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WHEREAS, Commissioned ministers have repeatedly brought significant value to floor committee work in the district; and

WHEREAS, Commissioned ministers enrich the discussions and discernment of floor committees and convention proceedings; and

WHEREAS, The Synod highly values commissioned ministers for their eagerness to serve the Lord and His Church (2019 Res. 9-17, “To Study Voting Privilege in the LCMS” [Proceedings, 201]); and

WHEREAS, Currently, there are 375 commissioned ministers (as of July 9, 2024) who serve the mission and ministry of congregations, schools, child development centers, camps, compassion centers, and mission work throughout the district; and

WHEREAS, We desire to honor the bylaws and structure of the Synod convention; and

WHEREAS, Commissioned ministers serving as a dvisory delegates are free to speak from the floor during all debates;

therefore be it

Resolved, That the district in convention strongly encourage the district president to continue utilizing commissioned ministers to serve on convention floor committees; and be it further

Resolved, That commissioned ministers be encouraged to attend the convention by serving as advisory delegates; and be it further

Resolved, That they be encouraged to offer their voice at the microphone and by participating in an advisory poll preceding each vote on a resolution; and be it further

Resolved, That the district, having initiated this practice at the 2025 convention, continue this practice at subsequent district conventions; and be it further

Resolved, That calling entities be encouraged to fund commissioned minister expenses as advisory delegates in the same manner as pastoral and lay delegates; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod in convention pass a like -minded resolution for Synod conventions.

Northwest District

Ov. 9-35

To Strengthen Nonvoting Advisory Role of Commissioned Ministers at Synod Conventions

WHEREAS, There are well over 10,000 ministers of religion— commissioned (including candidates and emeriti) who serve in roles such as classroom teachers, early childhood teachers, educational administrators, deaconesses, camp directors, directors of parish music, directors of Christian education, directors of Chri stian outreach, university professors, district and Synod staff, as well as in the foreign mission field; and

WHEREAS, Commissioned ministers are considered advisory members at district and Synod conventions, with a representative voice, but no vote; and

WHEREAS, Various districts (Pacific Southwest, California - Nevada-Hawaii, and Northern Illinois) have incorporated methods of hearing the guidance of commissioned ministers at their conventions using a non- binding advisory poll of the opinion of commissioned ministers, with results broadcast to the convention, prior to regular delegate votes on appropriate, non-election, convention actions, as determined by the chair; and

WHEREAS, The Synod has a legacy of promoting and supporting the role of non- ordained, full -time church workers with the establishment of Lutheran colleges dating back to the 1800s, initially designed to train classroom teachers, which has now been followed with the creating of specialized training programs for other commissioned ministry positions, as they have been established by the Synod; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod develop a similar process practiced by several district conventions by which the voice of representative advisory commissioned ministers be used during Synod convention business, incorporating a process of a non-binding poll, with results broadcast to the convention, prior to regular delegate votes on appropriate, non-election, convention actions, as determined by the chair; and be it further

Resolved, That this action be memorialized to the 2026 Synod convention.

California-Nevada-Hawaii District

Ov. 9-36

To Amend Bylaws to Eliminate Ability of Circuit Forum to Submit Overtures

WHEREAS, The principal business of the Synod and its districts in convention is conducted through the consideration of reports and

overtures (Bylaw 3.1.6); and

WHEREAS, Overtures to the Synod in convention and the districts in convention may be submitted by, inter alia , member congregations of the Synod and a forum of a circuit (circuit forum)

(Bylaw 3.1.6.2); and

WHEREAS, Visitation circuits are a network of congregations, established by a district according to geographical criteria (Bylaw section 5.l), for which the circuit forum is designed to keep “congregations, particularly the lay leaders, commissioned ministers, and pastors, supportive of one another in their common confession and mutually active in developing programs for the good of member congregations, in considering and recommending new work, and in suggesting improvements for services and programming at the national and district levels” (Bylaw 5.3.1); and

WHEREAS, The Bylaws provide that a circuit forum consists of one pastor and one layperson from each member congregation (Bylaw 5.3.2), is encouraged to meet at least twice a year (Bylaw 5.3.l), and must meet at least once triennially (Bylaw 5.3.3), but do not establish requirements for a quorum or the voting threshold for a circuit forum to take action; and

WHEREAS, A member congregation of the Synod can submit

overtures, authorized and approved by a majority of the voting

members of said member congregation at a meeting at which a quorum is present or by its governing board if so authorized by the governing documents of said member congregation, either of which carries legitimacy in the act; and

WHEREAS, Conversely, submission of an overture by a circuit forum gives the impression that it is supported by all congregations of the visitation circuit when, in reality, it may have been approved by a minimal number of representatives who attended the circuit forum; and

WHEREAS, Nothing is accomplished by allowing circuit forums to submit overtures that cannot be accomplished through member congregations of a visitation circuit submitting the same overture to the Synod in convention or a district in convention; therefore be it

Resolved, That Bylaw 3.1.6.2 be amended as follows:

2026 Convention Workbook

486 STRUCTURE AND ADMINISTRATION