At the Texas Confessional Lutheran meeting at Grace, Brenham on Thursday, January 22, I had the privilege of presenting a topic on the report of the BLUE RIBBON TASK FORCE ON SYNOD STRUCTURE AND GOVERNANCE, Since some of you were unable to be at the meeting, I would like to share with you some of what I shared with the folks at Grace.
LAYMEN AND LAYWOMEN: WE NEED YOU TO BE INFORMED ABOUT THE BLUE RIBBON TASK FORCE ON SYNOD STRUCTURE AND GOVERNANCE!
The Task Force was appointed by President Kieschnick in 2005. While there are some good proposals in their document, "Walking Together: The LCMS Future," there are also proposals which should concern all of us who pray and labor toward making our present church body like unto our grandfather’s church in both doctrine and practice.
Allow me to bring to your attention some of these disturbing proposals and possibilities. It must be stated that these are only proposals and possibilities. However, if we do not speak out against them, some of them may be adopted and our synod will continue to decline.
The Task Force first presented the "Proposals and Possibilities" at a national theological convocation August 18-20, 2008 in St. Louis. Next the Task Force met with all 35 synodical district Board of Directors to present the "Proposals" and hear discussion. In 2009 the Task Force will take its proposals to all district conventions. The first convention in North Dakota ended on January 21. The Texas District convention will be held in Addison (Dallas) on June 25-27. (Theme: "Receiving, Reaching, Refreshing" based on Philemon 6-7). Task Force representatives will spend at least a day at each convention to talk informally with delegates.
Once all the district delegates are elected for the 2010 Houston synodical convention, President Kieschnick will host nine regional caucuses of the delegates to present the proposals, concepts, and options for consideration and discussion. The Task Force will bring its final report for action to the synodical convention to be held in Houston, July 10-17.
1. The Task force suggests that larger congregations have more voting delegates at district convention. Why? We have always operated with each congregation having two delegates:
a pastor and a layman.*
2. "Overtures to a district convention from individual member congregations that have been channeled through a circuit forum will receive priority consideration at the district convention" Why?
3. "Increase the number of districts from 35 to 100 with approximately 60 congregations in each district." More bureaucracy! More parish pastors in administrative district positions!
4. Omit the action of electing convention delegates. There will be no need for electoral circuits.
5. The district president will be involved in the selection of circuit counselors. Shouldn’t each circuit alone by responsible for this task? Is this not another step toward the centralization of power?
6 "Allow congregations with more than 750 confirmed members to be represented by two additional delegates for each additional unit of 750 confirmed members or majority thereof."
See # 1.
Time and space does not permit me to mention the many, many more concerns which need to be examined and discussed.
I cordially encourage you to make every effort to attend our Texas Confessional Lutheran Free Conference XX in September at Grace Lutheran Church in Brenham, Texas. The proposals of the Task Force will be the main thrust of the Free Conference. The theme: "The Relationship Between Theology and Polity." The two speakers invited: "Rev. Matthew Harrison" and Dr. John Wohlrabe, Jr (the 3rd synodical Vice President)..
LAYMEN AND WOMEN: PLEASE ACQUAINT YOURSELVES WITH THE TASK FORCE PROPOSALS: THE FUTURE OF SYNOD DEPENDS ON YOU!
Rev. Andrew Simcak, Jr.
President, Texas Confessional Lutherans
+ (Ed. The Blue Ribbon Task Force claims that the LCMS is congregational, with official members being pastors and congregations. This proposal gives the lie to that claim. They are regarding the individual members as of more worth or weight than the congregation. Every congregation of synod is of the same value and authority at a convention at present. If this restructuring passes, the nature of the organization will have changed. It will be even less congregational than it is now. Other BRTF recommended changes would also effect this traditional definition we have lived with for over 150 years, too. We began to go astray when we went to Electoral Circuits instead of every congregation being able to send a pastor and delegate. We did it "to save money," and our greed has come back to punish us.)
