LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — February 23, 2015, Page 2

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With a January 12, 2015 emailed letter, the secretary of the Southern District submitted his district’s
bylaws for review by the commission. Upon review, the commission responded with the following
recommendations and requirements.
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Article II B. Legal Representation: The commission reminds the district that, while what its
bylaw describes is common practice among the districts of the Synod, it is first and foremost the
district president’s responsibility to sign official papers and documents (Synod Constitution Art.
XII 9 d).
Article II F. Circuits: The commission recommends the addition of the word “visitation” before
“circuits” to distinguish these circuits from electoral circuits. The word “territorial” will better
read “geographic” to mirror the language of Synod Bylaw 5.1.2.
Article II G. District Handbook of Operations: Synod Bylaw 3.9.2.2.3 requires that governing
instruments of districts be submitted to the Commission on Constitutional Matters not only for
review but also approval. The words “and approval” need to be added to the end of the paragraph.
Article III. Administration: According to Synod Bylaw 4.3.1, paragraph A 2 will require
correction to read, “Four (4) vice presidents shall be elected from the ordained minister roster of
the Synod and shall hold membership in a voting congregation of the district with residence in the
designated region.” The commission noted also the absence of a bylaw process to govern how
geographic regions are determined, which should be added to the district’s bylaws.
Article III. Administration: According to Synod Bylaw 4.3.1, paragraph A 4 should read, “…from
the ordained ministers’ roster of the Synod district….”
Article III. Administration: In paragraph A 6, according to the Synod bylaws’ designation of
“elected” to refer only to those offices filled by a district or Synod convention, the first sentence
of this paragraph will better read: “An assistant Secretary for Securities shall be elected appointed
by the Board of Directors,” even though the board may use an elective process to determine the
person to be appointed. This same principle, changing “elected” to “appointed,” would apply also
in paragraph A 5 of Article IV.
Article III. Administration: Also in paragraph A 6, the commission wonders of this office pertains
solely to the district’s Church Extension Fund. If this is the case, the district should move this and
related provisions in the district Bylaws to the Bylaws of the district’s church extension fund. In
addition, the final sentence of this paragraph A 6 must be reconsidered in light of Synod Bylaws
1.5.1.1 and 1.5.1.2 and their requirements for holding (or not holding) multiple offices.
Article III. Administration: In paragraph B 4, the decision regarding the status of a member who
moves from the district must be made in light of Synod Bylaw 4.3.3 (“…residents of member
congregations of the district and, when appropriate, residents of designated regions during the
course of their tenure”) rather than left entirely to the discretion of the board of directors.
Article IV. Rules Governing Office: The mention of ex officio in paragraph G 1 requires
clarification whether the president is a “voting ex officio” member or a “non-voting ex officio”
member of the standing committees mentioned.
Article V. Nominations and Elections: Paragraph C 3 should include reference to the Synod’s
bylaws governing CUS college and university boards of regents elections, given the new
provisions of paragraph 7 of Synod Bylaw 3.10.5.2 which now includes a vetting process
involving the chairman and secretary of the district board of directors or their designees.
Article V. Nominations and Elections: Section C of Article V should also include mention of the
required election of a member of the Committee for Convention Nominations by every other
district convention (as in 2015, when the Southern District is required to elect a lay member of
the committee [Synod Bylaw 3.12.3.1]).
Article VI. Conventions: Paragraph B should include mention of the requirement that convention
delegates, clergy and lay, are to be properly “credentialed” as described in Synod Bylaw 4.2.2.
CCM Minutes – February 23, 2015 – Page 61