LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — September 16, 1983, Page 1

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179. Meeting with President Bohlmann: The Commission discussed the desirability of a luncheon
meeting with President Bohlmann to discuss the relationships of the Commission to the officers and
boards of the Synod. It was resolved to ask the chairman of the Commission to set up such a meeting
during the next Commission meeting, September 16 and 17. It was further resolved that if President
Bohlmann is out of town, the chairman be authorized to change the date of the meeting to September 9
and 10 if it would be possible for President Bohlmann to meet with the Commission on those dates.
John W. Klotz, Secretary pro tem

Minutes of the Commission on Constitutional Matters- September 16, 1983
180. Dr. Carl Eberhard had the opening prayer. All regular members were present: Kermit Brashear, II,
Carl Eberhard, chairman, John Klotz, Herbert Mueller, secretary, Gene Schnelz. The minutes of the
regular meeting of April 29, as well as the meetings of May 27-30 and July 7-15, 1983, were approved as
submitted.
181. Model Congregational Constitution (Ag. 293, 298, 1446,A,B,D, 1638,A): It was generally agreed
that perhaps a rather simple model constitution should be drawn up based on the previous one which had
circulated in the Synod, with suggested wording for certain key articles, and that perhaps some reference
could be made to more complex constitutions for larger congregations. After considerable discussion the
Commission resolved to ask Herbert Mueller to serve as a consultant in this area and to try to bring to
completion the work which had been started already some seven or eight years ago, with a report to the
December 9-10 meeting of the Commission.
182. Eligibility of Albert Wingfield (Ag. 1664, 1673,A): Dr. M. L. Radke of River Forest and Dr. Ralph
Bohlmann had both raised questions about the eligibility of Albert Wingfield to continue as a member of
the Board for Mission Services since he had been elected as a teacher but soon after the convention had
been ordained as a pastor following colloquy. The Commission reaffirmed its earlier position taken on
two previous occasions that such an individual was no longer eligible and updated to the present situation
its ruling of February 8, 1980, in a similar situation:
Ordination to the pastoral ministry of the Synod makes an individual ineligible for continuation
on the teacher roster of the Synod. Therefore, such an individual cannot fill a teacher position on
the Board for Mission Services.
183. Eligibility of Robert Preus (Ag. 1668): Teacher Elmer Bunsold of Defiance, Ohio had asked whether
Dr. Robert Preus, president of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, was eligible for
membership on the Board for Mission Services in view of Bylaws 2.213a and c. The Commission
concluded that there was nothing in the Constitution and Bylaws at the present time that would prevent a
president of an educational institution to be elected to the Board for Mission Services.
184. District Presidency Succession (Ag. 1675): Dr. George Bornemann had written to the Commission
with enclosures concerning the fact that he was vacating the presidency of the English District effective
January 31, 1984 and stating that there was some confusion within the Board of Directors of the District
regarding some questions of succession. Specifically he inquired: "Question: How is this bylaw to be
interpreted in the light of Synod's Constitution and Bylaws, concerning incapacity, transition, succession,
and responsibilities? Is the first vice-president the new District president or assuming an office? Can the