Official Workbook PDF page source text

LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 554

ordination, and, in general, all official papers and documents of their 
district” (Const. Art. XII 9 d); and 
WHEREAS, The Synod Bylaws define Concordia Plan Services 
(CPS) in the following manner:  “Concordia Plan Services is a 
controlled entity of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod created 
to manage the Concordia Plans” (Bylaw 1.2.1 [d]); and 
WHEREAS, The Byla ws define the term “e cclesiastical 
supervision” as follows:  “t he responsibility, primarily of the 
President of the Synod and district presidents, to supervise on behalf 
of the Synod the doctrine, life, and administration of its members, 
officers, and agencies” (Bylaw 1.2.1 [j]); and 
WHEREAS, The Bylaws define the relationships of the 
congregations, national body, districts, and circuits in the following 
manner: “… t he Synod, including its component parts, also serves 
as the structure through which congregations carry out certain 
functions that can be performed more  effectively and efficiently 
together with other member congregations” (Bylaws 1.3.3); and 
WHEREAS, In some cases , the aforementioned c all papers 
presented to professional church workers who were called to serve 
calling entities within a d istrict of the Synod have resulted in the 
professional church workers not receiving the pay and/or benefits 
noted in the official call papers presented to them  by the calling 
entities; and 
WHEREAS, In at least one case of each of the following examples, 
the pay and/or benefits noted above have included benefits such as 
a housing agreement, CPS health insurance benefits, CPS pension  
benefits, as well as CPS disability and survivor insurance, all of 
which were specified in the original call papers, only to result in the 
calling entities refusing to provide these benefits that were specified 
in the original call papers that the calling entities officially 
presented to professional church workers; therefore be it 
Resolved, That district presidents  or their designees certify in 
writing that all the benefits provided in official call papers that are 
presented by all calling entities within any given district to rostered 
professional church workers are accurate and trustworthy; and be it 
further 
Resolved, That district  presidents or their designees sign a 
“certificate of authenticity”  to provide assurance to the rostered 
professional church workers that the pay and benefits  specified in 
the official call papers provided by a calling entity within the district 
are, in fact, accurate and may be trusted to be executed as stated by 
the calling entity; and be it further 
Resolved, That district presidents, or their designees, present the 
rostered professional church workers with said “ certificate of 
authenticity” before proceeding to install any rostered professional 
church worker into his/her new place of service; and be it further 
Resolved, That district presidents  or their designees retain an 
official copy of the “certificate of authenticity” together with all the 
official call papers provided by any calling entity to any rostered  
professional church workers for any called positions within the 
Synod; and be it further 
Resolved, That district presidents  or their designees , after 
establishing the above noted “certificate of authenticity,” along with 
all the processes that may be needed to provide such a “ certificate 
of authenticity,” then advocate with the President of the Synod, the 
Praesidium, the Council of Presidents, and  the Synod Board of 
Directors to have such a “ certificate of authenticity ” become a 
regular practice for all Synod  agencies and  recognized service 
organizations; and be it finally 
Resolved, That CPS , as a controlled agency of the Synod , be 
encouraged to assist the districts and the Synod in preparing such a 
“certificate of authenticity” for any pay and/or benefits that CPS is 
involved in providing to any rostered professional church workers 
through the calling entities of Synod. 
Circuit 43 (St. Joseph) 
Michigan District 
Ov. 10-32 
To Allow Pastors to Opt Out  
of Pre-Call Interviews and/or Contact 
WHEREAS, The call to a pastor is a Divine Call extended by a 
congregation through the guidance of the Holy Spirit; and 
WHEREAS, Pre -call interviews and contact can sometimes be 
perceived as shifting the focus from a Divine Call to a secular hiring 
process; and 
W
HEREAS, Providing the ability to opt out respects the pastor’s 
current ministry and personal discernment process; therefore be it 
Resolved, That the Synod establish a policy allowing pastors to 
opt out of pre -call interviews and/or pre -call contact initiated by 
calling congregations. 
Wyoming District 
Ov. 10-33 
To Amend Bylaw 2.10.3 to Allow District 
Presidents to Share Issues prior to Installation 
WHEREAS, A congregation may issue a call to an individual the 
district president considers, for cause, to be inappropriate; and 
WHEREAS, A district president has no clear authority to refuse to 
authorize installation; therefore be it 
Resolved, That the district president may share documentation of 
serious issues with the congregation and request reconsideration; 
and be it further 
Resolved, That By law 2.10.3 be amended by the additional 
stipulation as follows: 
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING 
Rites of Ordination or Commissioning 
2.10.3 The president of the district that will have ecclesiastical 
supervision of the worker (see Bylaw section 2.12) shall be 
responsible for the rites of ordination and commissioning of 
candidates for the ministry called to that congregation, agency, or 
other calling body.  
… 
(f) The district president may share documentation of serious 
issues with a congregation, and request reconsideration, before 
authorizing installation. 
Circuit 3 (Baltimore East) 
Southeastern District 
2026 Convention Workbook
519ECCLESIASTICAL SUPERVISION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION