Circuits

5.1.1A visitation circuit is a network of congregations that “walks together” for mutual care, support, advice, study, ecclesiastical encouragement, service, coordination, resources, and counsel—all for the sake of greater congregational participation in God’s mission.

5.1.2Districts shall establish visitation circuits according to geographical criteria.

5.2.1The circuit visitor is the principal officer of the circuit and serves in accordance with the duties assigned to this position in the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod and the Bylaws of the districts.

1. The circuit may select such other officers as it deems necessary.
2. The circuit may create such other offices as may be desirable and also appoint committees for specific assignments.
3. The circuit visitor may appoint from member congregations of the circuit, with the approval of the district president, pastors, teachers, or laypersons to assist him in fulfilling his responsibilities.

5.2.2The circuit visitor shall hold his position by virtue of his selection by the circuit forum and ratification by the district convention. (a) Circuit forums shall meet at the call of their circuit visitors to select their circuit visitors no later than the time established by the district. When in-person meetings are burdensome (e.g., geographically large circuits), a circuit may select another manner of meeting (e.g., e- meeting technologies) that is suitable and made available to all participants, taking into consideration the need to provide for an open and fair exchange of ideas and secure, private, and confidential voting. (b) Prior to the day of the circuit forum, nominations for candidates for the office of circuit visitor may be submitted by a voting congregation of the circuit and suggested by the district president, in consultation with the praesidium of the district. Names suggested by the district president may, during the circuit forum, be received into nomination by a majority vote of the assembly.* (c) Each circuit may adopt procedures and methods that will insure ensure† efficiency and accuracy, including the use of mechanical, electronic, or other methods of casting, recording, or tabulating votes. The privilege of voting shall be exercised by the representatives from each member congregation of the circuit, who shall have been selected in the manner prescribed by the congregation (Bylaw 5.3.2). (d) All nominated pastors serving congregations and emeriti pastors whose names were nominated prior to the day of the circuit forum shall be eligible for election in accordance with section 4.3 of these Bylaws.

1. Following presentations of pertinent information regarding each pastor as listed in Bylaw 3.12.3.6 (c) and circuit visitor responsibilities as provided hereafter in this bylaw, each voter shall submit the names of two pastors on the initial ballot.
2. The three pastors (or more in case of a tie vote) who receive the highest number of votes in this preliminary ballot shall be placed on the next ballot. Each voter shall vote for only one candidate. * 2023 Convention: Res. 9-02 [H], Proc. 202–3. † Commission on Handbook: November 14, 2023.
3. Balloting shall continue with the lowest candidate being removed from each succeeding ballot until one pastor shall have received a simple majority of all votes cast, who shall be declared the nominee. (e) Immediately following the circuit forum, the circuit visitor shall report in writing the results of the selection process to the secretary of the district in preparation for ratification by the district convention. (f) In the event that a circuit visitor has not been selected by a circuit forum or has been selected but is no longer available to serve, thus resulting in no circuit visitor selection being included on the convention slate of circuit visitors for a circuit, the district president shall make the selection, which selection shall then be included on the convention slate of circuit visitors. (g) The convention shall have the right to alter the slate by amendment. (h) The convention shall then ratify the slate of circuit visitors, which ratification shall constitute election.

5.2.2.1Vacancies that occur in the office of circuit visitor between conventions shall be filled by appointment by the district president.

5.2.3Each circuit visitor shall assist the district president within the circuit.

1. He shall serve under the direction of and be accountable to the district president and shall serve as his spokesman when so authorized and directed and shall assist him in doctrinal and spiritual supervision.
2. He shall serve in a servant role.
3. He shall seek to remind and encourage members of the circuit of their responsibilities as God’s people and the privilege they have in being about His mission.
4. He and any other officers of the circuit shall have the primary responsibility for maintaining liaison between the circuit and the Synod at the national and district levels.
5. He shall be conversant with and supportive of Synod-wide and district resolutions and programs.
6. He shall seek to strengthen the spirit of cooperation among pastors, commissioned ministers, and congregations.
7. He shall assist in the development and attainment of Synod-wide mission and ministry emphases.
8. He shall assist the district president, as requested, in promoting and obtaining unanimous participation by congregations in the submission of annual statistical reports.
9. He may, when requested to do so by the district president, serve as a mediator to effect reconciliation of disputes within the circuit not under dispute resolution of the Synod as outlined in section 1.10 of these Bylaws.
10. He shall regularly convene the pastors of his circuit for circuit conferences.
11. He shall regularly report on his activities to the district president.
12. The district president shall meet with the circuit visitors of the district at least once per year to discuss their work, to encourage them, and to conduct ongoing training for congregational and pastoral visits.
13. The circuit visitor is authorized to draw on the district treasury for his expenses.

5.2.3.1The circuit visitor shall, when requested to do so by the district president, serve as his representative in the triennial visitation of the congregations of the circuit.

1. In doing so, he should keep in mind the glory and responsibility of the universal priesthood of all believers as it applies to the congregations. He shall remind them that they are “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people to show forth the praises of Him who has called them out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).
2. He shall endeavor to strengthen the spirit of unity among circuit congregations to effect mission and ministry and shall seek to strengthen and support the spirit of fellowship.
3. When he is requested to make an official visit to a congregation by the district president, he shall arrange for such visits in advance with the respective pastor and congregation, except under extraordinary circumstances.

5.2.3.2The circuit visitor shall serve the pastors of the circuit as a collegial and brotherly advisor, reminding them of the joy of the ministry and of its great responsibilities.

1. He shall encourage the pastors of the circuit in their preaching and teaching; in the exercise of church discipline in an evangelical manner; and in the proper supervision of Christian education and training in the parish.
2. He shall encourage, in a brotherly manner, the pastors of the circuit in their spiritual and family life.
3. He shall encourage the pastors of the circuit to continue both formal and informal continuing professional education.

5.2.3.3The circuit visitor shall assist the district president, as assigned, in the ecclesiastical supervision of the other members of the Synod in the circuit.

5.3.1The circuit forum is the group which aids the process of keeping congregations, particularly the lay leaders, commissioned ministers, and pastors, supportive of one another in their common confession and mutually active in developing programs for the good of member congregations, in considering and recommending new work, and in suggesting improvements for services and programming at the national and district levels and is encouraged to meet at least twice a year. (a) The circuit visitor shall endeavor to provide resources, opportunities, and assistance so God’s people can grow in their faith. (b) Among the functions which the circuit forum may perform are the following:

1. To study the Scriptures and the Confessions in order to promote an evangelical spirit in our walking together.
2. To develop and adopt within existing policies of the respective district complementary and sometimes joint plans for mission outreach in the circuit area.
3. To devise and develop programs and services relevant to the needs of circuit congregations, lay leaders, teachers, and pastors.
4. To receive and respond as appropriate to advice, guidance, resolutions, and programs in other sections of the Synod as such may be addressed to it from other circuits, the respective district, and the general Synod.
5. To serve as a setting to review and evaluate programs, plans, and long-range directions of the district and the Synod and thus participate in the triennial process of suggesting, developing, and attaining the Synod’s priorities and goals.

5.3.2The circuit forum consists of one pastor and one layperson from each member congregation or multi-congregation parish designated by the congregation or parish. Congregations of a multi-congregation parish not contributing a lay voter may send an advisory lay representative, with voice but no vote.

1. Depending on each circuit’s adopted objectives, the circuit may provide for additional representation from each congregation. Such additional representatives have no vote in matters assigned to the circuit forum by the Bylaws of the Synod.
2. The circuit visitor and any other officers shall have the primary responsibility of preparing the agenda for the circuit forum.
3. The circuit visitor shall ordinarily serve as chairman of the circuit forum.
4. Should a multi-congregation parish involve congregations having membership in different visitation circuits, each lay representative, voting and advisory, shall attend the forum of the circuit of which the representative’s congregation is a member. The pastoral representative shall attend the forum of that circuit, within which he serves a congregation and within the district in which he holds membership, to which he is assigned by his district president. No multi-congregation parish is entitled to more than one pastoral and one lay voting representative because of its inclusion of congregations from different visitation circuits.*

5.3.3The circuit forum shall meet at least once triennially to select a circuit visitor (Bylaw 5.2.2).

5.3.4The circuit forum may also participate in the triennial process of suggesting, developing, and attaining the Synod’s priorities and goals.

5.3.5The circuit forum shall be qualified to submit overtures to national and district conventions. * 2023 Convention: Res. 9-01 [B], Proc. 196–97.

5.4.1The circuit convocation is a larger gathering of members from circuit congregations during a year in which there is no national or district convention.

5.4.2The purpose of a circuit convocation is to provide a setting in which congregational members may know of and celebrate the ministry pursued by each congregation, may review and discuss the work of the circuit forum, may discuss and evaluate mission potential within the circuit, and may receive information on various phases of the work pursued through districts and the Synod.

1. Its emphasis should be on inspiration, education, and motivation, and mission and theological discourse both within and beyond the circuit. The convocation should also be a place for in-depth discussion among all circuit congregation members of the theological and missiological issues before the Synod.
2. The circuit visitor shall serve as chairman of the circuit convocation and other circuit gatherings.
3. The circuit visitor and any other officers shall have the primary responsibility of preparing the agenda for the circuit convocation.