Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1975 · 51st Convention › Page 191
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 191

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

ADMINISTRATION 191

vention, to the old schedule of one synodical convention every
3 years (triennial conventions).
Mt. Hope Lutheran Church
Casper. Wyo.
Richard Means. President
Dennis Burwell, Secretary
J. B. Brown, Pastor

4-39A

To Limit Terms of President.
Vice-Presidents. and Secretary of Synod

WHEREAS. It is generally agreed that the Synod is a political
institution, though ecclesiastical: and

WHEREAS. Any democratic political institution has found it
wise and necessary to provide limitation of terms of office for
its highest elected leadership to ensure that the rights of its
people are protected: and

WHEREAS. There is within the Synod a vast resource of po-
tential leadership: therefore be it

Resolred. That Bylaw 2.07a currently in the Handbook of the
Synod be stricken. which provides for unlimited terms of office
for the President. Vice-Presidents. and Secretary: and be it
further

Resolved. That Bylaw 2.07b be amended to read:

b. All elected synodical officers and members of
all synodical boards shall be ineligible for reelection
or reappointment to the same board after serving a
total of three complete successive terms, etc.

Pilgrim Lutheran Church
Indianapolis, Ind.

Glenn Hackman. President
Theodore Mesh. Secretary

Identical or similar:

4-39B and 4-39C

Pastoral Conference, Oklahoma Dist.
Faith, Kirksville, Mo.

F. Schumacher
Mark Appold

4-40

To Increase Lay Representation on All
Boards, Committees to Three Fourths
(3/4) of Total Membership

WHEREAS. The LCMS is historically known as the church of
the laymen: and

WHEREAS. The laymen greatly outnumber those charged
with the teaching and preaching ministries: therefore be it

Resolved. That all committees and governing bodies. elected
or appointed. consist of not less than three fourths (3/4) laymen.

Christ Lutheran Church
Coos Bay. Oreg.

Wayne Buckles, President
Curt Aman, Secretary

4-41

To Increase Teacher Representation
on Synodical Boards, Commissions, etc.

WHEREAS, The teaching ministry of the Synod numbers
more members than any other ministry of the church: and

WHEREAS, This ministry is underrepresented on boards
and commissions of the church (e. g., Board of Directors has 1
teacher, 3 pastors: Constitution Committee has no teachers:
Board of Appeals has no teachers: Commission on Theology
and Church Relations has 1 teacher, 3 pastors: Nominations
Committee has 3 teachers, 7 pastors: Boards of Control of
teachers colleges have 1 or 2 teachers, 1 to 3 pastors): and

WHEREAS, Such underrepresentation limits opportunities
for service and prevents use of unique talents possessed by
some members of the teaching ministry: therefore be it

Resolved. That the Bylaws of the synodical Constitution be
amended to increase the number of teachers on boards and
commissions of the Synod: and be it finally

Resolved. That teacher representation on Boards of Control
of teachers colleges reflect their proportion of the total profes-
sional roster of the Synod.

Faculty

Concordia Teachers College
River Forest, Ill.

Merle L. Radke, Secretary

4-42
To Recognize 60-40 Ratio

WHEREAS. A majority of our Synod's constituency fervently
long for a return of Christian fraternity and peace by which
we can cope with the diversity in our midst according to har-
mony and love as members of the body of Jesus Christ: and

WHEREAS. The biennial convention of the Synod at New
Orleans in 1973 voted on controverted issues according to a
60-40% ratio: and

WHEREAS. The Synod was polarized on these issues prior to
the New Orleans convention: and

WHEREAS. That polarization has escalated since said con-
vention: and

WHEREAS. The whole Synod is in anguish over the radicaliza-
tion of the ever-widening controversy among us: therefore be it

Resolved. That the Synod in convention direct the President
of the Synod as well as the Board of Directors, the Commission
on Theology and Church Relations. the Council of Presidents,
the Board for Missions. and the Board for Higher Education to
exercise the highest kind of leadership and pastoral concern by
carefully recognizing the 60-40 vote of the New Orleans conven-
tion: and be it further

Resolved. That the aforementioned use the 60-40 vote ratio
both as an indicator of the potential for deep division in our
Synod and as a guideline for making appointments to office.
establishing policy. interpreting and enforcing the Constitution
and Bylaws. and deliberating those things generally which are
pertinent to their respective functions: and be it finally

Resolved. That all actions which show exclusion or con-
demnation implicity and explicitly cease immediately so that
efforts to reconcile are not thwarted.

Grace Lutheran Church
Modesto, Calif.

Robert Fries. President
Al Smith, Secretary

4-43

To Place at Least One Member
of a Minority Group on Each Board

Resolved. That the Synod recognize the many gifts and
talents of our minority groups as gifts God has given to the
church and utilize them by putting at least one member of a
minority group on each committee and board of the Synod.

Board of Directors
Eastern District
Richard L. J. Hoemann. Secretary

4-44
To Permit Minorities to Answer
Their Own Problems

WHEREAS. Members of minority groups know the problems
of their own communities better than those who live and think
outside of these minority groups: and