LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — March 23, 2000, Page 2

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It will be noted that this document contains no sample set of Articles of Incorporation for a
congregation. The Commission on Constitutional Matters is of the opinion that such articles should be
brief and should contain only the necessary materials required by the laws of the individual states.
Congregations should consult an attorney familiar with such matters. If the congregation is not
acquainted with an attorney, names of attorneys can be obtained from District officials or from the
attorney for the District.
Persons working with these documents of the congregation are reminded to also consult pertinent
sections of the Constitution and Bylaws of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
III.
After long experience, the Commission on Constitutional Matters has come to the conclusion that
governing instruments, not only the Articles of Incorporation but also the constitution and the bylaws of a
congregation, should be as brief as possible. Brief but adequate should be the watchword! Brevity will
enable the congregation to develop additional structures and programs to meet its needs and mission goals
without constantly going through the time-consuming process of amending its governing instruments.
It is the Commission’s hope that this document will help the congregations of our beloved Synod
to carry out more effectively the great mission which our Lord Jesus Christ has given to us: to make
disciples of all nations and to teach them to observe all things whatsoever He has commanded.

1. GUIDELINES FOR CONSTITUTIONS
The following are subjects that should ordinarily be addressed in a congregation's constitution.
Instructive comments are provided together with a sample paragraph which need not be regarded as
mandatory.
It should be noted that for ease of reference the Commission recommends the use of a modern
Arabic numeral and decimal numbering system.
1.0 NAME
Legal counsel should be consulted to make certain that this paragraph follows the requirements set forth
by the state for ecclesiastical corporations. It is desirable that the name Lutheran appear in the name of the
congregation (see Resolution 3-13A of Synod’s 1995 convention, Proceedings, p. 125).
Example:
The name of this congregation shall be Trinity Lutheran Church of [City,] [County,] [State].
2.0 MISSION
In the constitution of a Christian organization it is desirable to have a paragraph stating the mission or
purpose for which the organization exists. This can be stated in different ways so long as it contains all
the fundamental purposes stated in the example below.
Example:
The purpose of this congregation shall be to give honor and glory to the Triune God, to
carry out His will, to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all the world, to manifest the
unity of our faith in Jesus Christ as God and Savior, to foster Christian fellowship and
love, to extend a helping hand in human need, and to achieve our objectives by the
preaching of the Word of God, by the administration of the sacraments, and by the
religious instruction of all its members according to the confessional standard of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church.

3.0 CONFESSIONAL STANDARD

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