LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — September 26 – 27, 2014, Page 3

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Bylaw 1.12 should mention Article VII of the Constitution of the Synod in addition to Synod
Bylaw section 1.3.
Bylaw 2.10 omits and should include mention of the role of the district secretary in the
credentialing of delegates for district conventions (see Synod Bylaw 4.2.2 [a]).
Bylaw 2.20 should reference Synod Bylaw 3.1.6.2 (b) and (c), which details which overtures are
not to appear in print and/or are not to be accepted for convention consideration.
Bylaw 2.32 does not make clear the expectation of Synod Bylaw 3.1.8 (b), which instructs that
printed copies of convention workbooks are to be mailed to each delegate and alternate, officers,
and members of boards, commissions, and councils (see Synod Bylaw 4.2.1 [a]).
Bylaw 2.34 (a) and (b) does not make clear that pastor and lay delegates to district conventions
alike require proper credentialing by the district secretary upon his receipt of forms signed by
congregation officers (Bylaw 4.2.2 [a]).
Bylaw 2.56 should reflect the Synod’s recent change in terminology from “circuit counselor” to
“circuit visitor.”
Bylaw 2.58 is incorrect in providing nominating ballots to voting pastors. Nomination ballots for
district officers, like those of the Synod, are to be provided only to voting congregations.
Bylaw 2.58 (b) requires change to agree with Synod Bylaw 4.3.1, where it is stated that officers
other than the president are to be elected from the clergy roster of the district.
Bylaw 2.66 (c) requires additional attention. The ranking of vice-presidents requires separate
ballots (Synod Bylaw 3.12.2.7 [g]).
Bylaw 2.66 (h) requires clarification whether “pastors” in this case refers to “parish pastors”
serving congregations or “ordained ministers” in general.
Bylaw 3.08 (b) (1) should include mention of the selection of a circuit visitor by a circuit forum
and also the selection of mission and ministry emphases to be advocated to the district
convention.
Bylaw 3.14 requires attention to make clear that ordained ministers teaching in schools are still
rostered as ordained ministers and must attend ordained minister conferences.
Bylaw 3.20 (b) and (c) requires changes to reflect current Synod bylaws which require
nominations for district officers other than president and circuit counselors from within the
district (or region in the case of regional officers).
The terminology of Bylaw 3.6.6 will require careful comparison with Synod Bylaw 1.5.7 to make
certain that the district bylaw properly and entirely reflects the terminology of the Synod bylaw.
Bylaw 5.10, given the change in the Synod’s structure, would better read: “In keeping with Synod
Bylaws 3.8.2ff., work in conjunction with the Synod’s Board for National Mission and Office of
National Mission to supervise missionary….”
Bylaw 6.06 (d) must more closely restate the wording of the Synod’s bylaws governing the work
of the constitution committee.
Bylaw 6.08 (e) is incorrect. The Synod’s Commission on Constitutional Matters does not
interpret district documents but only reviews them to ascertain that they are in agreement with the
Synod’s documents.

The commission requested that the district board of directors give attention to these matters in a new
version of its amended articles and bylaws, identifying these latest changes to be made and submitting the
revised documents to the commission along with a clean copy for the commission’s records.
58. LCMS National Housing Support Corporation Bylaws (14-2716A)
With an August 11, 2014 email, the executive director of the LCMS National Housing Support
Corporation submitted the corporation’s final version of its amended Bylaws, noting two minor changes.
The commission reviewed the document and granted its approval, thanking the housing corporation’s
CCM Minutes – September 26–27, 2014 – Page 33