LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — July 8, 1999, Page 6

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or appointed boards or commissions during the interim.” The phrase, “during the interim,” is that period
between the commencement of a synodical convention and the date when the newly elected and re-elected
members of these boards and commissions are inducted into office. The question asked of the commission
is whether the definition of the phrase “during the interim” or any other bylaw could be expanded to
conclude that appointments by the Board of Directors in May or June prior to a synodical convention also
come under the umbrella of prohibited appointments. The Commission concludes that the answer is “no.”
The Bylaws are silent on this matter except for the phrase, “during the interim,” and the Commission finds
no basis to expand the meaning of those words. If the period of prohibition of appointments is to be
expanded, it must come from an amendment to the Bylaws.
48. Review of Bylaws of the Northwest District, LCMS (99-2153)
Al Marcis reported to the Commission regarding his review of the proposed Bylaws of the Northwest
District of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, submitted by that District’s president. After some
discussion it was agreed to postpone action to allow opportunity for further discussion and review.
49. Review of Proposed Synodical Convention Floor Nominations Process (99-2154)
In a memorandum dated June 3, 1999, the chairman of a committee charged with the responsibility for
reviewing the operations of the synodical convention asked the Commission to review a proposal for a
different process to obtain floor nominations at synodical conventions. He explained that this process is
being considered because it would make the procedure more orderly, would ensure that the information
specified by the Bylaws regarding nominees would be uniformly received, would allow every delegate
equal opportunity to nominate candidates for office, and would use less convention floor time than the
process that has been in use. According to the proposed process:
At the appropriate time the nominations committee would present the slate of candidates it
has prepared.
After presenting the slate, the nominations committee would inform the convention that
nominations would be received from the floor. The committee would explain that in
order to allow nominations from the floor of candidates other than those whose names
were previously received by the nominations committee, the convention would have to
vote to do so. The committee would then move (or entertain a motion) to open the floor
nominations to such other candidates.
If the convention voted to allow such other floor nominations, the committee would explain
that these nominations must be presented in writing on the appropriate form. [Note:
these forms along with instructions for how to make nominations from the floor would
be distributed with the materials sent to the delegates before the convention and would be
available at the convention site.] The form must be signed by the nominee (satisfying the
requirement of Bylaw 3.985, a, cited above) and by the nominating delegate and another
delegate seconding the nomination (meeting parliamentary requirements) and submitted
to the chairman of the nominating committee or his designee in a specified place by a
specified time. The “written pertinent information concerning the nominee as detailed in
Bylaw 3.983, e,” would have to be attached to the form by the nominating delegate.
The committee would then move (and the convention would vote) to close floor nominations
automatically at a specified time, probably several hours later in the day in order to allow
time for the forms to be submitted to the committee.