Official Handbook Source Text
Handbook page 29
Source: LCMS Handbook 2023, page 29.
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.
meetings. Unless otherwise specified in the Bylaws, each agency is free to select a manner of meeting, consistent with Board of Directors policy, that best enhances its ability to accomplish its mission, taking into consideration fostering the open exchang e of ideas, availability of technology to all members, stewardship of resources, perception of fairness, controversial nature of agenda items, and whether secret ballots might be used.
1.5.3.1 At the initial meeting after election or appointment, all mission boards,
commissions, and governing boards shall organize themselves as to chair, vice-chair, secretary, and other committees and positions as necessary or mandated by these Bylaws and shall conduct business in accordance with accepted parliamentary rules.
1.5.3.2 All mission boards, commissions, and governing boards may make use of
executive committees to act in times of emergency between plenary meetings, to act on delegated assignments , and to act as specified elsewhere in these Bylaws.
(a) Executive committees may not perform acts specifically required by statute or by legislation or the Constitution, Bylaws, and resolutions of the Synod to be performed by the agency, nor may they overturn actions of the agency.
(b) All executive committee actions shall be reported to plenary sessions of the agency.
1.5.3.3 All mission boards, commissions, and governing boards may also delegate
a specific assignment for a limited time to a committee composed of its own members.
1.5.3.4 All mission boards, commissions, and governing boards may appoint
standing committees of specialists to provide professional or technical assistance to the board or commission and may delegate certain responsibilities to such committees while retaining supervision. Standing committees may be made up of or include non- board or commission members. The creation of standing committees shall be reported to the President and the Board of Directors of the Synod.
1.5.3.5 All agencies of the Synod shall develop policies and procedures for making
available official minutes of their meetings. All mission boards and commissions shall develop policies and procedures to make available upon request and at a reasonable price a verbatim copy of the official minutes of their meetings except for executive sessions. Any member of the Synod may request a copy of any official minutes of mission boards or commissions by submitting a written or electronic (via email) request to the Secretary of the Synod, who shall provide such minutes according to the policy of the Board of Directors.
1.5.3.6 Notwithstanding anything in the Bylaws to the contrary, the Articles of
Incorporation or other governing documents of each agency shall provide:
(a) That all provisions of its Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws are subject to the provisions of the Constitution, the Bylaws, and the resolutions of the Synod in convention; and
(b) That in the event of dissolution other than by direction from the Synod in convention, the assets of such agency, subject to its liabilities,
