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	February 26, 2004 .................... LCMSNews -- No. 21

	Board to CCM: Let's 'withdraw,'
	let convention address issues

	By Joe Isenhower Jr.

	The Synod's Board of Directors says it will withdraw two
resolutions declaring eight opinions of the Commission on Constitutional
Matters to be "of no effect" if the commission withdraws those opinions,
"so as to allow the issues involved to be addressed by the 2004
synodical convention."

	The Board in the same resolution also refers to the Commission
on Structure "for consideration any necessary changes to the
Constitution and Bylaws so as to add clarity to ... the extent that
there is any ambiguity, inconsistency, confusion, or conflict with
Missouri law."

	Five of the eight CCM opinions the Board declared "of no effect"
in resolutions last November define limits to the Board's authority and
three deal with "ecclesiastical supervision."

	CCM Chairman Walter Tesch said Feb. 24 that he was not aware of
the Board's resolution, and that the CCM, which usually meets via
telephone conference call, had not scheduled its next meeting.

	Synod Secretary Raymond Hartwig -- also secretary for the Board
-- said that "nothing changes" if the CCM does not accept the Board's
proposal, which he said "was made in the interest of peace in the
Synod."

	The last "resolved" of the Board's resolution "encourages the
members of the Synod to place the best construction on the actions of
both the Commission on Constitutional Matters and the Board of
Directors, and urges all, especially those in positions of influence,
not to distribute information that will cause confusion or unnecessary
division."

	Board member Edwin Trapp asked that his vote against the
resolution be recorded. The Board did not act on his request, but later
approved a change to its policies that "opposition shall be expressed
during discussions and not by the recording of negative votes in the
minutes (unless ... by vote of the Board) and never by a so-called
'minority opinion.'" Hartwig said the policy change is "in line with
parliamentary rules of order."

	In a separate resolution, the Board agreed to forward to the
CCM, "on a strictly confidential basis," the outside legal opinions
regarding the Board's authority under Missouri law that the Board
obtained last year.

	In other matters, Chairman Robert Kuhn noted that the Board does
not have a funding proposal for the 2004 Synod convention to consider.

	Later, the Board asked the Administrative Team (the Synod's
full-time officers) "to begin working on a report to the convention and,
ultimately, to the entire Synod ... [to] include changing trends in
giving, resulting challenges and opportunities to the Synod's work,
options considered by the Board of Directors to address issues, and
potential outcomes if no changes are made in funding trends, so that the
Synod's members ... are properly informed and given opportunity to
provide feedback" to the Board.

	Dr. Thomas Kuchta, the Synod's vice president--finance/treasurer
and interim chief administrative officer, told the Board that the Synod
anticipates receiving about $1 million less than projected in
unrestricted funds for the current fiscal year from the 35 LCMS
districts.

	Kuchta said that would indicate cuts of a similar amount at the
national level for the 2004-05 budget. The Board plans to set that
budget at its next meeting, scheduled for May 20-24 in St. Louis.

	Based on discussion at a joint meeting earlier in the month with
the LCMS Council of Presidents (COP), the Board passed a resolution
calling for greater emphasis on stewardship throughout the Synod. It
referred the matter of stewardship education back to the COP, saying
that it is more a responsibility of the districts.

	On Feb. 18, the Board of Directors met with the Synod's Board
for Higher Education for a second time to discuss the financial
difficulties of the 10 LCMS colleges and universities. Their first joint
meeting was in August.

	As a result of the later meeting, the two boards agreed on a
statement that says they will "work together to assess short-term
funding trends and needs, and implement plans to meet funding challenges
in light of current trends and forecasts."

	The joint BHE-Board statement also resolves that the BHE will
help the Board in its current evaluation of all of Synod assets, and
that the boards will "work together to implement a communication
strategy" and will "develop contingency plans to address urgent
operational challenges that may occur before long-term solutions are
implemented."

	Among other actions, the Board of Directors:

	* finalized its decision from an earlier meeting to nominate
Kuchta for re-election as vice president--finance/treasurer at this
year's Synod convention;

	* decided to interview in October candidates for the full-time
chief administrative officer position;

	* took measures to strengthen reversionary clauses that have to
do with the Synod's ownership of property in the official documents of
Synod entities; and

	* approved a mortgage on property of the Hong Kong International
School to finance expansion at Concordia International School Shanghai.

	****************************************

	If you have questions or comments about this LCMSNews release,
contact Joe Isenhower Jr. at joe.isenhower@lcms.org or (314) 996-1231,
or Paula Schlueter Ross at paula.ross@lcms.org or (314) 996-1230.

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