LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — February 21-22, 1975, Page 6

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3.

You are familiar with that resolution. We are, however, enclosing a copy of the guidelines
drafted by the CCM for those congregations which decide to introduce woman suffrage. We
are confident that they provide the proper scriptural safeguards.

365. Southern Illinois Delegate Elections (Ag. 745L,Y,Z,AA): The secretary had shared with the
Commission several exchanges of correspondence with President Herman Neunaber regarding the
instructions given by circuit counselors for the election of delegates. The Commission ratified the letters
of the secretary, with special emphasis on 745-Z in which the secretary had evaluated the letters of the
various District counselors.
366. Bylaws for Board for Lay Ministers (Ag. 785, 797): The Commission approved in principle the
revised set of proposed bylaws as of January 27, 1975 submitted by the Board for Lay Ministers.
367. W.C. Koester Eligibility as Convention Representative (Ag. 798): The secretary called attention to
the fact that W.C. Koester had been registered as a staff representative of the Board for Lay Ministers to
the Anaheim convention. However, he is not listed in the Annual as the staff officer. Rev. Koester had
explained that the board had asked him to serve in that capacity several years ago on a parttime, unpaid
basis. His eligibility to serve as a staff representative is in doubt. The Commission resolved to advise the
board that its chairman should secure whatever approvals are necessary (Board of Directors, Personnel
Department) to list him in the Annual as a staff officer so that he in turn will be qualified without question
to serve as a board representative to the convention.
368. Brazil Delegates (Ag. 794): President Johannes Gedrat of the Brazil District had asked whether he
could appoint as voting delegates two pastors who now found themselves financially in a position to
attend the convention. Since it had been assumed that no funds would be available no circuit meetings had
been held to elect delegates. Secretary Mueller brought this problem to the attention of the Commission
for guidance. The Commission resolved that President Gedrat should be informed that two years ago great
insistence had been placed upon the necessity of having the Brazil delegates elected in the proper way and
that it would be necessary to follow the same procedure also this time. As an alternative, it might be
suggested that the District permit these two pastors to come as visitors so that they would be in a position
at least to report personally the happenings at the convention. It was suggested that perhaps some of the
correspondence of two years ago could be used in advising President Gedrat.
369. Omnibus Resolution 5-03 (Ag. 789): The Board of Directors had referred under the omnibus
provision proposed New Orleans Resolution 5-03 "To Clarify 'All Matters of Doctrine and of Conscience
Shall Be Decided Only By the Word of God"' to the Commission for study. The Commission resolved to
recommend the adoption of this resolution to the Anaheim convention.
370. Saar and Kreiss Correspondence re Professor John Groh, River Forest and Semine_x (Ag. 692,A):
The Commission took belated action in ratifying the letters which the secretary had sent in connection
with these inquiries regarding this problem.
371. Ohio District Resolution re Support of Suspended or Deposed District Officers (Ag. 707; Min. 332):
Rev. Carl E. Nelson had asked the Commission to rule on the constitutionality of the Ohio District
convention Res. 136 which stated that "the Ohio District authorize the District Board of Directors to
provide financial and other necessary support for the District President and other District officials in the
event that any attempt is made to suspend them or remove them from office for actions or decisions
arising out of the present controversy." The Commission resolved to adopt the opinion which had been
tentatively considered already in the previous meeting:
1.

In the church one would expect mercy to be shown in cases of financial need.