LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — September 15–16, 2017, Page 13

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to a different region…, this member must resign from the officer or board member
position.”
Bylaw 3.401 [d]: Congregational bylaws also need to be examined (they are noted as
recommended for approval in another bullet).
Bylaw 5.01 [b]: These changes, as well as those under 5.01 [a], must be reviewed in
advance by the Commission on Constitutional Matters, as indicated later in 5.03. The
district may wish to allow changes required to implement resolutions of the district or
Synod conventions in this manner.
Bylaw 5.03: The district may wish to incorporate changes made to LCMS Bylaw 3.9.2.2.3
[b], and in general may wish to adopt or reference the exact language of the LCMS Bylaws
regarding amendment procedure.

The commission thanks the Wyoming District for its cooperation in the bylaw review process and
looks forward to reviewing a subsequent draft in which these issues have been addressed. The
commission notes that it will treat review of the attached policy manual separately, under agenda
item 17-2852A.
86. Nebraska District Articles and Bylaws (17-2854)
By a September 7, 2017, e-mail, the President of the Nebraska District forwarded his district’s
proposed Bylaws for review. The commission notes the following points at which further attention
is required:
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Bylaw III A: The language of LCMS Bylaw 4.1.1.2 is to be preferred as clearer: “The
Constitution of the Synod is also the constitution of the district. The Bylaws of the Synod
shall be primarily the bylaws of the district.”
Bylaw III C 2 A 4: The phrase “for the board of directors” seems to be out of place and
should be removed. Vice-presidents are officers in their own right, who serve ex officio on
the board.
Bylaw III C 2 A 3 e: It may be helpful to reference the need to approve credentials of those
nominated for a board of regents (LCMS Bylaw 3.10.6.2 [8]). Later, Bylaw III C 2 A 6 b
should read, “All eligible persons…” to accommodate this review and approval.
Bylaw III C 3 C 1 (a) and 2 (a): The district president should be specified as being from
the clergy roster of the Synod and the regional vice-presidents as from the clergy roster of
the district, with residence within the respective region.
Bylaw III C 3 D 2 b: Synod has rejected this method of ranking, which does not generally
constitute election by a majority, in favor of a series of majority votes establishing the
various ranks (LCMS Bylaw 3.12.2.7 [g]).
Bylaw III D 1: The constitution committee also needs to review congregation bylaws and
bylaw revisions (LCMS Bylaws 2.2.1 [b], 2.4.1[b]).
Bylaw IV B 1 A: Circuit visitors are officers of the district (Bylaw 4.3.1) and should be
indicated consistently as such.
Bylaw IV D 2: Chief executive is to be preferred to chief executive officer. In what follows
“chief executive” (administrative) duties are here intermingled with ecclesiastical
supervisory duties, which are his primary task. Compare LCMS Bylaws 3.3.1.1–3.3.1.3 for
a more helpful organization of duties into ecclesiastical, administrative, and
administrative/ecclesiastical areas. This helps, among other things, clarify the president’s

CCM Minutes – September 15–16, 2017 – Page 71