LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — July 5-13, 1973, Page 1

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election at that meeting of a pastoral delegate and of the congregation which is to supply the lay delegate,
etc) had not been met, it is doubtful whether the Credentials Committee could seat the delegates in
question.
301. Overtures: Although some of the overtures in the Workbook had been referred to during the course
of the two day meeting time did not permit the Commission to take up any list of overtures for special
attention.
302. Ontario Congregation (Ag. 412): The secretary reported that there had been no further
correspondence regarding this congregation and its status after it has applied for membership in another
church body.
303. Conflict of Interest, Candidates for Mission Board (Ag. 444): Time also did not permit the
Commission to take up a question submitted on that day by Dr. Herman Koppleman: Are some of the
candidates for the Board for Missions involved in conflict of interest?
304. Tri Lutheran Campus Ministries (Ex. 397-G): Although reference was made briefly to the fact that
the CTCR had not yet completed its larger study on fellowship with other churches, it had adopted a
preliminary resolution which spoke to the basic issue involved in several of the questions confronting the
CCM recently, including that of Tri Lutheran Campus Ministries. Again, time did not permit a more
detailed discussion of this matter.
The meeting adjourned.
Herbert Mueller, Secretary

MINUTES OF MEETING OF COMMISSION ON CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS
July 5-13, 1973 - New Orleans, Louisiana
305. During the course of the New Orleans convention the commission met formally and informally
several times to discuss among other matters the following.
306. BHE Term of Office: The question was raised whether those who were appointed to the BHE would
continue to serve until the end of the year according to present bylaws, or whether they would be replaced
immediately by those elected at this convention, or whether both sets were to serve concurrently until the
end of the year. The commission seemed to favor the view that election takes precedence over
appointment and that therefore those elected at this convention should take office immediately, replacing
those whose appointive terms were running out.
307. Conflict of Interest, Johannes Engel: Mr. Ray Joeckel, the chairman of the Nominating Committee,
appeared before the commission asking for some kind of help with respect to the charge of conflict of
interest that had been lodged against Johannes Engel, a nominee for one of the Boards of Control in
Brazil, on the basis that he was also involved in the limestone investment program. The commission felt
that the bylaw was worded in such a way that it must be applied to concrete cases through the weighing of
the possibilities of conflict of interest. The commission felt that the nominating committee would need to
make its own determination after weighing to what extent there might be the possibility of conflict of
interest in this situation.
308. Otten Case: The question was raised as to whether a convention could act in a case which the
commission itself had declared had been closed. There was some sentiment that perhaps a special panel