LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — June 28-29, 1974, Page 11

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3.

As for the constitutionality of the appointment of a Fact Finding Committee to begin with,
the CCM several years ago gave an affirmative ruling to the question raised in that
connection. This fact was well publicized throughout the church.

4.

It will also be helpful for the member congregations of the Oklahoma District to peruse the
additional rulings which have at least an indirect bearing on these questions and which, we
have been promised, will be printed in the next issue of the Lutheran Witness.

197. Arnold Wessler Letter (Ag. 630): The Secretary had replied to a rather sharp letter from Rev. Arnold
A. Wessler criticizing the Commission for reaching into matters which are not its concern, for being
inconsiderate and loveless, for not giving enough explanations, etc. The Secretary had written a letter of
defense which the CCM now ratified.
198. Eligibility of Certain Persons as Delegates (Ag. 635): Secretary Arthur H. Strege of the Missouri
District had raised three questions to which the Secretary had given the following replies as indicated:
1.

Can an emeritus pastor or a part-time pastor who is a member of one congregation but is
serving another congregation as its pastor (though not on the basis of a call) vote in the
election process in the circuit meeting to select delegates to the Anaheim convention?
Answer:

2.

Only a man who is serving a congregation as its pastor on the basis of a call and
proper installation by authorization of a District President can be regarded in
constitutional terms as the pastor of the congregation entitled to vote at District
conventions and in the election of delegates at circuit meetings.

Can an emeritus pastor or a part-time pastor who is a member of the same congregation he is
serving as pastor (though not on the basis of a call) vote in the election process in the circuit
meeting to select delegates for the Anaheim convention?
Answer: Same answer as #1.

3.

Can people who are advisory members of Synod according to Article V, B of the Constitution
of Synod be voting delegates in the circuit meeting to select delegates for the Anaheim
convention?
Answer:

Advisory members obviously are not eligible as voting pastors of the
congregations they are supposed to represent. Furthermore, since they are
ministers or teachers they cannot possibly serve as voting lay representatives of
the congregations. So the answer would need to be in the negative.

The Commission decided to write to Strege to inform him that it had ratified the reply of the Secretary but
that the Commission would also insert into the answer of #1 the statement ". . . on the basis of a call and
where there is the intention at least of a proper installation by authorization . . ."
199. Saskatoon Graduates (Ag. 641): President Rode had written to the Secretary expressing regret over
the recent ruling of the CCM with regard to the eligibility for placement of Saskatoon graduates. The
Secretary had replied in detail giving the history of this difficulty and also calling attention to the fact that
in February, 1973 the Council of Presidents had been informed of the unconstitutionality of such
placement. The Commission ratified this reply.