Constitution metadata
- Article
- Article VIII
- Source pages
- pp. 13-14
Site-authored orientation
Start here for convention authority, regular convention timing, legality, and resolutions at Synodical meetings.
LCMS Constitution
Article VIII: Synodical Meetings
Provides constitutional grounding for regular and special meetings of the Synod.
The LCMS Handbook is official LCMS governance material. This Field Guide provides navigation, search aids, references, and study helps. Readers should verify all quotations, procedures, and requirements against the official Handbook.
This page reproduces text from the 2023 LCMS Handbook for study and navigation. Readers should verify procedural, legal, parliamentary, or governance questions against the official LCMS Handbook and appropriate LCMS authorities.
Official Handbook Source Text
Article VIII: Synodical Meetings
Source: LCMS Handbook 2023, pages 13-14.
This page reproduces text from the 2023 LCMS Handbook for study and navigation. Readers should verify procedural, legal, parliamentary, or governance questions against the official LCMS Handbook and appropriate LCMS authorities.
Article VIII Synodical Meetings
A. Time and Legality of Meetings
1. The Synod convenes every three years for its regular meeting.
2. For a legal convention a constitutional convocation of the meeting and the presence of at least one- fourth of the constitutionally elected voting representatives are necessary.
B. Special Sessions of the Synod
1. The Synod may under circumstances call a special session if two- thirds of the voting representatives present so decide.
2. In cases of urgent necessity a special session may be called by the President with the consent of two-thirds of the district presidents or by three-fourths of the district presidents without the consent of the President; however, all congregations and other members of the Synod must be notified 30 days in advance and told for what purpose this extra meeting is being convened.
C. Resolutions at Synodical Meetings All matters of doctrine and of conscience shall be decided only by the Word of God. All other matters shall be decided by a majority vote. In case of a tie vote the President may cast the deciding vote.
