LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — February 28–March 1, 2014, Page 1

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MINUTES
COMMISSION ON CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS
Crowne Plaza Airport Hotel, Saint Louis
February 28–March 1, 2014

17. Call to Order/Opening Devotion
Chairman George Gude called the meeting to order with all members present. Neely Owen, who served as
devotion leader for the meeting, provided the opening devotion.
18. Correspondence Received
Chairman Gude reviewed correspondence received from the Commission on Theology and Church
Relations and from former CCM member Philip Esala.
19. Central Illinois District Handbook Review (13-2692)
With a September 4, 2013 email, the chairman of the Central Illinois District Congregation Constitutions
and District Handbook Committee submitted for review his district’s handbook with changes made by the
district convention, many in response to previous recommendations of the commission. Upon review of
the submitted documents, the commission offered the following corrections and recommendations to the
district committee.
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The Articles of Incorporation (p. iii) will require additional change to honor the requirements of
2004 convention Res. 4-11. To do so, the district committee will want to consult the template
provided by the Commission on Constitutional Matters for district articles of incorporation.
In the first paragraph of the Constitution section (p. v), the words “and division” should be
deleted, as this is language not used in the Synod’s Handbook to speak of districts. According to
Synod Bylaw section 1.3, districts are “component parts” of the Synod.
Bylaw 2.01: Here and throughout the district’s documents, references to circuit “counselors” will
need to be changed to circuit “visitors” as a result of this same change made to Constitution Art.
XII by the 2013 Synod convention.
Bylaw 2.02: The section under “(Explanation of Terms)” (p. 2) should be replaced with
definitions of terms that directly reflect the Synod’s usage of those terms (e.g., “pastor” according
to Synod usage is a parish pastor only; teacher is not equivalent to a director of Christian
education; “layman” need not be a voting member of a congregation; etc.). This in turn will
require corresponding changes throughout the district’s bylaws and other documents.
Bylaw 2.09: To regard the district president as an “ex officio” member of commissions and
committees (paragraph g, p. 4) does not in itself determine whether he is a voting or a non-voting
member. According to parliamentary rules, ex officio signifies voting membership unless stated
otherwise. The district must decide whether (or not) this is its intention and provide further
clarification.
Bylaw 2.11: The vice-president (paragraph b) does more than “serve as acting president” if the
president’s office is vacated (p. 5); he fully assumes the office of president, even though he may
be allowed to retain the position he held upon assuming the presidency until the next regular
district convention. Similarly in paragraph d, if the first vice-president is unable to serve, the
second vice-president fully assumes the office of president.