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LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 91

2026 Convention Workbook
56 
OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
Review of Governing Documents: A second area of the com-
mission’s charge is to ensure that the articles of incorporation, by-
laws, and policy manuals of all the agencies of the Synod are in 
harmony with the Constitution, Bylaws, and resolutions of the Syn-
od. To this end, Synod Bylaws require that every agency submit-
ting any desired changes to its articles of incorporation or bylaws 
receives prior approval from the commission. (Note: Because dis-
tricts can only change bylaws at their triennial conventions, Bylaw 
3.9.2.2.3 [b] provides a process by which district conventions may 
amend a district bylaw proposal previously submitted and approved 
by the commission and have the result take effect upon the com-
mission’s subsequent approval of the amended, adopted proposal.)
If any agency of Synod fails to receive prior approval of the 
commission on any proposed change to their bylaws or articles of 
incorporation (as required by Bylaw 3.9.2.2.3 [a]), these changes 
are of no effect and have no power or authority unless and until they 
are approved by the commission.
The definition of an agency of the Synod is found in Bylaw 
1.2.1 (a)(1): “Agencies include each board, commission, council, 
seminary, university, college, district, Concordia Plan Services, and 
each synodwide corporate entity.”
In addition, Bylaw 1.5.3.6 (and associated 2016 Res. 9-02A) 
requires all agencies to include certain specific language in their 
most fundamental governing documents or to seek and receive an 
exception from the Board of Directors of the Synod. This remains 
one of the ongoing tasks of the commission to complete the review 
and approval of such documents.
Dispute Resolution and Expulsion Processes: Finally, the 
commission together with the COP maintains the Standard Oper-
ating Procedures Manuals for the dispute resolution and expulsion 
processes of the Synod. As a result, following each convention, the 
commission, with the concurrence of the COP, reviews these man-
uals and makes any changes necessitated by changes to the Bylaws 
approved by the convention.
Although the commission has not been able to meet with the 
COP annually, it has enjoyed the opportunity to meet and share with 
the district presidents of the Synod in their various responsibilities 
toward the common good. Whenever an opinion affects agencies of 
the Synod, the commission invites comment and counsel from the 
various agencies and their leadership before rendering an opinion.
The Synod has stated since the inception of the CCM that “an 
opinion rendered by the commission shall be binding on the ques-
tion decided unless and until it is overruled by a convention of the 
Synod” (Bylaw 3.9.2.2 [c]). Taking seriously the charge given by 
the Synod, the commission has worked diligently so that the will 
and desire of the Synod as expressed in our Constitution and By-
laws is honored in such a way that protects the rights and authority 
of the Synod and ensures that all its agencies act within their pur -
view and the authority granted to them by the Synod in fulfilling 
the objectives of the Synod. This remains the single agenda of the 
commission. The commission wishes to thank the Secretary of the 
Synod, the Rev. Dr. John W. Sias, for his exemplary service, for 
keeping and publishing the minutes, and for maintaining the re-
cords of the commission and the agencies of Synod so that this 
commission might fulfill its purpose.
Larry A. Peters, Chairman
dialogue with the district presidents and should make the use and 
development of the mission and ministry emphasis more adaptable 
and responsive to the needs of the Synod. The sunsetting of the 
mission priorities will eliminate confusion and enable greater at-
tention and focus to be given to the use of the mission and ministry 
emphasis. The new mission and ministry emphasis being proposed 
also aligns the mission emphasis of the Synod with other efforts 
currently ongoing in the Synod to raise awareness of and recruit 
more church workers and in looking to the future and the next gen-
eration of Lutherans the Lord will raise up. To this end it is the hope 
of the mission boards that this mission and ministry emphasis will 
be enthusiastically adopted and used by all the districts of the Syn-
od and promoted in all her circuits and congregations.
Alfonso O. Espinosa, BNM Chairman 
John W. Edson, BIM Chairman
R9
Commission on Constitutional Matters
The Rev. John W. Sias, ex officio member and Secretary of the 
Synod, convened the meeting of the Commission on Constitutional 
Matters (CCM) to welcome returning members Mr. Thomas Dead-
rick, attorney, and the Rev. Larry A. Peters; and the new members, 
the Rev. Kevin A. Karner and the Rev. David D. Vandercook, ap-
pointed by the President and Council of Presidents (COP) on Sept. 
19, 2023, to the seats formerly occupied by Dr. Gude and Rev. 
Bode. (Mr. Scott A. Killian, attorney, was also returned to the com-
mission in his first full term since being appointed to fill an attorney 
vacancy on the commission in 2023.) The commission designated 
Rev. Peters as its representative to its sister commission, the Com-
mission on Handbook, for the new triennium but deferred the elec-
tion of officers until the first in-person meeting. At the Dec. 1–2, 
2023, meeting in St. Louis, Mo., the commission elected the Rev. 
Peters as chairman, Mr. Deadrick as vice-chairman, and Mr. Killian 
as secretary pro tempore.
The commission took note of the appointments by the COP to 
the 2023 Resolution 9-06A, “To Appoint Task Force to Evaluate 
Current Electoral Circuit Parameters,” and the designation of three 
members by the Commission on Handbook. The commission des-
ignated Mr. Thomas Deadrick, the Rev. Larry Peters, and the Rev. 
David Vandercook; Rev. Peters was subsequently elected chairman 
of the task force.
The commission met 7 times in person and 11 times via Zoom 
over the course of the past three years, in addition to the individual 
hours spent preparing for the meetings so that the work of the CCM 
might be accomplished.
The responsibilities of the commission are set forth in Bylaws 
3.9.2.2–3.9.2.2.3, and they fall into two main areas:
Opinions: The first area is that the commission is to interpret 
the Synod’s Constitution, Bylaws, and resolutions. A member of 
the Synod (congregation or ordained or commissioned minister) 
and an official board, commission, or agency of the Synod may 
submit a written request for such an opinion. At the time of this 
report, the commission has issued 88 opinions (a listing of those 
opinions is included in this Workbook (Report R61) in the present 
triennium. The minutes of the commission and their opinions and 
reviews of bylaws and documents are published on the website of 
the Synod and are available at lcms.org/ccm.