LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — December 11-12, 2000, Page 1

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Placement Procedures for Ministers of Religion—Commissioned” (00-2217). The Commission responded
as follows.
QUESTION 1:

“What is an eligible calling entity? It is generally agreed that a congregation of the
LCMS is an eligible calling entity. Who else is eligible to issue a call? Are there
any entities that would not be eligible to issue a call?”

Opinion: The Bylaws of the Synod do not directly define an eligible calling entity. Bylaw 2.11 makes
reference to “authorized calling bodies” and refers to Bylaw 2.15. Bylaw 2.15 sets forth the duties that an
ordained or commissioned minister of religion must be performing in order to be an “active member” of
the Synod. Therefore, it follows that the appropriate calling entities of the Synod are those entities that
extend calls to ordained or commissioned ministers of religion who perform the duties set forth in Bylaw
2.15, namely:
1) A congregation of the Synod;
2) A congregation which is not a member of the Synod if the call is approved by the
President of the District where the congregation is located and such approval is
granted on the basis of policies adopted by the Council of Presidents;
3) The Synod itself for a position as an elected officer, executive, professional staff
member, missionary, military chaplain, institutional chaplain, or a specialized
ministry;
4) An agency of the Synod (defined in Bylaw 3.51, a, including a District) for a position
as an elected officer, executive or professional staff member;
5) A District for a position as a missionary, military chaplain, institutional chaplain or
specialized ministry;
6) A synodical educational institution for a position as a faculty member or professional
staff member;
7) A national inter-Lutheran agency referred to in Bylaw 13.01 for a position as an
executive or professional staff member;
8) An auxiliary referred to in Bylaw 14.01 for a position as an executive or professional
staff member;
9) A recognized service organization referred to in Bylaw 14.03 for a position as an
executive or professional staff member;
10) An elementary or secondary educational institution recognized by the Synod for a
position as an executive or professional staff member.
The Commission notes that Bylaw 2.15 also refers to ministries that are “endorsed” by the Synod or
Districts. These endorsements are not calls, and entities which employ those endorsed church workers are
not eligible calling bodies.
QUESTION 2:

“Can a congregation delegate the calling responsibility to the board of directors of
an association school of which it is a member?”

Opinion: As stated in the Opinion to Question 1 above, a congregation is an eligible calling entity, as is
an elementary or secondary educational institution recognized by the Synod. Neither the Constitution nor
the Bylaws of the Synod address whether a congregation can delegate its calling authority to another
entity. This is a theological issue that should be addressed to the Commission on Theology and Church
Relations (CTCR).
QUESTION 3:

“Can a recognized service organization (RSO) that operates a Lutheran school
issue a ‘Call’ to a rostered worker?”

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