LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — July 17, 2025, Page 3

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ARTICLE XIII: It may be clearer to denote the fiscal year to be “the twelve-month period ending
with December 31.”

With these suggestions offered, the commission finds the articles and bylaws as proposed (or, given the
BOD’s preapproval of the stated, specific deviations) to be in harmony with the Constitution, Bylaws, and
resolutions of the Synod, and approves them for use in forming the indicated entity. Should changes not
here contemplated be required by regulators or found to be otherwise necessary, these would need to be
reviewed separately by the commission. CPS is thanked for submitting the documents for review and
reminded to file a clean copy of the articles and bylaws as finally implemented with the Office of the
Secretary for the commission’s files.
129. Montana District Bylaws, Amendment, Contingent on Approval (25-3067)
By emails of July 1 and 14, the previous and incoming secretaries of the Montana (MT) District forwarded
for the commission’s review changes made to the district’s bylaws by the district’s 2025 convention, all of
which derived from suggestions made in the commission’s review in Op. 22-2995. The commission finds:
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With regard to the Res. 2-02 change to MT Bylaw 1.3.2, the commission notes that the insertion of
the new language as subparagraph (s) makes it seem applicable to the election described in
subparagraph (r). However, the procedure of Synod Bylaw 4.7.3—which speaks of “a majority of
all votes cast by a district convention”—does not apply to the selection of advisory delegates, which
is to be by those groups of individual members entitled to elect them (Synod Bylaw 3.1.3.1).
To correct this issue, the commission suggests that the new language be incorporated as (r) instead
of (s), and that existing subparagraph (r), dealing with selection of advisory delegates, be relocated
to a new MT Bylaw 1.3.4, entitled “Selection of Advisory Delegates to the Convention of Synod,”
to read, “The selection of advisory delegates to the convention of the Synod shall be in accordance
with the provisions of Synod Bylaw 3.1.3.1.”
In accordance with Bylaw 3.9.2.2.3 (b), this modified amendment can be adopted as here suggested
by the commission by a two-thirds vote of the district board of directors, bringing it into force and
effect. Apart from such modification, the amendment cannot be approved by the commission, nor
considered in force and effect, as it conflicts with the selection of the advisory delegates as required
by Synod Bylaw 3.1.3.1.

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With regard to the Res. 3-02 change to Bylaw 2.1.3.3, the commission finds the change to be in
harmony with the Constitution, Bylaws, and resolutions of the Synod and approves it, bringing it
into force and effect.

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With regard to the Res. 5-02 change to Bylaw 2.2.2.2, the commission finds the change to be in
harmony with the Constitution, Bylaws, and resolutions of the Synod and approves it, bringing it
into force and effect.

It was noted that the district’s articles, amended to include new nonprofit language required by the state as
approved in Op. 23-3008, were filed with the state of Montana on April 7, 2025, as adopted by the district
board of directors on May 8, 2023. Given the amendment provision of Article XI, which provides that
amendments are to be made by a convention by the voting delegates, the commission questions whether
these were, in fact, properly adopted.
The commission thanks the district and its secretaries, former and present, for sending these documents for
review and requests a clean copy of the bylaws as finally amended by the district board of directors as
provided above.

CCM Minutes – July 17, 2025 – Page 98