LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — front and back matter, Page 3

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(1) notify the accused and any other district president involved that an appeal for action is
underway; and
(2) forward the appeal for action, with the record of his investigation and determination and
the accuser’s formal written accusation, to the President of the Synod.
(b) The President of the Synod shall, within 15 days of receipt of such appeal for action,
consult with the district president.
(c) The President of the Synod may consult with the accuser, the accused, and others involved.
He may appoint an investigative committee and / or ask an opinion of the CCM or CTCR,
which opinion shall be followed. He shall consult with the vice-presidents of the Synod.
(d) The President of the Synod may, in a matter of doctrine and practice, and within 120 days
of receipt of notice, suspend the member as provided in Bylaw 2.14.6 and then, as the
“suspending ecclesiastical supervisor,” carry out the formal proceedings of Bylaw 2.14.7 and
following.
(e) If the determination is made not to initiate formal proceedings, the President of the Synod
shall in writing so inform the accuser, any district president involved, and the involved member.
2.14.5.3 If the district president fails to act within 60 days after receipt of the formal written complaint or
accusation, the accuser may present a formal written request to the district president for the
forming of the Referral Panel, which request the district president must grant.
Commencing Formal Proceedings
2.14.6 If the district president or the Referral Panel or the President of the Synod, acting under Bylaw
2.14.5, concludes that the facts form a basis for expulsion of the member under Article XIII of the
Constitution, the district president in commencing the formal proceedings he shall
(a) provide to the member a written notification of the member’s suspended status under
Bylaw 2.13.4;
(b) provide to the member a written statement of the matter which sets forth the facts and states
that he is requesting expulsion of the member from the Synod in accord with Article XIII of
the Constitution; and
(c) provide to the member a written notification that the member has 15 days from the date of
receipt of the statement of the matter to advise his district president that there is a desire to have
the matter heard and resolved.
2.14.6.1
no change
Hearing Panel
2.14.7 If the request for hearing as granted in Bylaw 2.14.6 (c) is made, the president of the district (the
district president of the suspended/accused member)suspending ecclesiastical supervisor shall
inform the Secretary of the Synod who shall initiate the formation of a Hearing Panel, such
formation to be accomplished within 30 days of the request in accordance with the provisions in
this bylaw.
2.14.7.1 At the time that the request for hearing is made, the district presidentsuspending ecclesiastical
supervisor shall forward to the Secretary of the Synod the statement of the matter and a written
memorandum describing the manner in which there was compliance with the guidelines provided
in Matthew 18:15–16, “previous futile admonition” (Constitution Art. XIII 1), as well as all of the
provisions of Bylaws 2.14.3−2.14.6.1.
2.14.7.2 A Hearing Panel consisting of two district presidents (excluding the involved district president[s]),
two lay reconcilers, and one ordained reconciler, selected as follows, shall conduct the hearing:
(a) One district president shall be selected by the accused.
(b) One district president shall be selected by the district president who imposed the suspended
statussuspending ecclesiastical supervisor (a district president may not choose himself).

CCM Minutes (Protocol Supplement) – May 5–6, 2017 – Page 27c