3.1 National Conventions

3.1 National Conventions

3.1.1 The national convention of the Synod shall afford an opportunity for

worship, nurture, inspiration, fellowship, and the communication of vital information. It is the principal legislative assembly, which amends the Constitution and Bylaws, considers and takes action on reports and overtures, and handles appropriate appeals. It establishes general positions and policies of the Synod, provides overall program direction and priorities, and evaluates all such positions, programs, policies, directions, and priorities in order to provide responsible service for and on behalf of its members. Only a national convention of the Synod shall authorize affiliation or association and the discontinuance of such affiliation or association of the Synod with other church bodies, synods, or federations.

Voting Delegates

3.1.2 Electoral circuits shall meet as required by the Bylaws of the Synod to elect

circuit voting delegates to the Synod’s national conventions.

(a) An electoral circuit shall consist either of one or two adjacent visitation circuits, as shall be determined by the district board of directors on the basis of the following requirements: each pair of delegates shall represent from 7 to 20 member congregations, involving an aggregate confirmed membership ranging from 1,500 to 10,000.

(b) Exceptions to these requirements may be made only by the President of the Synod upon request of a district board of directors.

(c) Voting delegates shall consist of one pastor and one layperson from each electoral circuit. These pastoral and lay delegates and their alternates shall be elected according to the regulations of the Synod (Bylaw 3.1.2.1).

(d) The lay delegate shall serve throughout the triennium following the convention as an advisory member of the circuit forum.

3.1.2.1 Elections of voting delegates shall take place in accordance with

established policy and procedure.

(a) Each electoral circuit shall meet at the call of the circuit visitor(s) to elect its delegates not later than nine months prior to the opening day of the convention. When in-person meetings are burdensome (e.g., geographically large circuits), a circuit may select another manner of meeting (e.g., e -meeting technologies) that is suitable and made available to all participants, taking into consideration the need to provide for an open and fair exchange of ideas and secure, private, and confidential voting.

(b) Each electoral circuit may adopt procedures and methods that will ensure efficiency and accuracy, including the use of mechanical, electronic, or other methods of casting, recording, or tabulating votes.

(c) The privilege of voting shall be exercised by one pastor and one layperson from each member congregation or multi-congregation parish of the circuit , both of whom shall have been elected in the

manner prescribed by the congregation or parish. Congregations of a multi-congregation parish not contributing a lay voter may send an advisory lay representative, with voice but no vote. A pastor serving a congregation in an assisting capacity (Bylaw 2.5.6) is not eligible to cast that congregation’s pastoral vote.

(d) Should a multi-congregation parish involve congregations having membership in different electoral circuits, each lay representative, voting and advisory, shall attend the forum of that circuit of which the representative’s congregation is a member. The pastoral delegate shall attend the forum of the circuit, within which he serves a congregation and within the district in which he holds membership, to which he is assigned by his district president. His eligibility for election as circuit delegate shall be within that circuit only. No multi-congregation parish is entitled to more than one pastoral and one lay voting representative because of its inclusion of congregations from different electoral circuits.

(e) All four persons elected shall come from four different member congregations or multi-congregation parishes of the circuit.

(f) The electoral circuit shall determine whether the elections start with the lay or pastoral voting delegate. The two delegates shall be elected first, then the two alternates, alternating in the determined order between pastoral and lay elections.

(g) For the election of the lay voting delegate: Prior to the meeting of the electoral circuit, each congregation may nominate one layperson (i.e., not a commissioned or ordained minister), either from its congregation or from the circuit. These names must be submitted to the circuit visitor prior to the day of the circuit meeting. Nominees not disqualified by other delegate elections shall constitute the slate of candidates.

(1) Each voter shall vote for only one candidate. Candidates receiving zero votes and the candidate receiving the least number of votes shall be removed from each succeeding ballot until one layperson shall have received a simple majority of all votes cast, whereupon he/she shall be declared the lay delegate.

(2) The congregation or multi-congregation parish from which the lay delegate has been elected shall then be removed from consideration for supplying candidates for the other delegate and alternate elections for that particular convention.

(h) For the election of the pastoral voting delegate: Except those who have been disqualified by other delegate elections, each pastor who is called and installed to a congregation of the circuit in a non-assisting capacity and not a specific ministry pastor shall be eligible for election and their names shall constitute the ballot.

(1) Each voter shall vote for only one candidate. Candidates receiving zero votes and the candidate receiving the least number of votes shall be removed from each succeeding ballot until one pastor shall have received a simple majority of all votes cast, whereupon he shall be declared the pastoral delegate.

(2) The congregation or congregations served (in other than an assisting capacity) by the elected pastoral delegate shall be removed from consideration for supplying candidates for the other delegate and alternate elections for that particular convention.

(i) For the election of the alternate lay delegate: All lay nominees except those who have been disqualified by other delegate and alternate elections shall be eligible for election as the alternate lay delegate.

(1) Each voter shall vote for only one candidate. Candidates receiving zero votes and the candidate receiving the least number of votes shall be removed from each succeeding ballot until one candidate shall have received a simple majority of all votes cast, whereupon he/she shall be declared the alternate lay delegate.

(2) The congregation or multi-congregation parish from which the alternate lay delegate has been elected shall then be removed from consideration for supplying candidates for the other alternate election for that particular convention.

(j) For the election of the alternate pastoral delegate: All other eligible pastors, except those who have been disqualified by other delegate and alternate elections, shall be eligible for election as the alternate.

(1) Each voter shall vote for only one candidate. Candidates receiving zero votes and the candidate receiving the least number of votes shall be removed from each succeeding ballot until one pastor shall have received a simple majority of all votes cast whereupon he shall be declared the alternate pastoral delegate.

(2) The congregation or multi-congregation parish from which the alternate pastoral delegate has been elected shall then be removed from consideration for supplying candidates for the other alternate election for that particular convention.

(k) The visitor(s) shall report the results of the election to the secretary of the district in writing immediately after said election.

(l) If the circuit fails to elect a delegate or alternate, the circuit is permitted to meet again prior to the deadline (Bylaw 3.1.2.1 [a]) to elect the delegate or alternate in accordance with this election procedure.

(m) If after the election deadline neither the delegate nor the alternate (pastoral or lay) can serve, the district president, in consultation with the respective circuit visitor(s), shall appoint a delegate to fill the vacancy.

3.1.2.2 Voting delegates shall serve a three- year term beginning with the

convention, shall function as advisory members of the circuit forum, shall serve as resource persons in the circuit, and shall assist in the dissemination and implementation of resolutions of the Synod in the circuit.

(a) Delegates are responsible to the circuits they represent and shall attempt to discover the sentiment of the members thereof.

(b) Congregations shall not require their delegates to vote in accordance with specific instructions, but every delegate shall be permitted to vote according to his or her own conviction.

(c) Delegates are expected to be faithful in attendance at all sessions of the convention. All duly elected voting delegates shall attend all sessions regularly until the close of the convention. Delegates who arrive late or leave early or who do not attend at all shall present a written excuse.

(d) Delegates shall report the actions of the Synod to their circuits after each convention, preferably appearing before each of the congregations they represent.

Nonvoting Advisory Delegates

3.1.3 In a convention of the Synod, all commissioned ministers and those

ordained ministers not eligible for election as a voting delegate under Bylaw 3.1.2.1 (d) and who are not eligible to represent other entities or offices in the Synod as advisory representatives in any category under Bylaw 3.1.4 shall be represented as follows:

3.1.3.1 Within each district one advisory delegate shall be selected for every 60

such ordained ministers, and one advisory delegate shall be selected for every 60 such commissioned ministers. Fractional groupings shall be disregarded except that each district shall be entitled to at least one advisory delegate in each category.

(a) Selection of district advisory delegates to conventions of the Synod shall be made by the respective groups meeting at the call of the district secretary, during the district convention, at official district conferences of ordained and/or commissioned ministers , or via electronic means according to Board of Directors policy (Bylaw 1.5.3). The district secretary may assist the groups by facilitating the elections. (b) Such selections must be completed at least nine months prior to the opening day of the convention.

(c) Ordained ministers who are eligible for election as a voting delegate under Bylaw 3.1.2.1 (d) (that is, all parish pastors except specific ministry pastors and those serving only in an assisting capacity) and all individuals who are eligible for selection in any category under Bylaw 3.1.4 shall not be counted in determining the number of advisory delegates from each district, shall not be eligible to be selected as delegates from the groups defined in this bylaw, and shall not participate in the election process.

3.1.3.2 All district voting and nonvoting advisory delegates and representatives

and their alternates shall be certified before attending a convention of the Synod.

(a) The names and addresses of all voting and nonvoting advisory delegates and representatives and their alternates shall be forwarded by the district secretary before the announced registration deadline to the Secretary of the Synod on registration forms provided by the latter.

(b) This procedure shall constitute certification.

Other Advisory Representatives

3.1.4 O fficers of the Synod, district presidents, and representatives of the

Synod’s boards, commissions, educational institutions, mission areas, chaplains and district boards of directors shall also serve as advisory representatives to the convention of the Synod.

3.1.4.1 Each board and commission of the Synod shall be represented at

conventions of the Synod.

(a) Each board or commission shall be represented by its chairman or another board or commission member and by its principal staff person.

The boards for National and International Mission shall also be represented by the executive directors of the Offices of National and International Mission, respectively.

(b) Standing exceptions shall be the Board of Directors, the Commission on Constitutional Matters, the Commission on Handbook, and the Commission on Theology and Church Relations, who may be represented by as many of their membership and executive staff as they deem necessary.

(c) Other exceptions must have the approval of the Board of Directors of the Synod prior to each convention.

3.1.4.2 Each educational institution of the Synod shall be represented at

conventions of the Synod.

(a) Educational institutions of the Synod shall be represented by one board member in addition to the district president, by their presidents, and by one faculty member for every 30 full-time faculty members who are members of the Synod, elected from among and by the same.

(b) Fractional groupings shall be disregarded except that each institution having any full -time faculty members on the roster of the Synod shall be entitled to at least one faculty representative.

3.1.4.3 Each foreign mission area, as defined and established from time to time by

the Board for International Mission, shall be represented at conventions of the Synod.

(a) Foreign mission areas shall not exceed 10 in number and may be represented by an advisory representative from within the mission area who is on home leave at the time of the convention and will return to the mission area represented.

(b) These representatives shall be elected by the Board for International Mission in consultation with the field authority for each field and shared with the missionaries at least nine months in advance of a convention of the Synod, provided, however, that each said mission area shall be entitled to a representative, even though there may be no other than terminating missionaries on home leave at convention time.

3.1.4.4 Chaplains in each branch of the Armed Forces of the United States may be

represented at conventions of the Synod.

(a) Chaplains may be represented by active -duty chaplains stationed stateside.

(b) Representatives shall be approved by the Board for International Mission at least nine months before the convention of the Synod.

3.1.4.5 Each district board of directors shall be represented at conventions of the

Synod.

(a) Each district board of directors is entitled to send one representative from the district board of directors and one from the district executive staff other than the district president.

(b) If the district has no executive staff, it may select two members of its board of directors.

3.1.4.6 Each district may be represented by two youth representatives at

conventions of the Synod.

(a) Youth representatives may be selected as a district may specify.

(b) They may speak at the request of a floor committee and with the permission of the chair.

Responsibilities of Advisory Delegates and Representatives

3.1.5 Advisory delegates and representatives shall have voice but no vote and

shall be entitled to the floor to express their opinion the same as voting members.

3.1.5.1 Advisory delegates and representatives shall be eligible for membership on

committees and for offices of the convention unless otherwise specified.

3.1.5.2 All duly elected advisory delegates and representatives shall attend all

sessions regularly until the close of the convention. Delegates who arrive late or leave early or who do not attend at all shall present a written excuse.

Reports and Overtures

3.1.6 The principal business of a convention of the Synod shall be the

consideration of reports and overtures. Reports and overtures shall be submitted to the President of the Synod not later than 20 weeks prior to the opening date of the convention.

(a) No report or overture received subsequent to that date shall be accepted for convention consideration unless a committee consisting of the President, the First Vice -President, and the Secretary adjudge it to be a matter of overriding importance and urgency which is not adequately covered by documents already before the convention.

(b) Overtures and recommendations involving capital outlay or current expenditures shall be accompanied, to the extent feasible, by cost projections and the basis thereof.

Reports

3.1.6.1 Reports to a convention of the Synod may be submitted only by the

President, a vice -president, the Secretary, the Chief Financial Officer, the Board of Directors of the Synod, a board or commission of the Synod as listed in Bylaws 3.2.2, 3.2.2.1, 3.2.3, and 3.2.3.1, and other individuals or duly constituted groups who may be required or permitted to do so by the Bylaws, by action of a prior convention of the Synod, or by the President.

(a) Reports are statements of work performed or contemplated by those who are charged with conducting the business of the Synod between conventions, communications to a convention with respect to studies that may have been made for the Synod in order to further its work, or other types of communications to the Synod.

(b) A report shall not include an overture unless the report is submitted by someone authorized to submit overtures.

Overtures

3.1.6.2 Overtures to a convention of the Synod may be submitted only by a

member congregation of the Synod, a convention or board of directors of a district, an official district conference of ordained and/or commissioned

ministers, the faculty of an educational institution of the Synod, the Board of Directors of the Synod, a board or commission of the Synod listed in Bylaws 3.2.2, 3.2.2.1, 3.2.3, and 3.2.3.1, a committee established by a prior convention, or a forum of a circuit.

(a) Overtures are recommendations in the form of proposed resolutions requesting action on the part of the convention.

(b) Overtures with reference to a case in which a member has been suspended and which is at present un der formal proceedings (Bylaw

2.14.2 [i]), as well as overtures which, upon advice of legal counsel, may subject the Synod or the corporate officers of the Synod to civil action for libel or slander or which contain libel and slander, shall not be accepted for convention consideration.

(c) The President of the Synod shall determine if any overture contains information which is materially in error or contains any apparent misrepresentation of truth or of character. He shall not approve inclusion of any such overture in the Convention Workbook and shall refer any such overture to the district president who has ecclesiastical supervision over the entity submitting the overture for action. If any published overture or resolution is found to be materially in error or contains a misrepresentation o f tr uth or of character, it shall be withdrawn from convention consideration and referred by the President of the Synod to the appropriate district president for action.

Convention Committees

3.1.7 All reports and overtures accepted by the President in accordance with the

foregoing paragraphs shall be referred by him to convention floor committees. Such floor committees shall be appointed by the President in consultation with the Council of Presidents and the Praesidium.

(a) Appointments will be made from among the voting delegates (Bylaw 3.1.2ff), advisory delegates (Bylaw 3.1.3ff), and advisory representatives (Bylaw 3.1.4ff).

(b) Ordained ministers, commissioned ministers, and laypersons shall be represented on all committees.

(c) The President shall notify floor committee members of their appointment and of the time and place of their first meeting no later than 16 weeks before the start of the convention.

(d) The committee rosters shall be published in an official periodical at least 10 weeks before the convention.

(e) If the President deems it advisable, he may convene floor committees prior to the opening of the convention.

(f) After due consideration of the matters referred to it, each floor committee will report its findings and recommendations to the convention.

(g) Each proposed resolution involving expenditures, prior to its consideration on the floor of the convention, shall be presented to the floor committee on financial matters, which in consultation with the accounting department shall attach to the recommended resolution accompanying information on estimated cost on an annual or project basis.

Pre-Convention Publications

3.1.8 A Convention Workbook containing a convention manual, reports and

overtures, the names and congregations of all voting delegates, and other information shall be published under the editorship of the Secretary subject to approval of the President.

(a) The President shall also decide which of the matters accepted for presentation to and consideration by the convention shall be published in the Convention Workbook.

(b) The content of the Convention Workbook shall be posted on the Synod’s Website not later than 12 weeks prior to the opening date of the convention, with printed copies mailed to each delegate and alternate, all officers of the Synod, and members of boards, commissions, and councils.

(c) Any member of the Synod (congregation, ordained minister, commissioned minister) and any lay delegate to the convention wishing to express comments on reports and overtures in the Convention Workbook may submit them at least nine weeks prior to the convention to the Secretary of the Synod, who shall transmit them to the appropriate convention floor committee for consideration.

3.1.8.1 The content of the first issue of Today ’s Business containing the proposed

resolutions of the convention floor committees and other convention business shall be posted on the Synod’s Website, with printed copies mailed to all registered delegates of the convention and all officers of the Synod and members of boards, commissions, and councils.

(a) Responses to the proposed resolutions contained in the first issue of Today’s Business shall be submitted to the chairman of the appropriate floor committee at least one week prior to the convention.

(b) All floor committees shall meet at the convention site prior to the opening of the convention to review such responses and reconsider their proposed resolutions accordingly.

Convention Order

3.1.9 The President shall be responsible for the overall organization and

operations of the conventions of the Synod.

(a) The Chief Administrative Officer or the Chief Administrative Officer’s designee shall serve as the convention manager. He shall be responsible to the President for making arrangements for and directing the externals of the convention and other major assemblies of the Synod and may assist with planning and arranging for district conventions.

(1) The convention manager shall arrange for lodging and may also provide for joint meals while the convention is in session.

(2) Rates for lodging and joint meals shall be established and published.

(b) When necessary, the President in consultation with the convention manager may appoint a local convention chairman and a local convention committee to assist the convention manager.

(c) The President of the Synod shall indicate which convention committees must meet before the convention opens and shall notify the convention manager, who shall provide pre -convention housing and meeting facilities for them. All direct expenses incurred by t hese pre-convention meetings shall be borne by the Synod.

(d) The primary sources of income which are to offset the operating costs of the conventions of the Synod are the district levy, registration fees, exhibit space rentals, and other miscellaneous receipts.

(1) The amount of the district levy per confirmed member and the registration fees will be based on the convention budget submitted by the convention manager to the Board of Directors of The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod for approval, who shall notify the district treasurers of the amount of their assessments by September 1 of the year preceding the convention of the Synod.

(2) The district treasurer shall remit the amount of the district levy to the accounting department of the Synod not later than the month of March before the convention.

(3) The accounting department of the Synod shall prescribe, install, and supervise convention accounting procedures, financial controls, and budgetary classifications for operating income and costs of the convention.

(e) All travel and convention expenses of the Synod’s Praesidium, Secretary, Chief Administrative Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Mission Officer, Board of Directors, district presidents, Commission on Constitutional Matters, Commission on Handbook, Commission on Theology and Church Relations, and legal counsel are included in the operating cost of the convention and as such are included in the district levy.

(f) All travel and convention expenses of the delegates and representatives shall be paid by the districts, the boards, or the commissions that are represented by the respective delegates or representatives.

(g) Convention preachers, worship leaders, and essayists shall be appointed by the President prior to the convention.

(h) The President shall arrange for suitable orientation and guidance for delegates. A convention manual shall be provided for this purpose in the Convention Workbook.

(i) The convention shall organize at its first session on the basis of its registration and the report of the committee on credentials.

(1) The President shall then make his presidential address and submit his official report.

(2) The President shall, at the first session and during the course of succeeding sessions of the convention, announce the order of business for the day and following days.

(3) The President shall conduct the sessions according to accepted parliamentary rules and make every effort to arrange the schedule of business so that the sessions do not exceed one week in duration.

(4) Daily minutes shall be prepared by the Secretary ’s office for inclusion in Today’s Business.

(j) The date and site of Synod conventions shall be established in the following manner.

(1) The President, in consultation with the convention manager, shall decide upon the dates of Synod conventions.

(2) The Board of Directors of the Synod, in consultation with the convention manager, shall establish the sites of Synod conventions, giving preference to St. Louis when logistically and economically feasible.

(3) A district may submit an invitation to host the convention. In such case, a host group shall determine the minimum requirements from the convention manager, agree to provide any needed local support, and submit a proposal to the Board of Directors of the Synod for evaluation and consideration.

(4) The President may also propose a site to the Board of Directors of the Synod. Prior to submission, the district president for the area in which the site is located shall be made aware of the proposal and agree to provide any needed local support.

Convention Communications

3.1.10 The Synod’s communications department shall be responsible for telling

the story of the conventions of the Synod to the public.

3.1.10.1 The official Convention Proceedings of each convention shall be sent by

Concordia Publishing House to every congregation in the Synod.

(a) All delegates (voting and advisory) and all members of boards and commissions of the Synod shall also be sent a copy.

(b) The cost shall be paid by the Synod.

Special Sessions

3.1.11 The business of any special session of the Synod ( Constitution Art. VIII B)

is limited to the specific stated purpose(s) for the calling of the special session.

3.1.11.1 The President of the Synod, in consultation with the Council of Presidents

and the Board of Directors of the Synod, shall establish the specific provisions for any special session of the Synod such as “Reports and Overtures,” “Convention Committees,” “Pre -convention Publications,” Convention Order,” and “Convention Communications,” including any required implementation timeframes.