Official Handbook Source Text
Handbook page 202
Source: LCMS Handbook 2023, page 202.
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.
office of the district president for review and for the district ’s record within one month following such conference.
(d) Professional conferences have no administrative functions in the Synod.
4.8.2 Official conferences for all ordained and commissioned ministers on the
respective rosters of the Synod shall meet, if possible, in plenary sessions at least once each year.
(a) The members of official conferences are to aim to cultivate positive relationships, to be mutually helpful in every way possible, and to encourage, instruct, and admonish one another in a spirit of sincerity and Christian love.
(b) Such conferences may meet more frequently in major sections (not more than five sections) whose geographical boundaries shall be established by the district in convention.
(c) Such major sectional meetings shall be regarded as sessions of the official conference.
(d) All ordained and commissioned ministers on the district rosters are expected to attend meetings of their official conference or present a valid excuse.
(1) Attendance at the official conferences shall be obligatory for ordained and commissioned ministers serving in congregations and parishes.
(2) Those whose offices in the Synod, district, or other agency impose professional or service requirements on which full and regular conference attendance makes undue demands shall, nevertheless, in consultation with their supervisory boards, arrange for their own partial or occasional attendance and participation in their own official conferences in accordance with policies established by their supervisory boards.
4.8.3 The plenary and any sectional conferences may adopt and submit
overtures to conventions of the Synod, including those of districts.
4.9 Other District Meetings
4.9.1 Other meetings also may exist to consider matters of doctrine, exegesis,
and practical theology, and may be used for promotion of the basic activities of the church. Such meetings, including circuit conferences, shall not be regarded as official conferences.
(a) Pastors, teachers, directors of Christian education, directors of Christian outreach, directors of family life ministry, directors of parish music, deaconesses, directors of church ministries , and parish assistants are encouraged to meet also jointly for the purpose of discussing doctrinal, professional, and practical matters.
(b) Ordained and commissioned ministers are also encouraged to organize smaller meetings in addition to their official conferences.
(c) Intersynodical conferences for the study of theology are desirable and are encouraged on a regular basis. They also are not official conferences.
