To Amend Constitution and Bylaws to Alter Selection of Voting Delegates to National Convention

Ov. 9-19

To Amend Constitution and Bylaws to Alter Selection of Voting Delegates to National Convention

WHEREAS, The national convention of the Synod is the “principal legislative assembly” of the Synod and, inter alia , establishes general positions and policies of the Synod; elects officers, directors, and board and commission members; and provides overall program direction and priorities (Bylaw 3.1.l); and

WHEREAS, Member congregations of the Synod are grouped together to be represented by two voting delegates at a national convention of the Synod, one a pastor and one a lay delegate (Const.

Art. IX l), which grouping constitutes an “electoral circuit” of between “ 7 and 20 member congregations” of the Synod with aggregate confirmed membership of between 1,500 and 10,000 individuals (Bylaw 3.1.2 [a]); and

WHEREAS, In 2024, the Synod had 5,799 member congregations, of which 82 reported average weekly attendance in excess of 500 individuals while not less than 4,286 reported average weekly attendance of 100 or less (LCMS Office of National Mission handout, Smaller C ongregation Summit, St. Louis, Mo., June 25 – 26, 2024); and

WHEREAS, There are member congregations of the Synod that have more than 1,500 confirmed members and could alone satisfy the aggregate confirmed membership requirements of Bylaw 3.1.2 (a) but are required to be included in an electoral circuit, diminishing repres entation of their members at a national convention of the Synod while, conversely, 20 congregations with 50 confirmed members each in an electoral circuit would have outsized representation at a Synod convention; and

WHEREAS, The Synod makes known the love of Christ by word and deed through its member congregations of all sizes in the

communities in which they carry out ministry, and all congregations are valued for said ministry, but the discrepancy in size between the largest and smallest congregations has expanded since the 1970s, such that more members of congregations of the Synod have fewer representatives at a Synod convention; and

WHEREAS, The member congregations of the Synod, as Synod, are “walking together” in ministry and, accordingly, representation with regard to the affairs of the Synod should take into account the varying sizes of the member congregations of the Synod; therefore be it

Resolved, That Constitution Article IX 1 be amended as follows:

PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING Article IX Representation The synodical meetings are composed of regularly elected and delegated representatives and of certain individual persons, as specified in the Bylaws, to wit:

1. Representatives of congregations, entitled to vote. A number of congregation or congregations shall form a group which shall be represented by two voting delegates, one a pastor and one a lay delegate.

… and be it further

Resolved, That Bylaw 3.1.2 be amended as follows:

PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING Voting Delegates 3.1.2 Electoral circuits shall meet as required by the Bylaws of the Synod to elect circuit voting delegates to the Synod’s national conventions.

(a) An electoral circuit shall consist either of one or two adjacent visitation circuits, as shall be determined by the district board of directors on the basis of the following requirements: each pair of delegates shall represent from 7 to 20 member congr egations, involving an aggregate confirmed membership ranging from 1,5002,500 to 10,0007,500; provided, however, that a member congregation that is represented by voting delegates pursuant to Bylaw 3.1.2.3 shall be excluded from said representation and not included in said aggregation.

… and be it finally

Resolved, That Bylaw 3.1.2.3 be adopted as follows:

PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING 3.1.2.3 A member congregation of the LCMS that has an aggregate confirmed membership of 1,500 or more members shall elect one pastor and one layperson as its voting delegates. The voting delegates and their alternates shall be elected pursuant to the election procedures of the congregation set forth i n its constitution and bylaws.

(a) Delegates are responsible to the congregation they represent and shall attempt to discover the sentiment of the members thereof.

(b) The congregation shall not require its delegates to vote in accordance with specific instructions, but each delegate shall be permitted to vote according to his or her own conviction.

(c) Delegates are expected to be faithful in attendance at all sessions of the convention. All duly elected voting delegates shall attend all sessions regularly until the close of the convention.

Delegates who arrive late or leave early or who do not attend at all shall present a written excuse.

(d) Delegates shall report the actions of the Synod to their congregation after each convention.

St. John Seward, NE