Bylaws | 3 | pp. 100-195
3. NATIONAL ORGANIZATION AND RESPONSIBILITIES
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 ta kes action on reports and
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Constitution | Article XII | pp. 16-18
Article XII Districts of the Synod and Their Regulation
1. The Synod is divided into districts, the geographical boundaries of which are
determined by the Synod and are altered by it according to circumstances.
2. This Constitution is also the constitution of each district of the Synod;
however, each district is at liberty to adopt such bylaws and pass such
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Bylaws | 4 | pp. 196-202
(b) The ecclesiastical supervision of a new church start, satellite
worship site, or any ministry established by a congregation in another
district shall be decided by the affected district presidents.
4.1.7 Officers of the district shall have primary responsibility for district
implementation of decisions of the Synod at the national level as they apply
at
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Page | 17 | p. 17
c. As many circuit visitors as each district may determine upon
d. A district secretary
e. A district treasurer, who may be elected by the district convention or
appointed in such manner as the district may prescribe
4. Additional officers, boards, and commissions are elected by the districts as
they are required for the execution of the business of the dist
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Bylaws | 1 | pp. 21-54
1. RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN AND THROUGH THE SYNOD
1.1 Purpose of the Synod
1.1.1 Committed to a common confession and mission, congregations of The
Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod join with one another in the Synod to
support one another and to work together in carrying out their commonly
adopted objectives. The Synod is organized to work in support of and on
be
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Bylaws | 6 | pp. 208-214
6. AUXILIARY AND RECOGNIZED
SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS
6.1 Auxiliaries
6.1.1 An auxiliary exists as an arm of the Synod and has as its primary function
aiding the Synod, specifically in programs that extend the ministry and
mission of the Synod. Auxiliary status is presently limited to the
International Lutheran Laymen’ s League and the Lutheran Women’ s
Missiona
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Bylaws | 4.2 | pp. 196-197
4.2 District Conventions
4.2.1 Conventions of the districts shall afford opportunities for worship,
nurture, inspiration, fellowship, and the communication of vital
information. They are the principal legislative assemblies, which amend
the district’s Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, consider and take action
on reports and overtures, and handle appropri
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Bylaws | 2 | pp. 55-99
matters as advice and counsel as well as suspension of membership and
forfeiture of it for failure to continue to meet membership requirements. In
protecting the rights of members, provision has also been made for
challenging those decisions by ecclesiastical supervisors that result in
suspension or loss of membership and for restoration of membership when
n
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Bylaws | 3.3 | pp. 112-124
3.2.4.2 All members of all boards and commissions of the Synod shall be ineligible
for re-election or re -appointment to the same board or commission after
serving a total of two successive six -year elected terms or three successive
appointed or elected three -year terms, unless otherwise provided in the
Bylaws.
(a) Such persons may become eligible again fo
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Page | 185 | p. 185
(a) The board shall aid districts in motivating individuals,
congregations, and organizations in acquiring investments for church
extension in a systematic manner.
(b) The board shall strive to coordinate and obtain uniformity in the
church extension programs of the districts.
(c) The board shall provide leadership in advance site acquisition for
further exp
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Bylaws | 3.12 | pp. 186-194
3.12 Nominations and Elections
Regional Elections
3.12.1 For all elections requiring regional representation, the Board of Directors
of the Synod and the Council of Presidents acting jointly shall designate five
geographic regions.
(a) Regions shall be designated 24 months prior to conventions of the
Synod and shall take into consideration geogra phical and
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Bylaws | 5 | pp. 203-207
5. CIRCUITS
5.1 Visitation Circuits
5.1.1 A visitation circuit is a network of congregations that “walks together ” for
mutual care, support, advice, study, ecclesiastical encouragement, service,
coordination, resources, and counsel — all for the sake of greater
congregational participation in God’s mission.
5.1.2 Districts shall establish visitation circuit
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Page | 225 | p. 225
as agency of the Synod. See Agency of
the Synod
concurrence on standard operating
procedures, 70, 79, 86, 91, 99
designation of coordinative roles for
Office of National Mission, 144
policies
non-member congregational service,
61
presidential consultation, 106, 113
records retention and transfer, 127
Deaconesses. See Ministers of religion—
commissioned
Defin
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Page | 15 | p. 15
3. Any officer or any member of any board or commission ceases to be an officer
of the Synod or a member of any board or commission as soon as he ceases
to be a member of a congregation affiliated with the Synod.
Article XI Rights and Duties of Officers
A. In General
1. The officers of the Synod must assume only such rights as have been
expressly conferred u
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Constitution | Article XI | pp. 15-16
Article XI Rights and Duties of Officers
A. In General
1. The officers of the Synod must assume only such rights as have been
expressly conferred upon them by the Synod, and in everything pertaining
to their rights and the performance of their duties they are responsible to the
Synod.
2. The Synod at all times has the right to call its officers to account an
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Page | 18 | p. 18
11. The districts, when legally incorporated, are represented before the State by
a board of directors composed of the president, the secretary, and the
treasurer of the district, which board, however, may be constituted
otherwise.
12. The districts are independent in the administration of affairs which concern
their district only, it being understood, howev
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Page | 24 | p. 24
Bylaws, the “synodwide corporate entities” of the Synod are the
following corporations:
(1) Concordia Historical Institute
(2) Concordia Publishing House
(3) Lutheran Church Extension Fund— Missouri Synod
(4) Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod Foundation
(5) Concordia University System
The term “synodwide corporate entity” is not used in these Bylaws to
include
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Bylaws | 1.10 | pp. 39-54
1.10 Dispute Resolution of the Synod
Preamble
1.10.1 When disputes, disagreements, or offenses arise among members of the
body of Christ, it is a matter of grave concern for the whole church.
Conflicts that occur in the body should be resolved promptly ( Matt. 5:23–
24; Eph. 4:26 – 27). Parties to disputes are urged by the mercies of God to
proceed with one
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Page | 194 | p. 194
required background check, the office will be deemed vacant and will
be filled according to Bylaw 3.2.5.
3.12.4.3 The Committee on Elections shall report the official results of each election
to the convention and shall file a written report of the tabulation of votes
of each election, certified by the chairman and at least one other member
of the committee,
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Page | 16 | p. 16
by presidential letter and has been published in an official periodical of the
Synod. If such matters are related to the business affairs of the Synod, such
a vote shall be conducted only after the President has consulted with the
synodical Board of Directors. In all cases at least one -fourth of the member
congregations must register their vote.
C. Duties
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Page | 155 | p. 155
(c) The responsibility of conscientious pastoral care recognizes that a
pastor will occasionally encounter an exceptional case in which he is
called on to administer Holy Communion to a person who is outwardly
connected with such an organization. Such exceptio nal cases
ordinarily involve an individual who
(1) has accepted the pastoral care of the congregati
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Page | 196 | p. 196
(b) The ecclesiastical supervision of a new church start, satellite
worship site, or any ministry established by a congregation in another
district shall be decided by the affected district presidents.
4.1.7 Officers of the district shall have primary responsibility for district
implementation of decisions of the Synod at the national level as they apply
at
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Page | 211 | p. 211
(e) A recognized service organization shall call only those
commissioned ministers or candidates designated by Bylaw 2.5.3.
(f) A recognized service organization operating domestically respects
the role of all districts impacted by its mission planning. A recognized
service organization shall pursue church planting or establishment of
preaching stations/miss
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Page | 224 | p. 224
ecclesiastical supervision of. See
Ecclesiastical supervision
election of the President by, 187
eligibility and application for
membership, 13, 55– 56
expulsion of, 18, 67– 79
members of, 24
membership in the Synod, 12– 13, 24– 25,
See further Membership in the Synod
nominations by, 186, 188
relation to circuit, 25, 203–7
relation to circuit visitor, 203–5
r
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Page | 63 | p. 63
Candidate
2.11.2.2 A “candidate” member is one who is eligible to perform the duties of any of
the offices of ministry specified in Bylaw section 2.11 but who is not
currently an active member or an emeritus member.
(a) A candidate may be continued on the roster for a period not to
exceed ten years by act of the president of the district through which
the pe
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Page | 113 | p. 113
Powers and Duties – Ecclesiastical
3.3.1.1 As the chief ecclesiastical officer of the Synod, the President shall supervise
the doctrine taught and practiced in the Synod, including all synodwide
corporate entities.
3.3.1.1.1 The President of the Synod has ecclesiastical supervision of all officers of
the Synod and its agencies, the individual districts of th
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Page | 130 | p. 130
(b) Amendments shall be reported to the next convention of the
Synod.
3.6.4.1 The assets and liabilities of the Lutheran Church Extension Fund —
Missouri Synod are separate and distinct from those of the Synod and its
assets cannot be used to satisfy the liabilities and obligations of the Synod.
3.6.4.1.1 In the event the Lutheran Church Extension Fund— Miss
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Page | 189 | p. 189
individual members of the Synod, along with lay persons of the
congregations of the Synod. Nominations may be received from
persons or parties outside the region.
(c) All nominees for a particular regional position must reside within
the boundaries of the region for which they are nominated.
(d) All incumbents eligible for reelection shall be considered to b
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Page | 197 | p. 197
(b) All duly elected voting delegates shall attend all sessions of the
convention regularly until the close of the convention.
(c) Should a multi -congregation parish involve congregations having
membership in different districts, the pastoral delegate shall be
accredited in the convention of the district in which he holds
membership and lay delegates, votin
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Page | 200 | p. 200
4.4.8 The district president shall , with the assistance of his district’s circuit
visitors, promote and pursue unanimous participation by congregations in
the submission of annual statistical reports as an expectation of
membership in the Synod.
4.5 District Boards of Directors
4.5.1 Each district shall elect a board of directors, the size and composition o
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Page | 203 | p. 203
5. CIRCUITS
5.1 Visitation Circuits
5.1.1 A visitation circuit is a network of congregations that “walks together ” for
mutual care, support, advice, study, ecclesiastical encouragement, service,
coordination, resources, and counsel — all for the sake of greater
congregational participation in God’s mission.
5.1.2 Districts shall establish visitation circuit
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Bylaws | 5.3 | pp. 205-207
5.3 Circuit Forums
5.3.1 The circuit forum is the group which aids the process of keeping
congregations, particularly the lay leaders, commissioned ministers, and
pastors, supportive of one another in their common confession and
mutually active in developing programs for the good of member
congregations, in considering and recommending new work, and in
sug
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Page | 208 | p. 208
6. AUXILIARY AND RECOGNIZED
SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS
6.1 Auxiliaries
6.1.1 An auxiliary exists as an arm of the Synod and has as its primary function
aiding the Synod, specifically in programs that extend the ministry and
mission of the Synod. Auxiliary status is presently limited to the
International Lutheran Laymen’ s League and the Lutheran Women’ s
Missiona
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Page | 212 | p. 212
status recognizing different degrees of churchly governance and support
and commensurate expectations for performance of activities and
realization of mutual benefits.
6.2.2.2 The right to extend a Synod-recognized, regular call to a rostered worker is
afforded to the board of directors of a recognized service organization,
provided that:
(a) The board’s com
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Page | 219 | p. 219
INDEX
Organization of this Index: Please note that many of the entries are “chained” so that the item
sought can be considered in context; for example, the entry for “Board for International Mission”
leads you to the entry for “Mission Boards of the Synod” to give the reader the opportunity to find
not only the adjacent “Mission Offices of the Synod” but als
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Page | 9 | p. 9
Foreword
The Handbook of The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod contains the body of
laws that our member congregations have set out to order our life together— a body of
laws in service of the Gospel . This edition incorporates changes made by the 68 th
Regular Convention of the Synod , meeting in Milwaukee, Wisc., July 29– August 3,
2023, to the Bylaws of th
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Constitution | Article VII | p. 13
Article VII Relation of the Synod to Its Members
1. In its relation to its members the Synod is not an ecclesiastical government
exercising legislative or coercive powers, and with respect to the individual
congregation’s right of self -government it is but an advisory body.
Accordingly, no resolution of the Synod imposing anything upon the
individual congre
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Constitution | Article XV | pp. 19-20
Article XV Changes in, and Amendments to, the Constitution
1. Changes in the Constitution and amendments thereto may be made
provided they do not conflict with the provisions laid down in Article II and
in Article VI.
2. All proposed changes and amendments must be submitted in writing to the
Synod assembled in convention, and each proposed change shall be vo
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Page | 19 | p. 19
Article XV Changes in, and Amendments to, the Constitution
1. Changes in the Constitution and amendments thereto may be made
provided they do not conflict with the provisions laid down in Article II and
in Article VI.
2. All proposed changes and amendments must be submitted in writing to the
Synod assembled in convention, and each proposed change shall be vo
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Page | 25 | p. 25
and work together and which the congregations alone have the authority
to adopt or amend through conventions.
1.3.4.2 Members of the Synod, compelled by love for one another, accept the
responsibility to support financially the work of the Synod.
1.3.4.3 Congregations of the Synod, to enable the Synod to plan current and future
ministry efforts and to lend a
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Page | 48 | p. 48
as the SOPM) by the secretary of the district to serve as reconciler in the
following situations arising in the district:
(a) Procedural questions involved in excommunication cases;
(b) Cases in which a member of the Synod shall have been removed
from the position that such member holds in a congregation that is a
member of the Synod;
(c) Cases in which a pe
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Page | 49 | p. 49
facilitators shall be filled by the Secretary of the Synod from the Synod
roster of reconcilers (whether already serving, before the convention,
or, being newly appointed, after their post -convention training) after
consultation with the appropriate district presidents.
(b) Any vacancy in an unexpired term shall be filled in the same
manner as described ab
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Page | 51 | p. 51
or from any of the panel members’ districts. The hearing facilitator
shall not have assisted the previous Hearing Panel.
(c) The list shall be mailed simultaneously to each party, who shall be
entitled to strike one name and return the list to the Secretary of the
Synod within one week.
(d) The Secretary of the Synod shall correct any problem with the
panel
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Page | 53 | p. 53
properly advise or inform the involved congregation(s) and/or the
district or Synod as to the status of the process.
(e) Any party and/or parties to a dispute may seek, at its/their own
personal expense, the assistance of individuals familiar with the issues
involved in the dispute. They may actively participate in research and
the preparation of necessary d
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Page | 62 | p. 62
(d) An officer, executive, or professional staff member of the Synod,
district, or other agency of the Synod.
(e) An executive or professional staff member serving a national inter-
Lutheran entity referred to in Bylaw 1.3.8.
(f) A missionary serving under a call by the Synod, including a call by
a district.
(g) A person serving on the faculty or profession
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Page | 88 | p. 88
the above provision (paragraph 2.16.3). In commencing such action, the
chairman of the Council of Presidents:
(a) Shall determine whether Bylaw 2.16.3 provisions have been carried
out and shall thoroughly investigate the matter to determine whether
the facts learned from his investigation form a basis for expulsion of the
President of the Synod under Article
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Page | 90 | p. 90
unanimous consent by the panel members for a short delay beyond such 45
days for reasons the panel deems appropriate.
2.16.7.5 The chairman of the Council of Presidents shall forward to the Hearing
Panel the statement of the matter together with the written memorandum
describing the manner in which there was compliance with the guidelines
provided in Matthew
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Bylaws | 3.1 | pp. 100-112
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 ta kes action on reports and
overtures, and handles appropriate appeals. It
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Page | 108 | p. 108
(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
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Page | 119 | p. 119
require modification or revocation thereof, except opinions of the
Commission on Constitutional Matters.
(b) Corporate Synod’s budgeting process and the budget itself shall be
designed to support the worldwide mission and ministry of the Synod.
(1) The board shall establish policies and guidelines relating to the
preparation of the annual budget.
(2) The boa
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Page | 120 | p. 120
property of the Synod as is generally vested in and imposed upon a board
of directors of a corporation.
(a) It shall, however, delegate to district boards of directors the
authority to buy, sell, and encumber real and personal property in the
ordinary course of performing the functions which the district carries
on for the Synod in accord with general polic
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Page | 121 | p. 121
3.3.4.10.1 Although the Board of Directors does not have supervisory authority over
the Synod’s colleges and universities and therefore cannot control or direct
the management, administration, and governance decisions of the Synod’s
colleges and universities, it does have responsibilities under Article XI E 2
of the Constitution and these Bylaws. In carryin
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Page | 128 | p. 128
Department of Archives and History within six months after they leave
office. Such transfer shall be done under the auspices of the
Department of Archives and History’s staff and in consultation with the
successor in the office.
(e) Such minutes, files, records, and reports shall ordinarily be
transferred to the archives at the expiration of not more than 15
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Page | 131 | p. 131
extension activities, such as knowledge of real estate, management, and
financial planning.
3.6.4.4 The Lutheran Church Extension Fund — Missouri Synod shall raise funds
primarily through the issuance of corporate notes and other debt
instruments.
3.6.4.4.1 The assets of the Lutheran Church Extension Fund — Missouri Synod shall
be used exclusively to provide
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Page | 132 | p. 132
2. The chairman of the Board for National Mission or his
representative from that board
3. At least seven members appointed by the members, as provided in
the Bylaws of the Foundation
4. The President of the Synod or his representative
5. The representative designated by the Board of Directors of the
Synod as a nonvoting member
The members of the Board of T
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Page | 135 | p. 135
(e.g., as in Bylaw 3.12.3.4 [c]) and suggesting for appointment those
suitably qualified;
(m) serve as a resource for regents’ development of and mandatory
training in governance skills, especially as they relate to the carrying
out of the mission of the Synod’s colleges and universities within the
mission of the church, and foster regents’ growth in aspects
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Page | 143 | p. 143
• youth ministry
Upon recommendation of the Office of National Mission, the Board for
National Mission shall serve as a calling agency for institutional and agency
chaplains and other non- foreign specialized ministers (e.g., Veterans
Administration chaplains, Bureau of Prison chaplains, hospital chaplains,
pastoral counselors, and teachers of chaplaincy an
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Page | 144 | p. 144
• church planting and revitalization
• youth ministry
3.8.2.5 In carrying out its mission responsibilities, the Office of National Mission
shall receive its primary focus from the mission and ministry emphases
developed triennially by the national Synod in convention and from the
policies developed and determined by the Board for National Mission.
Through th
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Page | 169 | p. 169
of the question(s). The request for an opinion must be made within
30 days of the final formation of the review committee. If a party
does not request such an opinion within the designated time, such
a request may still be made to the review committee, which shall, at
its discretion, determine whether the request shall be forwar ded.
The review committee sh
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Page | 184 | p. 184
3.10.6.9.3 A formal procedure shall be in place to carry out performance reviews for
all faculty on a regular basis.
3.10.6.9.4 Other than honorable retirement, termination of faculty employment may
only be the result of the following:
(a) professional incompetency;
(b) incapacity for the performance of duty;
(c) insubordination;
(d) neglect of or refusal to
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Page | 186 | p. 186
3.12 Nominations and Elections
Regional Elections
3.12.1 For all elections requiring regional representation, the Board of Directors
of the Synod and the Council of Presidents acting jointly shall designate five
geographic regions.
(a) Regions shall be designated 24 months prior to conventions of the
Synod and shall take into consideration geogra phical and
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Page | 190 | p. 190
Iowa East Ohio
Kansas Rocky Mountain
Michigan South Wisconsin
Mid-South Southeastern
Minnesota North Pacific Southwest
Montana Southern Illinois
New England Texas
3.12.3.3 One-half of the electing districts shall be designated by the Secretary of the
Synod to elect a professional church worker and the other half a layperson,
with roles reversed every six yea
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Page | 191 | p. 191
candidates from the list of nominees gathered by the nominations
process.
(d) In the case of boards of directors of synodwide corporate entities,
the committee shall consult with the governing boards of each
synodwide corporate entity, through their chief executive, to receive
input for the committee’s consideration.
(e) In the case of the boards of regents
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Page | 195 | p. 195
(6) be the object of an evaluation prepared by the Board of
Directors of the Synod and submitted to the convention.
4.1.1.4 Transfer of congregations between districts is completed upon approval of
the respective district boards of directors at the request of the
congregation.
4.1.1.5 Transfer of congregations between partner churches requires the
additional
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Page | 201 | p. 201
4.7 District Nominations, Elections, and Appointments
4.7.1 Each district may adopt regulations for the nomination and election of its
president; the nomination, selection, election, ranking, and succession in
case of vacancies of its vice-presidents; and the nomination or selection of
any regional officers or regional board of directors members, as long as
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Page | 202 | p. 202
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 o
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Page | 207 | p. 207
5.3.5 The circuit forum shall be qualified to submit overtures to national and
district conventions.
5.4 Circuit Convocations
5.4.1 The circuit convocation is a larger gathering of members from circuit
congregations during a year in which there is no national or district
convention.
5.4.2 The purpose of a circuit convocation is to provide a setting in which
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Page | 210 | p. 210
(d) Eligibility to be an “employer” under the Concordia Plans of the
Synod unless the policies of such a plan preclude such organization as
an eligible employer.
(e) Recognition of the auxiliary in the Handbook of the Synod and
listing of the organization in The Lutheran Annual as an auxiliary of the
Synod, provided that such listing shall be prefaced by a
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Page | 213 | p. 213
standard form of agreement to be entered into by the Synod and each
recognized service organization.
(b) Each mission board of the Synod in consultation with the Council
of Presidents shall adopt further policies and criteria, related to its area
of responsibility for granting of recognized service organization status
by its respective mission office, such p
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Page | 220 | p. 220
Assignment of first calls, 60
Assistants, parish. See Ministers of
religion— commissioned
Assisting capacity call. See under Ministers
of religion— ordained
Assisting capacity call designation. See
under Ministers of religion—ordained
Association school. See Schools,
association (definition)
Auxiliary organizations, 208– 10
archival requirements, 128
calling
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Page | 221 | p. 221
amendments to, 214
Calls
assignment of first (placement) by
Board of Assignments, 60
assisting capacity, 57
by association schools, 56– 57
by congregations, 13, 56– 57
installation forms and practices, 198
multi-congregation parish, 57
of candidates, 59–60
qualification for first, 60–61
role of district president in, 31, 56– 57,
198, 208, 212
Candidate membe
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Page | 222 | p. 222
appointed members, 174
as board of the Synod. See Boards of
the Synod
qualifications and their verification,
175, 191, 192
removal of member, 32
training, 176
closure or sale, 177
Concordia University System, 133– 40
consolidation, 177
coordination and collaboration, 178
doctrinal review, 37
president, 182
faculty, 157, 183– 84
academic freedom, 183
appointm
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Page | 223 | p. 223
submission of report by, 105
terms of office, 110– 12
Committee for Convention Nominations,
189–92
preliminary work by Secretary, 116
subcommittee (“3.2.5”) for vacancy
nominations, 112
Committee on Elections, 193–94
Committee, Colloquy, for Commissioned
Ministry, 156– 57
Committee, Colloquy, for Pastoral
Ministry, 156
Committee, convention, 106
directed rep
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Page | 229 | p. 229
representation at Synod convention,
104
Model Operating Procedures Manual, 134,
184
Multi-congregation parish. See Parish,
multi-congregation
Name of the Synod, 11, 215
National inter-Lutheran entities, 25
executives, professional staff, 62
formation, 25
National Mission, Board for. See under
Mission Boards of the Synod
National Mission, Office of. See under
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Page | 232 | p. 232
of district officers, board and
commission members, 201
of hearing facilitator, 48
of members of Commission on
Constitutional Matters, 146
of members of Commission on
Handbook, 150
of reconciler, 47
of synodwide corporate entity chief
executive, 125
Theology and Church Relations,
Commission on. See Commission on
Theology and Church Relations
Treasurer. See C
Verify in official Handbook before formal use.