LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — January 15–16, 2021, Page 4

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ordained minister, for example, who is emeritus, candidate, or active but not as a parish pastor to
hold membership in a Mid-South District congregation while himself being a member of another
district of the Synod. The district may not wish to allow the service of a minister who is not a
member of the district.)
In the final paragraph of Bylaws 8.3.5.2, 8.3.5.3, and 8.3.5.4, it may be clearer to write “from each
combined electoral region.”

The commission notes a new observation with regard to Bylaw 8.5.1, which is that this does not appear to
account for the situation where the office of president is permanently vacated. In such a case, the first vicepresident, in line of succession, would assume the office (and not merely the duties and responsibilities) as
president. This case should be provided for so as not to suggest that the temporary incapacity provision
applies to a permanent cessation of service before the end of the president’s term.
The commission finds the proposal to be consistent with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod and
approves it for presentation to the district convention. The district and its secretary are thanked for sending
these documents for review and reminded to submit a clean copy as adopted by the convention for the
commission’s files.
79. Minnesota South District Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, Proposed (20-2959)
By an email of Oct. 29, the Minnesota South District Secretary forwarded proposed amendments to his
district’s articles (Art. II 2 b) and bylaws for the commission’s review. With regard to the articles, existing
language was found to be compliant with the spirit of 2016 Res. 9-02A and Bylaw 1.5.3.6. If revision is
presently contemplated, however, relationship language may well be brought into full compliance with
these current standards. This would suggest further revisions:
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Art. II 2 c: “It accedes to, recognizes, and accepts the doctrine taught and practiced in the Synod
(Art. II.) and also the those provisions in of the Articles of Incorporation, and Constitution and, the
Bylaws, and the resolutions of the Synod, as currently in effect and as may hereafter be amended
from time to time; all provisions of these Articles and Bylaws are subject to said Synod provisions.
Art. II 3 b: Here, adoption of Bylaw 2.5.5 has provided specific language: “For purposes of these
Articles of Incorporation, a ‘parish’ consists of two or more congregations in the District who are
affiliated with the LCMS and that are served by one called pastor who is serving said parish on a
permanently called basis the total number of congregations regularly cared for (served) by a pastor
or pastors, as further defined in the Bylaws of the Synod.”
Art III 2 a: “annual meeting” should, it seems, read “regular meeting”

Regarding the bylaws:
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The new MNS Bylaw 2.20.5, dealing with restriction of individual members, seems out of place
and may best be omitted. Synod Bylaws provide at length for this feature in the context of
ecclesiastical supervision and other related processes.
MNS Bylaw 2.20.6: the definition of multi-congregation parish would more accurately read:
“Multi-congregation parishes (two or more congregations served by one called ordained minister
on a permanent basis comprising those congregations regularly cared for [served] by a pastor or
pastors, as further defined in the Synod Bylaws)”
MNS Bylaw 3.1.2.5: It seems the sense is that the costs are assessed to the “congregations of the
circuit,” not the circuit as such.
MNS Bylaw 4.2.13.1: The printing of overtures is not left to the “discretion of the praesidium.”
The president of the district may disapprove publication of only those overtures that fall in the
categories described in Bylaw 3.1.6.2 (c).
MNS Bylaw 4.2.15.2 (a) should provide that “If elected, nominees shall be members of member
congregations of the district (and, if elected to a regional office, of the respective region) upon…”

CCM Minutes – January 15–16, 2021 – Page 60