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LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 497

(c) That, if the agency has members, membership shall not be 
granted except to corporate Synod and/or to an agency or 
agencies of the Synod, except that a district has as its corporate 
members the member congregations assigned to it and a district 
church extension fund has as its corporate member(s): (i) its 
respective district; or (ii) the members of the board of directors 
and/or elected officers of its district; or (iii) the member 
congregations of its district. 
(d)  That its assets are property of the Synod as that term is 
defined in, and to the extent and for the purposes established in, 
the Bylaws of Synod, as the same may be changed from time to 
time. 
(e) That the minutes of its board of directors, as well as quarterly 
and audited financials, shall be promptly furnished to the board 
of directors of its Participant(s). 
(f) That any amendment or restatement of its Articles of 
Incorporation or Bylaws requires sixty days advance notice to 
any Participant(s) and to the Board of Directors of the Synod. 
(g) That any amendment or restatement of its Articles of 
Incorporation or Bylaws is subject to the prior, written approval 
of the Commission on Constitutional Matters. 
(h) That any amendment or restatement of its Articles of 
Incorporation or Bylaws without satisfaction of (f) and (g) is null 
and void and of no effect. 
An agency may submit any concerns related to the inclusion of 
subsections (a) or (b) in its governing documents to the Board of 
Directors of the Synod, and the Board of Directors may determine to 
permit the removal or modification of these provisions for a n 
affected agency.  
The phrase “in the most fundamental document possible" means and 
refers to  the foundational legal document that establishes the 
existence of the entity. If, for some reason, the Articles of Formation 
cannot include the provision (due to legal or practical constraints), 
then the next most authoritative document —such as the Bylaws —
should be used. 
Organization 
1.5.2.5 The organization of corporate Synod and each agency of 
the Synod shall be regulated as follows: 
1.5.32.5.1 Every agency Bylaw -mandated Agency of the Synod 
(Bylaw 1.5.1 [a]) shall meet at least quarterly unless otherwise 
stipulated in the Bylaws. Exceptions require the approval at least 
annually of the President of the Synod. All  such agencies shall 
announce their upcoming regular meetings.  
1.5.2.5.2 Unless otherwise specified in the Bylaws, each agency is 
free to select a manner of meeting, consistent with Board of 
Directors policy, that best enhances its ability to accomplish its 
mission, taking into consideration fostering the open exchange of 
ideas, availability of technology to all members, stewardship of 
resources, perception of fairness, controversial nature of agenda 
items, and whether secret ballots might be used. 
1.5.3.12.5.3 At Unless otherwise stipulated in these Bylaws, at the 
initial meeting after members take office under new terms filled by 
regular election or appointment, all mission boards, commissions, 
and governing boards shall organize themselves as to chair, vice -
chair, secretary, and other standing committees and positions as 
necessary or mandated by these Bylaws and shall conduct business 
in accordance with accepted parliamentary rules. 
1.5.3.22.5.4 All mission boards, commissions, and governing boards 
may make use of executive committees to act in times of emergency 
between plenary meetings, to act on delegated assignments, and to 
act as specified elsewhere in these Bylaws. 
(a) Executive committees may not perform acts specifically 
required by statute or by legislation or the Constitution, Bylaws, 
and resolutions of the Synod to be performed by the agency, nor 
may they overturn actions of the agency alter or repeal actions of 
the board of the agency. 
(b) All executive committee actions shall be reported to the next 
plenary sessions of the agency. 
1.5.3.32.5.5 All mission boards, commissions, and governing boards 
may also delegate a specific assignment for a limited time to a 
committee composed of its own members. 
1.5.3.42.5.6 All mission boards, commissions, and governing boards 
may appoint standing committees of specialists to provide 
professional or technical assistance to the board or commission and 
may delegate certain responsibilities to such committees while 
retaining supervision. Standing committees may be made up of or 
include non-board or commission members. The creation of standing 
committees including non-board or commission members  shall be 
reported to the President and the Board of Directors of the Synod. 
Minutes and Financial Books and Records 
1.5.2.6 The minutes and financial records of corporate Synod and 
Synod agencies shall be regulated as follows: 
1.5.3.52.6.1 All agencies of the Synod shall develop policies and 
procedures for making available official minutes of their meetings. 
All mission boards and commissions shall develop policies and 
procedures to make available upon request and at a reasonable price 
a verbatim copy of the official minutes of their meetings except for 
executive sessions. Any member of the Synod may request a copy 
of any official minutes of mission boards or commissions by 
submitting a written or electronic (via email) request to the Secretary 
of the Synod, who shall provide such minutes according to the policy 
of the Board of Directors. 
Full Financial Disclosure 
1.5.42.6.2 The Synod and each of its agencies shall fully disclose their 
financial books and records to any member congregation of the 
Synod. 
(a) Full disclosure includes all information (including, but not 
limited to, information required to be made available under state 
law) recorded in any fashion, except the following: 
(1) 
Information that would violate the expected 
confidentiality of donors. 
(2) Personnel files or other information that would violate the 
expected confidentiality of employees. 
(3) Information that relates to in- process negotiations of 
financial matters. 
(4) Information the disclosure of which would breach a legal 
obligation of the Synod or its agencies or affect pending 
litigation or claims against the Synod or its agencies. 
(5) Information that is preliminary in nature or otherwise has 
not been finalized in its form and content. 
(b) Salaries of elected officers of the Synod, as identified in 
Constitution Art. X A, shall be published annually in an official 
periodical. 
(c) The accounting department of the Synod shall publish 
annually in an official periodical an invitation to request full, 
audited financial statements and summary operating budgets of 
the Synod or its agencies. 
(d) The Synod and its agencies shall share, upon request, the 
quarterly financial statements as reported to the respective 
governing boards. 
(e) All information produced for normal publication or 
distribution shall be provided free of charge. 
(f) Requests for detailed financial information or the inspection 
of financial records shall be made in writing to the respective 
corporate boards by a member congregation and shall state the 
records desired and the time period to be covered. 
2026 Convention Workbook
462 STRUCTURE AND ADMINISTRATION