LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — April 1–2, 2016, Page 11

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With a March 14, 2016 email, the SELC District submitted its recent bylaw changes to the commission
for review. Because the district’s bylaws document had not been reviewed for some time, the commission
reviewed the entire document and offered the following observations and recommendations to the district
for its consideration and application.
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Prior to Article 1, the commission recommends that the district add a preamble paragraph
summarizing the content of Synod Bylaws 4.1.1, 4.1.1.1, and 4.1.1.2, stating the relationship of
the Synod and its Constitution and Bylaws to the district and its bylaws.
Article 1, Bylaw 1.1.10 and throughout the bylaws document: All mentions of “circuit
counselors” should be changed to “circuit visitors” in keeping with 2013 Res. 7-02A.
Article 2, Bylaw 2.2.1: The second sentence will more accurately read, “To this end, he shall
visit the congregations of the district “at least once every three years” as required by Synod
Bylaw 4.4.4 (a).
Article 2, Bylaw 2.2.7: This paragraph will need to be changed to reflect more accurately what
the district president is empowered to do, to read: “The district president is empowered to
suspend from membership and implement the Synod’s bylaw processes for removal from
membership, congregations and ordained or commissioned ministers for persistently adhering to
false doctrine or for having given offense by an ungodly life in accordance with such procedure.
He is also empowered to restrict ordained and commissioned ministers as provided in the Bylaws
of the Synod.
Article 3, Bylaw 3.1: Given that the district regards its four circuits as regions, Bylaw 3.1 will
more accurately read: “The first vice president shall be selected from the clergy of the circuits
other than the circuit of which the president is a member.”
Article 3, Bylaw 3.2.1: The wording of this bylaw is too broad when it states that the first vicepresident may represent the president in “all his duties,” since some duties of a district president
are restricted to him alone. The same is also true for the other vice presidents, as in district
Bylaws 4.2.1 and 5.2.1, which also must be changed to read: “…shall assist the president in
discharging his responsibilities or represent him upon his request.”
Article 6, Bylaw 6.1: Wording must be changed to reflect Synod Bylaw 4.3.1 and read: “The
secretary of the district shall be elected from the clergy roster of the district.”
Article 6, Bylaw 6.2.3: This bylaw should also include mention of the duties spelled out for the
Secretary of the Synod (Synod Bylaws 3.3.3−3.3.3.3) to the extent that they pertain to secretaries
of districts.
Article 9, Bylaw 9.3: Here, in the case of the two ordained minister representatives, the wording
must be changed to the “clergy roster of the district.”
The initial bylaws under Article 10 appear to contradict each other. Bylaw 10.1 requires that
officers must serve from the end of one district convention to the end of the next, while Bylaw
10.2 speaks of remaining in office “no more than ninety days beyond the end of the convention”
and Bylaw 10.3 speaks of the “intervening time” before the successors assume office. This
apparent contradiction will need to be reconciled.
Article 10, Bylaw 10.4.1: The current wording speaks of the board of directors meeting three
times per calendar year. This conflicts with Synod Bylaw 1.5.3 which requires the boards of its
agencies (i.e., districts) to “meet at least quarterly.” To leave the district bylaw to read “three
times per calendar year” will require requests for exceptions from the President of the Synod. The
district may instead wish to consider adding a fourth meeting using electronic means as described
in Synod Board of Directors Policy 5.7.8 for agency electronic meetings.
Article 11, Bylaw 11.1.1: The commission calls attention to the need for the addition of the word
“every” so that the first phrase will read: “The SELC District of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod shall meet every three (3) years….”

CCM Minutes – April 1–2, 2016 – Page 125