LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1979, Page 40

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40 MINUTES OF THE CONVENTION

Task Force

Chairman August Mennicke of the floor committee
dealing with the report of the Task Force on Constitu-
tion, Bylaws, and Structure presented Res. 2-04A (TB
189) to the delegates. Discussion on this resolution,
which called for the provision for continued study of the
synodical organization, had been begun in a previous
session. An amendment which called for the addition of
a third point on line 58 (7B 189) which would ask the
proposed Task Force “To study the possibility of more
equitable one person-one vote lay representation by
congregations at the District level and Circuits at the
synodical level” was declined after the chair ruled that
the delegates had agreed to cease debate on the amend-
ment. A late call for a division of the house was
permitted. The convention declared by a vote of 711 to
217 that it had agreed to terminate debate. When the
amendment was voted on again, it was once more
declined. Resolution 2-04A (TB 189) was then adopted.
Resolution 2-05A (TB 190), which called for a restate-
ment of Article VII of the Constitution, describing the
relationship of the Synod and its member congrega-
tions, was read in its entirety because it involved
constitutional changes. After considerable discussion
this resolution was declined. Resolution 2-06 (7B 71),
which also involved a constitutional revision, calling
for achange in the title and revision of the provisions of
Article XIII dealing with expulsion from the Synod, was
read in its entirety. After a period of discussion the
delegates asked that this resolution be recommitted to
the floor committee for further consideration. Prior to
introducing Res. 2-07, which called for Bylaw changes
which would prescribe the role and relation of auxil-
iaries and of listed service organizations, the committee
deleted lines 30—31 (7B 73) and lines 21—22 (TB 74).
With the latter deletion No. 7 becomes No. 6 and No. 8
becomes No. 7. They also substituted the wording found
in Today’s Business, page 291, for b, 3 and b, 5 on page
75 of Today’s Business. Although the resolution called
for a change in the Bylaws, the delegates agreed to
dispense with the reading of the resolution in its
entirety. Resolution 2-07 (7B 73) was then adopted as
amended by the floor committee. Resolution 2-08 (TB
76), which was adopted by the delegates, changed the
title of Bylaw XVII of the Handbook to include auxiliary
and listed service organizations. The convention agreed
that the present method of nominating and electing the
President, First Vice-President, and Secretary of the
Synod has served well in allowing congregational
participation, and therefore approved Res. 2-09 (TB77),
which declined overtures asking for the preparation
and proposal of new Bylaw provisions for election of
these officers. By adopting Res. 2-10 (TB 77) it also
declined overtures asking for changes in the title and
provisions of Article XIV of the Constitution, an article
dealing with changes and amendments to the Constitu-
tion. Since the delegates agreed that Article V of the
Constitution is clear in its intent with regard to member-
ship and the franchise of the Synod, they adopted Res.
2-11 (7TB77), which proposed that the article be retained

in its present form. Since the meaning of the term
“valuable papers” has changed, the delegates adopted
Res. 2-12 (7B 78) and agreed that in Article XI, E of the
Constitution this term should be replaced by the words
“records normally related to the office of the Treasurer”
in specifying the duties of the Treasurer. They approved
Res. 2-13 (TB 78) and thereby declined an overture
which called for a division of the President’s office into
the offices of Bishop and Executive Director. This
action was taken after declining a motion from the floor
which called for referral of this matter to the new Task
Force.

Point of Order

Responding to a question, the chairman informed
the convention that when a motion is made by a
member of a floor committee and that member is also a
voting delegate, the motion need not be seconded accord-
ing to Robert’s Rules of Order. The convention agreed to
follow this procedure.

Task Force

Since the President of the Synod, in the performance
of his presidential duties, is responsible directly to the
convention of the Synod, the delegates adopted Res. 2-14
(TB 79) and declined to introduce new procedures of
adjudication with regard to the President of the Synod.
The delegates agreed that the concerns expressed in
Overtures 2-02—2-09C and 2-11—2-13 (CW 65—68) had
been covered by other resolutions proposed by the floor
committee and therefore adopted Res. 2-15 (TB 79),
agreeing that no action needed to be taken on them.

Administration

Chairman Alvin Kollmann of the Floor Committee
on Administration introduced Res. 4-11 (TB 111). The
delegates adopted the resolution, reaffirming their in-
tent to follow principles which would eliminate all
vestiges of racism, separatism, and prejudice by encour-
aging fair employment and purchasing practices within
the Synod , and encouraged the Board of Social Ministry
and World Relief to continue its efforts in assisting
congregations and Districts in combating racism. By
adopting Res. 4-12 (TB 111) West Portal Lutheran
Church, San Francisco, Calif., was transferred from the
California-Nevada-Hawaii District to the English Dis-
trict; Trinity Lutheran Church, Burlingame, Calif., was
transferred from the California-Nevada-Hawaii Dis-
trict to the English District; Good Shepherd Lutheran
Church, Des Plaines, IIl., was transferred from the Eng-
lish District to the Northern Illinois District; First
Lutheran Church, Lloydminster, Sask., was transferred
from the Manitoba and Saskatchewan District to the
Alberta and British Columbia District; and The Church
of the Reformation—Lutheran, Affton, Mo., was trans-
ferred from the English District to the Missouri District.

Point of Order

Since, contrary to adopted convention procedures,
the previous resolution had been read in its entirety, an
objection was raised to this action. The chair indicated