Official Workbook PDF page source text

LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 181

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 del-
egates 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 
fol-
lowing 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 few-
er 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 an-
other group for study and recommendation, should the convention 
so choose. The task force does point out the potential, should dis-
tricts 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 necessi-
ty 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 be-
tween 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 ex-
ceptions (except that no district shall be left without 
any circuit); and
3.
 Remove from the bylaw the upper limits 
for the num-
ber of congregations, confirmed members, and how 
many visitation circuits may combine into an electoral 
circuit.
The task force believes that this realignment would more close-
ly 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 na-
tional 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.) , involv-
ing 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