Workbook page: 150
PDF page: 185
Section: No public section attached
Source status: source checked / public
LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 185
2026 Convention Workbook 150 OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS 7 than 10%, with some districts having half or more of their circuits in this range.12 At the same time, there are 1 districts reporting as many as a quarter of their circuits having net gains in the past three years.In this sense, 2 the vertical lines indicated in Figures 3 and 4 to show threats to circuit stability may here and there—and 3 more frequently in the WSW region—underestimate the challenge at hand, or, in fewer places, overstate it. 4 Suggested by these data is a fundamental philosophical question for the task force: To what extent should 5 the convention shrink to reflect this decline (see also Figure 1)? On the one hand, a proportional “shrinkage”6 seems rational; on the other, it would result in “loss of representational resolution” in the areas of the Synod 7 where our congregations and ministerium and visitation are stretched the thinnest, areas in which 8 congregations face unique challenges and areas that may in some ways be the “tip of the spear” for all. 9 4. Selected Changes Proposed at the Level of Synod Convention Overtures for the Formation of10 Circuits, Visitation and Electoral11 In addition to the adopted changes detailed in the rationale to 2023 Res. 9-06A, there have been over the years 12 any number of overtures and resolutions proposing changes to the requirements and/or process for the 13 formation of visitation and/or electoral circuits. These are briefly summarized as follows, going back only to 14 2010, the most recent restructuring of the Synod (interestingly, the part of the restructuring that would have 15 changed how Synod convention delegates were elected received another three years of discussion and then 16 was roundly defeated, as 2013 Res. 7-07A, by a vote of 62 in favor and 830 opposed). 17 More recent proposals have been less (conceptually, if not numerically) radical, suggesting dropping the 18 confirmed membership requirement to 1,250, 1,000, or 750, and/or revising the congregation requirement to 19 5. Such proposals would render presently exceptional circuits unexceptional and give some degree of buffer 20 of stability into the future. They would, however, if adopted alone , also introduce the possibility of at least 21 some districts “optimizing” circuits for the new limits, trading stability for representational share. To the 22 extent this is done, representational shift will occur and the sought-after stability would not be achieved.23 12 A study on the regional level of circuits segmented by starting confirmed membership “size” indicated no significant correlat ion between that size and the circuit’s rate of change in the years 2019–22. Figure 6: Distribution of Visitation-Circuit-Level Reported Confirmed Membership Change, 2019–22 8 Interesting “tweaks” have included allowing a lower congregational bound for circuits with more than 4,000 1 confirmed members or requiring a certain number of installed pastors. These would tend to balance the 2 possibility of realignment to much smaller circuits with fewer members, either by allowing greater 3 representation for the largest congregations or by limiting the division of new circuits.4 Long-term (at least three triennia) stability of representation has been proposed a number of times as a 5 desirable feature (perhaps by allowing automatic exceptions for a certain number of conventions for a once-6 valid circuit falling below bounds) but never adopted.7 Table 1: Overview of Convention Overtures and Resolutions regarding Synod Convention Representation, 2010–238 2023 Ov. 9-01, 13 To appoint task force to study (adopted as 2023 Res. 9-06A) Ov. 9-12 To lower confirmed membership requirement proportional to change in membership, in consultation with Council of Presidents Ov. 9-14 To lower confirmed membership requirement to 1,250 Ov. 9-15 To l ower congregation requirement to 5 and confirmed membership to 1,000, with the districts setting the circuits at the beginning of a decade and the circuits remaining valid despite changes Ov. 9-16 To lower congregation requirement to 5 and confirmed membership requirement to 750 Ov. 9-17 To eliminate distinction between visitation and electoral circuits and eliminate confirmed membership requirement 2019 Ov. 9-06, 07 To a llow district board of directors to shift congregations to meet electoral circuit requirements, but to create no more electoral than visitation circuits Ov. 9-08 To allow each district president to grant exception to no more than 20% of his district’s electoral circuits Ov. 9-09 To eliminate distinction between visitation and electoral circuits and eliminate confirmed membership requirement, requiring at least 7 pastors (excluding the effect of pastoral vacancies). Ov. 9-11 See 2013 Ov. 7-15 2016 Ov. 11-38 To allow d istrict boards of directors to align according to existing criteria but with alignments remaining valid for 9 years. Ov. 11-39 To allow d istrict boards of directors establish electoral circuits independent of visitation circuit boundaries, with a minimum of 7 congregations and 1,500 members, except that if 5,000 confirmed members are represented, only 4 congregations are required. 2013 Ov. 7-03 To allow visitation circuits to be distinct from electoral circuits Ov. 7-08 To study definition of electoral circuits Ov. 7-14, 24 Res. 7-07A (declined) To elect Synod convention delegates by electoral circuit caucus at district conventions, with a total number of delegates equal to 10% of the number of Synod congregations (this would be c. 580). Ordained/ lay delegate pairs would be allotted to districts proportional to the average of their proportions of member congregations and confirmed members. Delegates would need to be present at the district convention; ordained would not be required to be parish pastors. (Ov. 7-24 from COH in response to referral of 2010 Res. 8-05B.)