Official Handbook Source Text
Handbook page 4
Source: LCMS Handbook 2023, page 4.
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.
1. RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN AND THROUGH THE SYNOD ................................................ 21
1.1 Purpose of the Synod ............................................................................................ 21
1.2 Definition of Terms ............................................................................................... 21
1.3 Synod Relationships:
Congregation, National, District, Circuit ........................................................... 24
1.4 Synod Relationships: Conventions, Officers, Boards,
Commissions, Staff ............................................................................................... 25
1.5 Regulations for Corporate Synod and Agencies of the Synod ......................... 27
General ............................................................................................................... 27 Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest .................................................................. 27 Organization .................................................................................................... 28 Full Financial Disclosure ................................................................................ 30 Agency Operations ........................................................................................... 31 Agency Conflict Resolution ............................................................................. 31 Removal of Individual Members from Board or Commission Membership ............................................. 31 Removal of Officers of the Synod or District from Office ............................ 33
1.6 Confessional Position of the Synod ..................................................................... 34
Doctrinal Resolutions and Statements .......................................................... 34
1.7 Agreements ............................................................................................................ 36
1.8 Dissent .................................................................................................................... 36
1.9 Doctrinal Review ................................................................................................... 36
Definition ........................................................................................................... 36 Material Subject to Doctrinal Review ............................................................ 37 Procedure ........................................................................................................... 37
1.10 Dispute Resolution of the Synod ......................................................................... 39
Preamble ............................................................................................................ 39 Purpose ............................................................................................................. 40 Exceptions ........................................................................................................ 40 Definition of Terms as Used in this Bylaw Section 1.10 ............................... 41 Informal Efforts toward Reconciliation; Consultation ................................ 42 Formal Efforts toward Reconciliation............................................................ 43 Procedure of a Dispute Resolution Panel ....................................................... 45 Reconsideration of a Dispute Resolution Panel Decision ........................... 46 Congregation’s Right of Self-Government .................................................... 47 District Reconcilers .......................................................................................... 47 Special Considerations for Reconcilers ......................................................... 48 Hearing Facilitators ......................................................................................... 48 Dispute Resolution Panels .............................................................................. 49 Appeal Panels ................................................................................................... 50 Review Panels ................................................................................................... 50 Disqualification ................................................................................................ 51 Decisions ............................................................................................................ 52 Rules of Procedure ............................................................................................ 52
2. MEMBERSHIP ............................................................................................... 54
2.1 Overview ................................................................................................................ 54
2.2 Eligibility of Congregations ................................................................................. 55
