall be by election by written ballot. The privilege of
voting shall be exercised by the representatives from each member congregation of the
circuit, who shall have been selected in the manner prescribed by the congregation (Bylaw
5.3.2).
(d) All nominated pastors serving congregations and emeriti pastors shall be eligible for
election in accordance with section 4.3 of these Bylaws.
(1) Following presentations of pertinent information regarding each pastor as listed in
Bylaw 3.12.3.6 (c) and circuit counselor responsibilities as provided hereafter in this
bylaw, each voter shall write in the names of two pastors on the initial ballot.
(2) The three pastors (or more in case of a tie vote) who receive the highest number of
votes in this preliminary ballot shall be placed on the next ballot. Each voter shall vote
for only one candidate.
(3) Balloting shall continue with the lowest candidate being removed from each
succeeding ballot until one pastor shall have received a simple majority of all votes cast,
who shall be declared the nominee.
(e) Immediately following the circuit forum, the circuit counselor shall report in writing the
results of the selection process to the secretary of the district in preparation for ratification by
the district convention.
(f) In the event that a circuit counselor has not been selected by a circuit forum or has been
selected but is no longer available to serve, thus resulting in no circuit counselor selection
being included on the convention slate of circuit counselors for a circuit, the district president
Page 94 – 02.23.13 – COH Minutes