At the recent North Dakota District Convention four overtures regarding the Synodical restructuring were prevented from reaching the floor of the convention. For those of you that have asked, here are those overtures. Hopefully, these overtures will stimulate conversation in your own congregations and circuits and help in the formulation of overtures for your upcoming district conventions.
Suggested Overture for 2009 ND District Convention #1
Whereas, The Synod is an association of Congregations and pastors and teachers who are bound together, not by an overarching organizational structure which exercises power and authority over its members, but instead are bound together by agreement in the doctrine of the Gospel, and
Whereas, the Synod is not over its congregations, neither is it under its congregations, and
Whereas, the Synod is its congregations walking together, and
Whereas, the only power and authority which is to rule and govern in the Synod is the Word of God, and
Whereas, the constitution of the Synod provides freedom for its members from any coercive kind of power exercised by elected officers of the Synod, (Constitution, Article VII.1) therefore be it
Resolved, that the North Dakota District Convention requests the 2010 Synodical Convention to reject the proposal of The Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and Governance (BRTFSSG) under “Congregations and Districts”, where it proposes “involve the district president in the selection of circuit counselors.”, and be it further
Resolved, that the North Dakota District Convention requests the 2010 Synodical Convention to reject the proposal of the BRTFSSG under “Congregations, National Conventions, and Representation” where it states: “Determine each district’s number of delegates according to that district’s exact percentage of the total number of congregations and communicates in Synod.” because it removes the doctrine and promise that, “where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20), and be it finally
Resolved, that the North Dakota District Convention requests the 2010 Synodical Convention to reject the proposal of the BRTFSSG under the same heading as above, where it states: “Elect national convention delegates at district conventions (where all congregations are represented) from a list of congregational delegates to the district convention that immediately precedes the national convention. Allow each district to determine how these candidates would be selected and elected, involving all congregations within the district and based upon criteria established by the national Synod.”
**********************************************************
Suggested Overture for 2009 ND District Convention #1
Whereas, The Synod is an association of Congregations and pastors and teachers who are bound together, not by an overarching organizational structure which exercises power and authority over its members, but instead are bound together by agreement in the doctrine of the Gospel, and
Whereas, the Synod is not over its congregations, neither is it under its congregations, and
Whereas, the Synod is its congregations walking together, and
Whereas, the only power and authority which is to rule and govern in the Synod is the Word of God, and
Whereas, the constitution of the Synod provides freedom for its members from any coercive kind of power exercised by elected officers of the Synod, (Constitution, Article VII.1) therefore be it
Resolved, that the North Dakota District Convention requests the 2010 Synodical Convention to reject the proposal of The Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and Governance (BRTFSSG) under “Congregations and Districts”, where it proposes “involve the district president in the selection of circuit counselors.”, and be it further
Resolved, that the North Dakota District Convention requests the 2010 Synodical Convention to reject the proposal of the BRTFSSG under “Congregations, National Conventions, and Representation” where it states: “Determine each district’s number of delegates according to that district’s exact percentage of the total number of congregations and communicates in Synod.” because it removes the doctrine and promise that, “where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20), and be it finally
Resolved, that the North Dakota District Convention requests the 2010 Synodical Convention to reject the proposal of the BRTFSSG under the same heading as above, where it states: “Elect national convention delegates at district conventions (where all congregations are represented) from a list of congregational delegates to the district convention that immediately precedes the national convention. Allow each district to determine how these candidates would be selected and elected, involving all congregations within the district and based upon criteria established by the national Synod.”
**********************************************************
Suggested Overture for 2009 ND District Convention #2
Whereas, The Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and Governance (BRTFSSG) has submitted “Walking Together – The LCMS Future” Proposals and Possibilities for Consideration and Discussion to each congregation of the Synod, and
Whereas, the BRTFSSG has stated that these “proposals/possibilities are not final by any means,” and therefore seek the input of the local members congregations of Synod, and
Whereas, there is a growing concern, upon reading several parts of the proposals/possibilities, that the BRTFSSG leans toward a centralization of power on the Synod and District level; [cf. Congregations, National Conventions, and Representation (4-5)], and,
Whereas, all congregations of the Synod have the same amount of Jesus Christ. That is, larger congregations do not have more, smaller do not have less; Growing congregations are not better or more important to Christ, declining congregations are not inferior or less important to Christ and His mission, and
Whereas, even the smallest offering is considered important to Christ (cf. Luke 21, Widow’s offering), therefore be it
Resolved, that the North Dakota District Convention requests the 2010 Synodical Convention to reject any proposal of the BRTFSSG that each congregation in a District be represented in any other way than by one pastor and one lay delegate for the District Conventions of Synod, and be it finally
Resolved, that the North Dakota District Convention requests the 2010 Synodical Convention to reject any proposal of BRTFSSG that each congregation be represented in any other way than by one pastor and one lay delegate for the Circuit Forums, which elect one pastoral and one lay delegate for the National Convention of Synod.
**********************************************************
Suggested Overture for 2009 ND District Convention #3
WHEREAS, in 2005 President Gerald Kieschnick appointed a Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and Governance; and
WHEREAS, the Task Force’s preliminary proposals of August, 2008 were far-reaching in scope and significant in import; and
WHEREAS, experience teaches that maximum attention must be given to detail and wording in making adjustments or changes that impinge on structure; and
WHEREAS, the Synod would do well to proceed with prayerful and appropriate care in considering any changes; therefore be it
Resolved, that the North Dakota District memorialize the 2010 Synodical Convention not to adopt any of the Task Force’s recommendations unless the Task Force has made available the precise language and reasons it proposes for any and all Constitution and Bylaw changes, as well as the complete text of any enabling resolutions that the Task Force may propose to help implement the changes it advocates.
**********************************************************
Suggested Overture for 2009 ND District Convention #4
Whereas, The Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and Governance (BRTFSSG) has submitted “Walking Together – The LCMS Future” Proposals and Possibilities for Consideration and Discussion to each congregation of the Synod, and
Whereas, the BRTFSSG has stated that these “proposals/possibilities are not final by any means,” and therefore seek the input of the local members congregations of Synod, and
Whereas, we are a church body known for its faithfulness to God’s Word by the name of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, distinguishing us from the many other Lutheran church bodies with a different understanding and doctrine of God’s Word, therefore be it
Resolved, that the North Dakota District memorialize the 2010 Synodical Convention ask the BRTFSSG to discontinue further time and research under “Items for Further Attention”: “Changing the name of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to better reflect who we are today, a church body that serves throughout North America and in partnership with 30 other Lutheran church bodies around the world.”
No comments:
Post a Comment