Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1973 · 50th Convention › Page 221
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Page 221

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS 221

5-254
To Grant Voting Rights to Teachers

Wuereas, The Lutheran teacher’s lack of identity in his
church stems in part from the lack of political recognition
of teachers within the LCMS; and

Wuereas, The lack of political recognition is in large
measure caused by the church's failure to provide the Lu-
theran teacher with the right to vote within the political
structures of the LCMS; and

Wuereas, The Lutheran teacher has been given the right
to hold membership and to vote on the floor committees at
synodical conventions; and

Wuereas, The Denver convention and the Milwaukee
convention requested that continued study be given the
matter of teacher franchise (Res. 2-15; Res. 5-03), the latter
with special reference to male and female teachers; there-
fore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
grant synodically trained teachers and those teachers re-
ceived into the teaching ministry by colloquy (teachers
certified by the Synod) the right to a direct or representative
vote at the District and synodical levels.

District TEACHERS CONFERENCE
Catirornia anp Nevapa DIstRICT
Janice Alexander, Secretary
Similar:

5-25B

Eastern Regional Pastoral Conference, English District,
Erich H. Wildgrube Jr., Chairman.

5-26
To Study Voting Structure

Wuereas, The present system of voter franchise in the
LCMS is restrictive of certain groups of people within the
Synod; and

Wuereas, Called teachers, auxiliary pastors, and congre-
gations with large memberships are either excluded from
the voting privilege or limited in their representation by
present system, and

Wuereas, People or congregations in this category have
much to offer the church and should receive greater and fair
representation in the Synod; and

Wuereas, We recognize various memorials have been sub-
mitted to the Synod asking that greater representation be
granted; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
at its New Orleans convention authorize the appointment
of a synodical study committee to examine the present and
possible future voting structure of synod, with special atten-
tion given to the voting rights of called teachers, auxiliary
pastors, and congregations with large memberships; and
be it further

Resolved. That this Synodical Study Committee be asked
to report their findings and recommendations to the next
synodical convention following New Orleans.

Sr. Lorenz Ev. LUTHERAN CHURCH
Frankenmuth, Mich.
Ronald Hildner, Secretary
Similar:
5-27
St. Paul Lutheran Church, Mount Prospect, IIl., Raymond
Avischious, Chairman; Esther Busse, Secretary.
5-28
To Return to Former System of Electing
Delegates

Wuereas, The present method of electing pastoral dele-
gates and lay delegates to the general Synod could result in
the same man being elected, convention after convention;
an

Wuereas, The present method could also result in the
same congregation being chosen, convention after conven-
tion; and

WuereaS, The present method requires a laborious waste
of time and travel within the circuit; therefore be it

Resolved, That we return to the former system of electing
delegates.
Peace LUTHERAN CONGREGATION
Glidden, Iowa
Stanley Janssen, Secretary

5-29

To Place Geographical Limits on Delegate
Circuit

Wuereas, Bylaw 1.51 of the Synod’s Constitution states
that in order for a visitation circuit to be an electoral circuit
it must meet the requirements of having no less than 1,500
communicants and no more than 10,000 communicants and
have no less than 7 member congregations and no more than
20 member congregations; and

Wuereas, This does not take into consideration the geo-
graphical areas that must be taken into account in some
instances to comply with the requirements of Bylaw 1.51;
and

Wuereas, Such geographical distances may become an
excessive burden for those circuits who must comply with
Bylaw 1.51; therefore be it

Resolved, That the factor of geographical distances be
taken into consideration when determining an electoral cir-
cuit; and be it further

Resolved, That Bylaw 1.51 be changed to read in part,
with the following addition, as follows:

each pair of delegates shall represent from 7 to 20
member congregations, involving an aggregate com-
municant membership ranging from 1,500 to 10,000,
and that said electoral circuit shall not exceed
a geographical radius in excess of 60 miles.

IMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH
Oakley, Kans.

Don Moore, President

Alan Nathan, Pastor
Raymond Strub, Secretary

5-30

To Require Companion Circuit Device
for Convention Representation

Wuereas, A convention of approximately 1,000 voting
delegates and 500 advisory delegates (excluding visitors) as
we had it at Milwaukee in 1971 becomes unwieldy; and

Wuereas, The cost of such a convention is excessive; and

Wuereas, 50 percent of the delegates could carry on the
work just as effectively; and

Wuereas, A smaller convention would enable us to keep
more areas involved by having conventions in cities which
are too small to absorb 1,500 delegates, but capable of ac-
commodating 750; therefore be it

Resolved, That all Districts be required to divide them-
selves into “eompanion-circuits,” whereby two circuits, in-
stead of one, are considered units for sending one pastoral
delegate and one lay delegate per unit; and be it further

Resolved, That circuits in each unit be required to alter-
nate in sending delegates by requiring the one to send
a pastoral delegate when the other sends a lay delegate,
and to alternate for each convention; and be it further

Resolved, That wherever possible consecutive numbers
(e.g,1&2,3&4,5 & 6,7 & 8, etc.) be used to form com-
panion circuits; and be it further

Resolved, That when odd-numbered circuits send pastors,
and even-numbered circuits send lay delegates, all be re-
quired to follow this pattern; and be it further

Resolved, That if the latter “Resolved” be not feasible for