LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — May 6, 2025, Page 2

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notwithstanding, in this, as well as in all other respects, “the Bylaws of the Synod are primarily the bylaws
of the district” (Bylaw 4.1.1.2 [a]). While the district’s proposed changes in this area have achieved
something of an internal consistency, they are inconsistent in this important aspect of terminology with the
primary bylaws to which they are to be joined. To adopt these proposed changes would not be a move
toward, but away from, harmony with the Bylaws of the Synod. The commission, therefore, does not
approve:
•

•

Any change of “ordained minister(s)” to “pastor(s),” except that a change from “ordained
minister(s)” to “parish pastor(s)” may be made where the restriction to those ordained ministers
presently installed to parish service as pastors is intended and where this restriction does not
otherwise conflict with the Bylaws of the Synod. (Where the intention is to refer to all ordained
ministers on the roster of the district or Synod, the proper term, established by the primary bylaws
of the district, is “ordained minister[s].”) (e.g., Bylaws 2.5.c; 2.6.a.9; 2.6.b.1–2; 2.16; 2.25.b; 2.23.a;
2.34.a; 2.37.a; and 11.1.a)
Any change of “commissioned minister(s)” or any collection of types of commissioned minister to
“commissioned church workers(s) from the Synod roster.” (The district may, where it intends to
make a material change from a specific collection of types of commissioned minister to the general
class of commissioned ministers, use the term established by the primary bylaws of the district:
“commissioned minister[s].”) (e.g., Bylaws 2.22.a; 2.25.b; 2.5.c; 2.6.a.7, 10; 2.9.a; 2.37.a; 2.46.a;
3.4.c.iii; 5.1.f; 7.1.d; 11.1.a; 11.2.e; and 12.1.a.ii)

Such changes are not approved as in harmony with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod and are not
to be presented to the convention for adoption. Other changes presented are approved for presentation to
the convention and adoption as in harmony with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod.
In addition:
• At Bylaw 2.9.a, relevant language must be conformed to Const. Art. XII 7 to read: “shall supervise
the doctrine, life, and administration of office [or, following instead Bylaw 4.4.5, official
administration] of the ordained and commissioned ministers of the district.”
The district is thanked for sending its documents for review and requested to forward, for the commission’s
files, a clean copy of the bylaws as adopted by the convention, as well as indication of any item requiring
further attention under Bylaw 3.9.2.2.3 (b).
120. Lutheran Church Extension Fund Articles and Bylaws, Proposed (24-3050A)
By an email of April 28, the President and CEO of the Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF), in
response to the commission’s review in Op. 24-3050, forwarded for the commission’s review three items:
•

•
•

A further revision of articles and bylaws as approved in Op. 24-3050, excluding those changes
addressing the “ratio problem.” These respond to changes requested by the commission and
include language crafted in Bylaw Article II, Section 6 (d), to harmonize the treatment of a
presidential incapacity with the requirements of Synod Bylaw 3.6.1.5 (a)(2).
A draft overture for submission to the Synod convention, proposing to amend Bylaw 3.6.4.3 [1]
to provide for four, rather than three, directors to be elected by the Synod in convention, with
three, rather than two, being laypersons.
A separate revision of LCEF Bylaw Article II, Sections 1 and 2 B to increase the number of
directors elected by the Synod in convention from three to four, addressing the “ratio problem.”
This would be contingent upon adoption of the above overture by the Synod in convention.

The first item was sent for the commission’s final approval and is intended, upon approval by the
commission, to be presented for unconditional approval by the Synod Board of Directors and membership
of LCEF. The second and third items are sent with the intention of requesting the commission’s approval
of the proposed convention overture (which would change the Synod bylaws) and of the revision to the
LCEF bylaws that would be adopted by its membership (after approval also by the Synod Board of
CCM Minutes – May 6, 2025 – Page 92