LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — October 1, 1982, Page 6

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4. A question was raised as to whether the location of the home office should be listed as
Clayton or St. Louis.
Otherwise the Commission found nothing contrary to the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod.
112. Congregational Secretary (Ag. 1621): Rev. Theo. DeLaney of the Constitution Committee of the CN-H District had asked whether an executive director of a congregation was free to appoint the corporate
secretary of the congregation. The Commission ruled that absent persuasive evidence to the contrary, the
corporate officers should be elected. In this instance the secretary is the keeper of the official records and
is responsible to the corporation and should therefore be elected.
113. Women as Elders and President (Ag. 1623): Rev. Louis Rush of the Constitution Committee of the
Northwest District had shared with the Commission correspondence of that committee with a member of
Trinity, Lisle, Illinois in which reference was made to rulings which the Northwest District Commission
had made with respect to the question of the positions women could hold in the congregations. The
Commission reviewed the correspondence and decided to inform Pastor Rush, with carbon copies to
Caroline Kalkis of Lisle, Illinois and to President Erhard Bauer, that the Commission objected to the
paragraph on page two beginning with the words "If women were to serve . * *" and that also the next
paragraph is in substantial error and not in conformity with Denver Resolution 2-17 and the guidelines
reprinted in the Milwaukee convention Workbook.
114. Specific Questions Re Congregational Constitutions (Ag. 1625): Rev. Frederick Kempfert, chairman
of the Iowa District West Constitution Committee, had raised three questions: Whether it was proper to
make certain additions to the Article on Confession, whether the acceptance of the age of the earth as
approximately 6,000 years could be made a condition of membership, and whether in the Article on
Offices of Pastor and Teachers a reference could be made to the fact that women should teach other
women and children. The Commission decided to reply along the following lines:
1. The Commission holds that any substantive addition to the Article on Confession as set forth
in the Synod's Constitution is not acceptable and that congregations should conform as
closely as possible to the Synod's Article.
2. It is not proper to require a confession concerning the age of the earth as a requirement of
membership since it goes beyond the requirement of subscription to the Lutheran
Confessions.
3. The seemingly intended limitation on the role of women also goes beyond the Article on
Confession. It was suggested that the Commission's recent ruling on women holding office
could be referred to as printed in the Reporter.
115. Woman Suffrage (Ag. 1626): Rev. Robert J. Gehrke of New Buffalo, Michigan had written to the
Secretary, expressing his concerns over woman suffrage. The Secretary had sent a reassuring reply, also
calling attention to a type of "veto right" which women had held through the years in our church body
with respect to the calling of pastors and excommunication. The Commission ratified the reply.
116. Guidance for Congregational Constitutions (Ag. 1628): The newly appointed chairman of the
Constitution Committee of the Manitoba-Saskatchewan District had asked for guidance on two points.
The Commission concluded that a specific Article IV on Synodical Affiliation in a congregation's
constitution was acceptable. It also suggested that in the bylaw regarding a quorum it might be well to add
the conditional statement "provided proper notice has been given in advance."