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LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 519

St. John 
Seward, NE 
Ov. 9-30 
To Amend Bylaw 3.2.4 to Establish Term Limits 
for Synod President and Vice-Presidents 
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod treasures 
faithful leadership rooted in God’s Word and the Lutheran 
Confessions; and 
WHEREAS, Scripture teaches that leadership in Christ’s Church 
is a stewardship, not personal possession (1 Cor. 3:5 –9), and the 
Church flourishes when many servants exercise their gifts (Rom. 
12:3–8; Eph. 4:11–12); and 
W
HEREAS, The history of the Church shows both the blessings 
of continuity and the dangers of undue concentration of authority, 
which term limits can help prevent; and 
W
HEREAS, Term limits encourage wider participation in 
leadership, raising up new servants for the sake of the Gospel’s 
advance; and 
W
HEREAS, Healthy turnover of leadership guards against 
stagnation, fosters humility, and reminds the Church that no one 
individual is indispensable, but Christ alone is head of His Church 
(Col. 1:18); and 
WHEREAS, Term limits are a common practice in both civil 
society and the wider church, recognized as a way to ensure 
accountability and vitality in institutions; and 
W
HEREAS, Constitution Article XII governs districts and their 
presidents, and this overture does not propose to alter those 
provisions—thus district presidents may remain without term 
limits; therefore be it 
Resolved, That Bylaw 3.2.4 be amended as follows: 
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING 
Terms of Office 
3.2.4 The term of office of all elected officers of the Synod 
(Bylaw 3.2.1) shall be three years; of the elected members of the 
Board of Directors and all other boards and commissions of the 
Synod six years; of all members of college and university boards of 
regents three years; and of all appointed members of boards, 
commissions, and standing committees three years, unless these 
Bylaws specifically provide otherwise. 
(a) The President, First Vice-President, regional vice-presidents, 
Secretary, and members of all boards and commissions of the 
Synod who are elected by the Synod convention shall assume 
office on September 1 following the convention and shall be 
inducted i nto office on a date subsequent to September 1 
following the convention.  Members of college and university 
boards of regents elected by district conventions shall assume 
office upon the close of the convention at which they are elected. 
(b) In the interim, the newly elected President shall meet with 
the reelected and newly elected vice-presidents to assess the state 
of the Synod, to plan for the communication and carrying out of 
the resolutions adopted at the convention, to assign areas of 
responsibility to the vice -presidents, and to gather names and 
obtain information helpful for making wise appointments; he 
shall meet with the chairman and the staff supporting the boards 
and commissions to discuss their convention reports, to assess 
with them the financial support they will need; and he shall meet 
with the financial and administrative officers to assess the 
financial status of the Synod and the estimate of the financial 
resources available for the coming year. 
(c) The President of the Synod shall be limited to a maximum of 
five consecutive elected terms in that office. 
(d) The First Vice-President and each regional vice-president of 
the Synod shall be limited to a maximum of five consecutive 
elected terms in that office. 
(e) After reaching the maximum number of terms in office, an 
individual shall not be eligible for reelection to the same office. 
(cf) … 
and be it further 
Resolved, That the Synod give thanks to God for all past and 
present officers of Synod who have faithfully served Christ’s 
Church, and pray that these term limits will serve the Gospel’s 
advance by encouraging renewal, accountability, and the raising up 
of future leaders. 
Circuit 18 
Texas District 
Ov. 9-31 
To Give Commissioned Ministers the Franchise 
and To Study Equal Lay and Clergy 
Representation on Boards and Other Bodies 
WHEREAS, Commissioned ministers are laity  and not clergy; 
therefore be it 
Resolved, That Synod Bylaw changes be prepared for 
consideration at the next Synod convention by a task force 
appointed for the purpose of making commissioned ministers 
eligible to represent the congregations which hold their membership 
as lay delegates to circuit forums, district conventions, and Synod 
conventions, in such instances where the congregations and/or 
circuits in question deem the individual commissioned minister 
capable of representing the congregation and/or circuit fully in its 
interests due to their congregational involvement apart from their 
official commissioned church work; and be it further 
Resolved, That the same task force study and make proposals at 
the next Synod convention concerning bringing the balance of all 
Synod and district boards and other bodies to 50 percent laity and 
50 percent clergy. 
Circuit 14 (Austin) 
Minnesota South District 
Ov. 9-32 
To Amend Constitution Article XII 10 a  
to Provide Option of Appointing Ordained  
or Commissioned Minister as District  
Convention Rostered Voting Delegate 
Preamble 
The Synod’s ministers of religion — commissioned, such as 
deaconesses, teachers, directors of Christian education (DCEs), and 
other ministers, fulfill critical leadership and ministerial roles 
within the church. While not ordained, their service and experience 
is unique and vital to the schools, congregations, recognized service 
organizations (RSOs), and communities that the Synod serves. This 
overture proposes that all rostered workers be eligible to serve as 
the non-laity voting delegate to district convent ion under 
Constitution Article XII 10 a. The proposed constitutional 
amendment does not cause an imbalance between rostered church 
worker delegates and lay delegates.  
2026 Convention Workbook
484 STRUCTURE AND ADMINISTRATION