LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 217

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CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS 217

administrative effectiveness, and that the District President,
while representing the Synod in his District, is accountable to
the Synod through the President of the Synod. This is further
emphasized in the stated duty of the District Presidents to coun-
sel together with the President and the Vice-Presidents “regard-
ing the work of the Synod” and with them to form the Council of
Presidents.

Nowhere in the Constitution and Bylaws are the District
Presidents individually given any authority or individual respon-
sibility outside their respective synodically defined District
assignments. Nor does the authority conferred on them under
Article XII of the Constitution supersede or supplant that of the
synodical President. In adopting Article XII of the Constitution,
the Synod did not repeal, set aside or relieve the synodical
President of his responsibilities or authority for the supervision
over ‘all District Presidents,’ nor is there anything in the
language of said article that can in any way be construed as
limiting his responsibilities or authority over the District Presi-
dents. It must therefore be assumed that it was the intention of
the Synod to leave intact the synodical President's supervision
over the doctrine and administration of the District Presidents.

In conclusion, therefore, the District President is a synodical
officer, created and elected for the purpose of assisting the
synodical President in his overall doctrinal and administrative
supervision in the respective Districts established by the Synod:
the District President has no independent responsibility from
that of the synodical President in the area of doctrinal and
administrative supervision within the District, but is directly
accountable to the synodical President in carrying out these
responsibilities in his District. In brief, the District Presidents
are ministerial officers of the synodical President in carrying
out his primary function to supervise doctrine and administra-
tion and promote the Synod’s business and the unity of faith
and practice among the members of the Synod in each of the
Districts: the District President is at all times under the direct
supervision of the synodical President as an officer of the Synod.

3-03

Report of Ad Hoc Committee to Study
Convention Nomination and Election
Procedures

The New Orleans convention of the Synod called for a special
committee to review and study procedures concerning the
nomination and election of synodical officers as well as members
of various boards and commissions elected by the synodical
convention.

The first action of the committee proposes a change in Hand-
book Section 2.129f. We suggest that the last sentence of this
paragraph be changed to read as follows:

Such delegate shall have submitted this document and
written pertinent information concerning his nominee
(as detailed in 2.129 e to the Secretary of the Synod no
later than 10 days before the opening of the convention.

This proposal speaks to the often confusing and time-con-
suming process of nominations which are made from the floor
of the convention. We believe that it will result in much more
thought being given to floor nominations. According to the
present Bylaw requirements, anyone wishing to nominate some-
one from the floor must have received that individual's consent
prior to the time of the floor nomination. The proposed change
would simply move that requirement back to 10 days before the
convention begins. The most important result, we hope, would
be that it would save much time during the nominating and
electing process on the floor of the convention. If this suggestion
were followed, the necessary biographical information on those
who are to be nominated from the floor could be already printed
and distributed with ‘‘Today'’s Business” prior to the beginning
of the convention.

The second action of the committee refers to Handbook
section 2.12] a. We suggest that the following sentence be added
to this paragraph:

The chairman and the secretary of the Committee for
Convention Nominations shall be advisory members
of the Committee on Elections.

The committee feels that this proposed change would
facilitate the effectiveness and the overall working of both com-
mittees. It would provide for a more immediate flow of informa-
tion from the nominations committee to the elections committee
and it would also provide the nominations committee with im-
mediate notification in the event that additional nominations
should become necessary during the convention.

The committee also considered at length the personnel of the
convention elections committee. We suggest that consideration
be given to appointing people other that voting members of the
convention to the elections committee. The purpose for this
suggestion is to allow those who have been elected as voting
delegates to actually spend their time on the convention floor
rather than the elections committee room, as so often happens
under the present arrangement.

August T. Mennicke, Chairman
Arlen Bruns

August Bernthal

Elwood Zimmermann

Report of Ad Hoc Committee
Concerning Relationship of Deaconesses
to Synod
(Milwaukee Resolution 11-17)

In 1919 a group of Christians concerned about the service of
women within the church organized the Lutheran Deaconess
Association to educate women to serve as deaconesses. The
first deaconesses were trained as nurses in hospitals in Fort
Wayne, Ind.:; Beaver Dam. Wis.: Hot Springs. S. Dak.: and
Addison, Ill. The educational program for deaconesses was
moved from Fort Wayne to the campus of Valparaiso University
in 1942 and was broadened to include parish ministry. social
work, and institutional work.

Deaconess Hall was built on the Valparaiso campus in 1957
as a place of residence for young women and is also now the
headquarters for the Lutheran Deaconess Association. Its con-
struction was made possible through funds from the Lutheran
Women's Missionary League and from such Synodwide efforts
as Conquest for Christ and the Ebenezer drive.

Young women may take their first 2 years of academic
courses in general education at Valparaiso University, at
synodical colleges, or other accredited institutions, and are
required to take their final 2 years of study at Valparaiso Uni-
versity. Every young woman graduating from the program must
have a major in theology and serve a year’s internship. Initial
placements of deaconess graduates are subject to the approval
of the Synod’s Board of Assignments. Several hundred women
have become deaconesses and serve in a variety of ministries
in full-time, part-time, or volunteer situations as professionally
educated women.

Special gratitude and thanks must be given to Valparaiso
University and to the many individuals. organizations (especially
Ladies’ Aids and LWML groups), churches, and synodical Dis-
tricts for their continued prayers. communication about our
program and ministry, and financial support.

The Lutheran Deaconess Association is a member of the
Council of Lutheran Ministries for the purpose of working
toward common goals with representatives from other synodical
auxiliaries.

WHEREAS. The delegates of the synodical convention in
Milwaukee in 1971 passed a resolution to appoint a committee
to study the relationship of deaconesses to the Synod and report
at the next synodical convention: and

WHEREAS. Many young girls and women have been brought
to the knowledge of and faith in their Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ and believe they have been called to serve in the ministry
of Christ: and

WHEREAS. The ministry of deaconesses extends into parishes.
institutions, social work, foreign missions, campus ministry,
state institutions, counseling, special education, has now entered
ministry to Mexican Americans, and will soon be represented in
Taiwan and the Philippines: therefore be it