LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — May 30—June 3, 2019, Page 1

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MINUTES
COMMISSION ON CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS
LCMS International Center
May 30—June 3, 2019 (Floor Committee Weekend)
210. Call to Order and Opening Devotion
Commission Chairman Dr. George Gude called the commission’s meeting to order with all members
present, except for Rev. Bode, who arrived Friday. Dr. Gude offered opening devotions on Acts 1.
211. Changes to the 2019 Council of Presidents Policy Manual (19-2909)
The commission, having reviewed routine changes to a variety of sections in the Council of Presidents
Policy Manual, noted no constitutional or bylaw concerns and thanked the Council of Presidents for sending
its policies for review.
212. Texas District Bylaw Changes (19-2911)
The commission reviewed the Texas District Handbook, noting that the district has requested an exception
for its noncompliant articles of incorporation from the Board of Directors of the Synod.
The commission suggested that references throughout to the “current Handbook of the Synod” would better
be stated more simply as “the Handbook of the Synod,” to relieve any possible confusion about whether
the current Handbook at time of reading applies, or that at time of bylaw adoption. It was noted that District
Bylaw I does make this clear.
The commission notes that the changes proposed to Bylaws 1.027 and 1.031 would result in an installation
preceding assumption of office, which is an unusual course of events; ordinarily, installation (as to a parish,
for example), would be contemporaneous with or, failing that, as immediately as possible following,
assumption of office. It was noted, for example, in the rite of installation (Agenda, p. 333), the newly
installed district president immediately functions—apparently as such—to install other officers. However
practical, the proposal to perform the installation significantly prior to assumption of office would seem
unusual and inconsistent with our common understanding of an installation. This could lead to confusion
as to who is the district president in the period between installation and assumption of office (e.g., whether
he ought perform the subsequent installations of other district officers in Bylaws 2.006 and 4.037), and may
lead to confusion about the meaning and practice of installation in general, which is a function treated in
the Bylaws, e.g., Bylaw 4.4.3. A similar problem is noted with regard to the office of district secretary
(Bylaw 4.037). It also seems inconsistent that other officers assume office earlier than Sept. 1, at the close
of the convention at which elected.
Also noted, relative to Bylaw 1.031, is that the installation of the district president elected is to be by the
President of the Synod or his representative (cf. the Agenda installation rite, which is obligatory under
Bylaw 4.4.3 [e]).
The commission notes that the district intends to submit further changes and will respond to the district’s
further work with these bylaws in connection with a subsequent review.
213. Southeastern District Articles of Incorporation (19-2912)
…
The commission notes in Article III, Membership, that the sentence, “Membership for ministers…shall be
for so long as they are assigned to a congregation that is a member of the Corporation,” does not properly
account for candidate and emeritus members, or those actively serving in a non-parochial call. This sentence
is not necessary, in light of the sentence previous, and should best be removed.

CCM Minutes – May 30—June 3, 2019 – Page 157