LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — September 15–16, 2017, Page 12

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Bylaw 2.1.3.1: The inclusion of circuit visitors here is redundant with their mention in
Bylaw 2.1.2.
Bylaw 2.1.5.1: The commission notes a possible amendment regarding term limits, which
is acceptable.
Bylaw 2.2.1 [b]: The commission notes that it may be helpful to indicate that the
responsibility for business, legal and property matters delegated by the board of directors
to (or through) the district president ultimately remains with the board of directors.
Bylaw 2.2.1 [k]: This is the pre-1983 language and should better reflect the language of
LCMS Bylaw 4.4.7.
Bylaw 2.2.1 [l]: The constitutional reference, which is generally ecclesiastical-supervisory,
does not match content, which is generally administrative. Chief executive is preferred
(Bylaw 4.4.1) to chief executive officer, which imports corporate connotations.
Bylaw 2.9.9.1: The procedure for election of circuit visitors needs to be updated to accord
with 2016 LCMS Bylaw 5.2.2.

The commission thanks the North Dakota district for its cooperation with the bylaw review process
and looks forward to reviewing, in its November meeting, a subsequent draft that has addressed
these points of concern. The commission also reminds the North Dakota district that its articles
need to be revised into compliance with LCMS Bylaw 1.5.3.6 and 2016 Res. 9-02A. The
commission looks forward also to reviewing draft articles, if possible, at its November meeting.
85. Wyoming District Articles and Bylaws (17-2852)
By an August 29, 2017, e-mail, the Secretary of the Wyoming District forwarded his district’s
Handbook (Articles, Bylaws, and Policies), with a few proposed changes, for review. The
commission notes the following.
Regarding the Articles of Incorporation:
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Art. V: Membership should be clarified to be Voting membership, or expanded to include
the Synod member ordained and commissioned ministers on the roster of the district.
Art. VII: Note should be made that prior approval by the Commission on Constitutional
Matters is required.
As to Bylaw 1.5.3.6 and 2016 Res. 9-02A, the commission notes that the requirement of
LCMS Bylaw 1.5.3.6 [b] for asset disposition language is satisfied in Art. VI, but that the
language of LCMS Bylaw 1.5.3.6 [a] (“all provisions of [the district’s] Articles of
Incorporation and Bylaws are subject to the provisions of the Constitution, the Bylaws, and
the resolutions of Synod in convention”) must be incorporated in a more intact and
recognizable manner than it is in Art. II.

Regarding the Bylaws:
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References to 2010 Handbook should be removed throughout. Where possible, a general
reference “as specified in the Bylaws of the Synod” prevents a need to update references.
Bylaw 3.05: Changes in LCMS Bylaw 4.2.2, regarding delegate registration, should be
incorporated.
Bylaw 3.17: The district may wish to take advantage of the option of electronically
distributing convention materials.
Bylaw 3.29 [c]: This bylaw is inconsistent with the interpretation of LCMS Bylaw 3.12.1
[b] in CCM Op. 13-2669: “[W]hen a regionally elected board member or officer relocates
CCM Minutes – September 15–16, 2017 – Page 70