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2026 Convention Workbook 146

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS

district shall have at least one electoral circuit.

(c) V oting delegates shall consist of one pastor and one layper - son from each electoral circuit. These pastoral and lay delegates and their alternates shall be elected according to the regulations of the Synod (Bylaw 3.1.2.1).

(d)

The lay delegate shall serve throughout the triennium following the convention as an advisory member of the forum or fora of the visitation circuit(s) comprising the electoral circuit forum.

Addendum While 2023 Res. 9-06A did not assign to the task force the topic of nonvoting advisory delegates, the task force did review the work of the task force to the 2023 convention of the Synod and its work with respect to advisory delegates and giving the voting franchise to advisory delegates. Given the projection of retirements and the increasing numbers of pastors emeriti in particular, the task force did discuss how this would impact the overall potential size of the convention. Given the track record of most districts electing fewer than the current Bylaws allow for advisory commissioned and ordained delegates to the Synod convention, the task force did not believe that this merited an addition to the charge given to the task force by the 2023 convention and decided to leave this topic to another group for study and recommendation, should the convention so choose. The task force does point out the potential, should districts exercise it and advisory members desire, to have the number of advisory delegates increase in proportion to the number of voting delegates.

Larry A. Peters, Chairman tation and structure for the Synod and that such was well beyond the Synod’s charge to the task force.

Even a more modest version of this option retaining the necessity for geographic lines in the electoral circuit and expecting circuit forums could still meet in person was not without its own set of problems. On one hand, the electoral circuits could be more easily adjusted to the changing needs or dynamic situations of the Synod while preserving its congregations from disruption in the normal work of the visitation circuit. Though visitation circuits would be formed with the sole focus on visitation and the mission of God without being concerned about meeting specific numerical mem - bership requirements, the separation of the electoral circuit from the visitation circuit was not believed to be helpful overall. The Synod has for the entirety of its existence seen a connection between the two and this might lead to weakened ties between the individual congregations or parishes of the circuit and the overall work in common through the Synod. Because of the confusion this might occasion, the task force did not give more serious consider - ation to this change.

Recommendations Having considered all the foregoing, the task force makes the following proposal to the 2026 Synod convention:

1. Change the

Bylaw 3.1.2 standard from congregations

to parishes;

2. Remove from the bylaw entirely the possibility of exceptions (except that no district shall be left without any circuit); and 3.

Remove from the bylaw the upper limits for the number of congregations, confirmed members, and how many visitation circuits may combine into an electoral circuit.

The task force believes that this realignment would more closely connect the number of delegates to the actual size of the Synod and the number of its parishes. Therefore, the task force recom - mends the following bylaw changes to the Synod in convention:

Proposed Action

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 of one or more 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 congregations at least six (6) parishes (as defined in Bylaw 2.5.5; each congregation of a parish divided across circuit lines counts, for this purpose, as an equal fraction of the parish, i.e., ½ for each congregation in a parish of two congregations; ⅓ for each in a parish of three; etc.) , involving an aggregate confirmed membership ranging from of at least 1,500 to 10,000.

(b) Exceptions to these requirements may be made only by the President of the Synod upon request of a district board of directors. No exceptions shall be granted, except that each