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LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 521

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 
W
HEREAS, 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 
W
HEREAS, 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 
W
HEREAS, 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 
W
HEREAS, 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 
W
HEREAS, 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