Ad Crucem NewsLCMS 2026 ConventionConditions for election
What each office requires.
62 seats across 18 officer, board, and commission positions will be filled by the 2026 convention. This page lists the duties, qualifications, additional regulations, and currently-serving incumbents for each. 96 incumbents are named in the official slate.
Source: the Office of the Secretary’s official call for nominations, lcms.org/nominate (published 2025-01-18).
General regulations
All nominees for officer, board, and commission positions are expected to be fully committed to the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions; to honoring and upholding the Constitution, Bylaws, and resolutions of the Synod; and to the mission and ministry of the Synod. Such commitment should already be demonstrated by participation and leadership in the nominees' local congregations. Nominees should also possess the ability to carry out the responsibilities of the respective office, as provided in the Synod Handbook, as well as a willingness to work with others.
Membership in a Member Congregation of the Synod
- All nominees must be members of member congregations of the Synod ( B 3; ).
Positions Calling for Ordained or Commissioned Ministers
- Ordained ministers are those rostered by the Synod, except that specific ministry pastors are not eligible to occupy elected positions assigned by the Bylaws to a pastor or ordained minister ( [b][2]). Board positions may call specifically for a parish pastor (e.g., [1]).
- Commissioned ministers are those rostered by the Synod. The class includes eligible teachers, directors of Christian education, directors of Christian outreach, directors of family life ministry, directors of parish music, deaconesses, parish assistants, and directors of church ministries (). Certain positions may call specifically for one subcategory of commissioned minister, such as a parish teacher.
- Positions calling specifically for laypersons are not open to any ordained or commissioned ministers.
Terms of Office
- The Secretary of the Synod serves a three-year term without term limits (, 3.2.4.1).
- Elected board and commission members serve six-year terms, limited to two successive six-year terms (). Two exceptions: college and university boards of regents serve three-year terms limited to three consecutive terms ( [6]); LCEF Board members serve three-year terms limited to four terms ().
- Incumbents eligible for re-election are automatically considered nominees for a successive term — their names need not be resubmitted ( [d]).
Holding of Multiple Offices
- Persons holding offices or board positions in the Synod or a district may be nominated; if elected, they will be required to choose between offices when more than one is elective, or when more than two are held in any combination. An elective office is one filled through election by a national or a district convention; doubtful cases are decided by the President of the Synod ().
- Chief executives, executive directors, faculty, staff, and employees on either the national or district level shall not be members of the board of the agency under which they serve, nor of the board of any other agency of the Synod, unless otherwise permitted by Bylaws (). Such employees may be nominated, but if elected must surrender employment to take office. "Staff" is defined to include (a) employees rostered as ministers of religion, (b) employees responsible for policy or program development, and (c) employees assisting executives or faculty.
- Persons holding an office may be nominated for another when one is directly responsible for the work done by the other, but if elected must choose between the offices ().
Conflict of Interest and Ethical Requirements
- Every board or commission member, officer, and staff member of corporate Synod and Synod agencies shall avoid conflicts of interest. Those elected must receive, acknowledge, and abide by the Synod's conflict-of-interest policy, including annual disclosure of gainful business relationships with the Synod, a district, or any board on which they would serve ().
- Every board or commission member, officer, and staff member shall be sensitive in their activities to taking or giving offense, giving the appearance of impropriety, causing confusion in the Synod, or creating potential liability ().
College and University Regent Service
- Nominees for regent of a Synod college or university must review and confirm a document on the demands and expectations of regent service, developed by the Concordia University System ( [f]). The document is posted on the Synod website at https://files.lcms.org/f/university-regent-demands-and-expectations and is part of the biographical-information submission.
Synod officers
Nominations for President and Vice-Presidents follow a separate congregational process and are not handled by the Committee for Convention Nominations.
Boards and commissions
Members of the Board for National Mission, the Board for International Mission, and five lay seats on the Synod Board of Directors are elected by geographical region. Nominees must reside in the region of the position for which they are nominated and remain so throughout the period of service.
2023 Handbook, pp. 14, 16, 117–21, 216.
Board for National Mission2023 Handbook, pp. 23, 103–4, 123, 142–44.
Board for International Mission2023 Handbook, pp. 23, 103–5, 123, 144–46.
Commission on Theology and Church Relations2023 Handbook, pp. 151–55.
Concordia Historical Institute Board of Governors2023 Handbook, pp. 127–28.
Concordia Publishing House Board of Directors2023 Handbook, pp. 128–29.
Lutheran Church Extension Fund Board of Directors2023 Handbook, pp. 129–31.
LCMS Foundation Board of Trustees2023 Handbook, pp. 131–33.
Concordia University System Board of Directors2023 Handbook, pp. 133–40.
Boards of regents
Each university board of regents elects four members per cycle (one ordained, one commissioned, two laypersons). Each seminary board of regents elects four members per cycle (two ordained, one commissioned, one layperson).
2023 Handbook, pp. 171–78.
Concordia University, Irvine — Board of Regents2023 Handbook, pp. 171–78.
Concordia University, Nebraska — Board of Regents2023 Handbook, pp. 171–78.
Concordia University, St. Paul — Board of Regents2023 Handbook, pp. 171–78.
Concordia University Texas — Board of Regents2023 Handbook, pp. 171–78.
Concordia University Wisconsin and Ann Arbor — Board of Regents2023 Handbook, pp. 171–78.
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis — Board of Regents2023 Handbook, pp. 158–71.
Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne — Board of Regents2023 Handbook, pp. 158–71.