LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 442

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442

not a union or association of professional church work-
ers, but a federation of congregations, who alone have
the franchise, which they may delegate to pastors and
lay persons chosen by them to vote in their behalf at the
conventions of the Syncd and in its Districts: and

WuerEAs, The right to vote at the conventions of the
Synod and its Districts is neither a personal right nor
a professional right of church workers inherent in them
by virtue of their respective status, but a right delegated
or conferred upon a pastor and a lay person chosen to
represent a congregation: and

Wuereas, It is the righ«ful call issued by a congrega-
tion, or by congregations acting in concert. or by con-
Sregations who delegate the function of calling pastors
or teachers to a joint agency established by them —
it is such a call which confers the office of pastor or of
teacher to persons qualified for such ministry: and

Wuereas, The membership in the Synod. acquired by
pastors and teachers, is a professional membership, and
as such is entirely distinct from voting membership.
which only the congregations of the Synod possess: and

Wuereas, Every request that the right to vote be
granted to church workers as individuals instead of
being delegated to the chosen representatives of con-
gregations, would not merely subvert the integrity of
representative government in The Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod, but actually create an ecclesiastical
status or rank in the church by virtue of a professional
service rendered and destroy the balance of pastoral
and lay representatives of congregations: and

Wuereas, There are diferent functions in the con-
8regations as well as in the institutions established by
them to serve them, such differences in function must
never be interpreted as warrant for the establishment
of differences in rank, so that church workers have
voting rights independent of election by congregations
and inherent in them by virtue of their professional
qualifications: and

Wuereas, Voting rights delegated by a congregation
to a pastor or layman are a commission by the congre-
gation that their representatives serve the interests and
objectives of the congregation by the exercise of its
franchise in the conventions of the Synod and its Dis-
tricts; therefore be it

Resolved, That the requests made for voting rights
for all professional church workers of all categories
mentioned in the overtures cited above be declined as
contrary to the principles set forth by the Constitution
of the Synod.

To Decline to Change the Legislative Process
in the Synod and Districts
RESOLUTION 5-16

Overture 5-08 (CW, p. 215)

Wuereas, Major recommendations of this overture
would entail fundamental changes in the Synod’s Con-
stitution; and

Wuereas, Other studies dealing with these topics are
now in progress, therefore be it

Resolved, That Overture 5-08 be declined.

To Decline Study of the Adjudicatory Process
RESOLUTION 5-17
Report 5-02 (CW, p. 211)

Wuereas, The Committee on Organization has ex-
amined the comprehensive Milwaukee convention Res.
5-14 which established the Commission of Adjudication
(Proceedings, 1971, pp. 156—159); and

Wuerkas, This new adjudicatory board ought to be
given sufficient opportunity to prove itself capable of
meeting the expectations of the Synod: therefore be it

Resolved, That Res. 5-11 (Milwaukee) be declined;
and be it also

Resolved, That the name of this adjudicatory com-
mission be changed to Board of Adjudication.

To Provide Biographical Data on Candidates
RESOLUTION 5-18
Report 5-02 (CW, p. 209)

Wuereas, The Committee on Organization concluded,
after examining the pros and cons, on the cne hand,

REFERRED RESOLUTIONS

that more information is needed on a man’s background,
competence. and qualifications for an office, etc., be-
cause uninformed yoting often results in the election
of a man by chance. the alphabetical position of his
name on the ballot, or because he has a well-known
name; and

Wuereas, On the other hand. the nominating com-
mittee already has a formidable task, so that it may not
be possible or feasible for them to provide such needed
biographical information on candidates for synodical
offices: and

Whereas, After consulting various groups on the
matter, the Committee on Organization concluded that
in the time available to them they could not find a more
acceptable method of gathering adequate biographical
information on candidates for the Synod’s elective
offices: therefore be it

Resolved. That the present procedure be retained,
but that maximum data on the candidates be presented
to congregations and delegates to synodical conventions;
and be it further

Resolved, That the President of the Synod, in con-
sultation with the Board of Directors, appoint a Com-
mittee on Biographical Data of Candidates for Elective
Synodical Offices who will continue to study as fully as
possible all aspects of this problem, particularly the
ethical aspects of providing information on candidates
for positions on elective boards, commissions, and com-
Mittees.

To Decline Request for Regulation Change
Regarding District Secretary

RESOLUTION 5-19
Overture 5-59 (CW, p. 227)

Wuereas, The Synod's Handbook Bylaw 3.21 re-
quires that the District secretary shall be elected from
the clergy roster; and

Wuereas, This regulation has proven of value in the
past: therefore be it

Resolved, To decline Overture 5-59.

To Decline Limiting Tenure of Elected Offices
RESOLUTION 5-20
Overture 5-58 (CW, p. 227)

Wuereas, Bylaw 2.07 of our Handbook says: “The
offices of the President, of the First Vice-President, and
of the Secretary of the Synod shall be without limita-
tion as to reelection”: and

Wuereas. The Synod in setting forth this regulation
recognized the value of not limiting these offices as to
terms and age: and

Wuereas, The Synod always has the option of limit-
ing tenure of these offices by not reelecting candidates
for office: therefore be it

Resolved, To decline Overture 5-58.

To Clarify Function of Council of Presidents
RESOLUTION 5-21

Report 5-02, II; Overtures 5-10, 5-65, 5-66, 5-67, 5-68,
5-69A, 5-69B, 5-69C, 5-70, 5-73A, 5-73B, 5-73C, 5-
73D, 5-74A, 5-74B, 5-74C, 5-74D, 5-74E, 5-74F, 5-75, 5-
716A, 5-76B, 5-76C, 5-76D, 5-76E, 5-76F, 5-76G, 5-76H,
5-77A, 5-77B (CW, pp. 210, 215, 229—234)

Wuereas, The District presidents are historically the
arms of the synodical President and responsible to him
(Handbook 3.41); and

Wuereas, The role of the Council of Presidents, as
historically carried out in our church, would be one in
which the Council exists in an advisory capacity to the
synodical President, that the Council of Presidents
would have the prerogative to offer suggestions to the
President, would assist the President in carrying out
his duties, and would perform those duties which the
Synod would prescribe from time to time and allocate
to it; and

Wuereas, Such functions of the Council of Presidents
should be enumerated in the Bylaws: therefore be it

Resolved, That the last sentence of Bylaw 3.41 be
deleted, which reads: “The District Presidents, together
with the President and Vice-Presidents of the Synod,
shall form the Council of Presidents”: and be it also

Resolved, That a new Bylaw Section 3.53 be adopted
as follows:

3.53 Council of Presidents

The President and Vice-Presidents of the Synod
and the District Presidents shall form the Council
of Presidents. The Council shall meet at the call
of the President:

a. to enable the President to advise and counsel
his representatives in the Districts:

b. to enable the District Presidents in turn to
give counsel to the President when requested:

¢. to counsel with one another on matters re-
garding the doctrine and administration of the
Synod and its Districts:

d. to edify and support one another in the work
which they share:

e. to carry out such assignments as the Synod
may give to the Council from time to nme

To Decline a Study Regarding the Election
of Vice-Presidents and of Involving
District Presidents in All Affairs

RESOLUTION 5-22
Overtures 5-54A, 5-54B (CW, p. 226)
Wuereas, The concerns expressed in these overtures

are met satisfactorily by the present provisions of the
Synod's Constitution. Article XII; therefore be it

Resolved, That these overtures be declined.

To Decline the Changing of the Synod's Name
RESOLUTION 5-23
Overture 5-96 (CW, p. 239)

Wuereas, There is no real groundswell of opinion in
the Syned in favor of changing the name: and

Wuerras, The name “The Lutheran Church — Mis-
souri Synod" has come to be associated with a firm con-
fessional position in the theological world: therefore
be it

Resolved, That we decline Overture 5-96.

To Change Manner of Appointment
of Commission on Constitutional Matters

RESOLUTION 5-24

Report 5-02, Overtures 5-82A, 5-82B, 5-83A, 5-83B, 5-
84A, 5-84B, 5-85A, 5-85B (CW, pp. 210, 236—237)

Wuereas, The Committee on Organization was as-
signed at the Milwaukee convention (Proceedings, 1971.
Res. 5-17. p. 160) the task of evaluating the Commis-
sion on Constitutional Matters: and

Wuereas, This committee studied the appointing au-
thority, tenure of office, and membership serving on
boards and commissions in the Synod and District; and

Wuereas, This committee found no conflict of inter-
est; and

Wuereas, This committee considered suggestions that
the Commission on Constitutional Matters be elected
rather than appointed: and

Wuereas, The history of the Commission 9n Con-
stitutional Matters has shown that there has been a
beneficial continuity of service; therefore be it

Resolved, That this convention reject the overtures
dealing with the election of the Commission on Con-
stitutional Matters and reaffirm the practice of appoint-
ing this commission: and be it also

Resolved, That with regard to the appointment of
this commission, Bylaw 2.107 be revised to read:

a. The Commission on Constitutional Matters
shall be appointed by the President after consulta-
tion with the Board of Directors. The commission
shall consist of five members: two pastors, two lay-
men, at least one of whom shall be an attorney, and
the Secretary of the Synod. The President shall
appoint one of the Vice-Presidents as an advisory
member,

To Decline to Permit Restriction
of District Clergy Offices to Parish Pastors
RESOLUTION 5-25
Report 5-02, I, 4 (CW, p. 205)

Wuereas, In the interest of uniform procedures
within the Synod. Districts should follow synodical pro-
cedures of election: and

Wuereas, The results requested in Overture 5-36