LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — March 7,1997, Page 10

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97. Full-Time Position of District President (Ag. 2071): Following the adjournment of the meeting, a fax
request was received regarding the possibility of a District President holding a full-time position as the
District President, but retaining a call to a congregation as well. A number of questions were included in the
request regarding an opinion, all of which might be subsumed under the final question, "What precludes a
man from remaining called by a congregation while filling the elected office of District/Synod President?"
The Secretary prepared a response to this request which was circulated to the members of the Commission,
with the request that they respond with concerns if there was disagreement with the response provided. The
response which was provided stated:
The Commission on Constitutional Matters has received the overture to be sent to the Southern District
regarding the full-time position of the District President and the possibility of his retaining a call to a
congregation with duties being adjusted to allow him, in effect, to carry out both positions. It also notes
the multiple questions which precede the proposed resolution.
In response, rather than speaking to the questions individually, the Commission would observe that the
realm to which it must restrict itself is that of the Constitution, Bylaws, and resolutions of the Synod
and their interpretation. A review of the Constitution and Bylaws makes it clear that they are silent with
respect to the issues raised.
The Commission would, however, note that by definition, a call to a full-time position would not allow
for an additional call, even a part-time one elsewhere.
If a district convention were to adopt a resolution allowing for a call to a part-time position, it would, by
that action, be, in effect, stating that the position of the District President is not a full-time position.
Such action would also require amendment of the Bylaws to reflect that fact or else the convention
would be approving an action contrary to its own Bylaws.
Many of the questions which you have posed have, at least in part, been addressed in a document of the
Commission on Theology and Church Relations entitled, The Ministry: Offices, Procedures, and
Nomenclature. If you do not have a copy, it is available from Concordia Publishing House and has the
number 9-2424.
If there are theological questions which have not been addressed by this response, they should be
addressed to the Commission on Theology and Church Relations.
No response was received and therefore the response was forwarded to the pastor as the response of the
Commission to his request.
98. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned with prayer led by Pastor Bode at the request of the
Chairman.
Walter L. Rosin, Secretary

Minutes of the Commission on Constitutional Matters - April 3, 1997 - Telephone Conference
99. Opening Prayer: At the request of Chairman Tesch, Rev. Alan Barber led the members of the
Commission in an opening prayer, asking for God's blessings upon the church and upon the meeting of the
Commission.