To Strengthen Nonvoting Advisory Delegate Participation at Conventions

God and administer His Sacraments together with the one given to receive this grace thus administered through these means. As the Synod meets, each parish has been given equal voting status to be exercised by those without which there is no parish—the office of proclaiming and the office of receiving. This proclaiming office is identified in the Lutheran Confessions (Augsburg Confession [AC] V) and in the official theological position of the Synod (C.F.W. Walther, Kirche und Amt, Thesis VIII) as the called pastor of the parish. In addition to the voting parishes of the Synod, individuals rostered as ministers of religion—ordained and ministers of religion—commissioned all hold a nonvoting, advisory status (Constitution Article V B). In recent history, these advisory delegates have been underutilized within our district and Synod conventions. Recent efforts have included polling advisory delegates prior to delegate voting, but in addition to violating the established rules of order (Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised [12th ed.] 45:72), such polling reduces the advice and counsel given to a single word—either “Yes” or “No.” The counsel these advisors can bring is much more nuanced and valuable than merely a single word. The 2019 Resolution 9-17 Report included in the 2023 Convention Workbook concludes, “…one of the best existing opportunities is to encourage more participation of commissioned ministers on floor committees” (2023 Convention Report R62, “2019 Res. 9-17 Report: Study of Voting Privilege in the LCMS (CCM),” Secretary of Synod, Workbook, 167). The Bylaws have always contemplated, and it is made explicitly clear in the revisions made at the 1981 Convention, that advisory members of floor committees have full voice and vote on the floor committees (Bylaw 4.2.3 [a]). Some have suggested extending the full franchise to some or all advisory delegates, but there is no way to accomplish this without fundamentally changing the structural and theological underpinnings of the Synod and redrafting the entirety of the Constitution and Bylaws. Therefore be it

Resolved, That we reaffirm the historical and theological position of the Synod from its foundation, that every parish is represented by one who holds the preaching office and one who holds the hearing office (Small Catechism Table of Duties); and be it further

Resolved, That the conventions of the Synod and its districts be encouraged to ensure that the advisory delegates are well prepared to exercise their responsibilities and privileges because their participation is valued and appreciated; and be it finally

Resolved, That we encourage the conventions of the Synod and its districts to include more robust representation of advisory delegates, especially ministers of religion— commissioned, on the floor committees of their respective conventions