wfn.org | LCMS identifies Synod convention procedure mistakes

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@wfn.org>]

LCMSNews -- No. 66
August 14, 2001

Oops! Closer look reveals convention mistakes

One resolution that delegates to the Synod convention thought they had
adopted was not, in fact, adopted.  And one man they thought they had
elected to a Synod board will not take office -- because he has no office to
take.

Synod Secretary Ray Hartwig has identified two "adjustments" to the results
of convention voting, necessitated by a closer look at the Synod's
Constitution and Bylaws.

Here's what happened in each case:

Delegates voted 686 to 410 on July 17 to add directors of family-life
ministry to the Synod's roster of commissioned ministers.  The chair
declared the resolution adopted.  Only later did officials realize that
adding a new classification of workers to the roster requires an amendment
to the Constitution -- and that requires a two-thirds vote.  Because the
resolution fell short of a two-thirds majority -- only 62.6 percent of
delegates voted for it -- it actually failed.

Directors of family-life ministry, therefore, will not be added to the
roster of commissioned ministers.

Then there's the case of Rev. Dean Rothschild of Bottineau, N.D.  He was one
of two clergymen elected July 17 to the Board for District and
Congregational Services.

But it seems that the day before, July 16, the convention had reduced the
membership of that board from 11 to eight members.  The ballots were not
changed the next day, however, and too many persons were elected.

As a result, Rothschild "has been informed that his election was not
necessary due to the change in the bylaws," said Hartwig.

"In the countless details of a convention, some things can be missed,"
Hartwig said.  He said the oversights are "truly unfortunate," but added
that the requirements of the Constitution and Bylaws cannot be ignored.

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

LCMSNews is published by the News and Information Division, Board for
Communication Services, of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod.  Free
subscriptions to this service are available by sending an electronic mail
message to mailserv@crf.cuis.edu, containing only the words SUBSCRIBE
LCMSNEWS in the body of the message.  To unsubscribe, send only the message
UNSUBSCRIBE LCMSNEWS to the same mailserv address.  For more information,
contact Joe Isenhower Jr. via e-mail at joe.isenhower@lcms.org, or by phone
at (314) 996-1231.

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