Official Workbook PDF page source text

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

WHEREAS, 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