The new “workbook” for the LCMS convention has just been released. You can read it in PDF form here. I just started looking through it but one of the things I find absolutely fascinating is the sheer number of overtures to convention that deal with the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and Governance.
From pages 221 to 248, there is just overture after overture that asks the convention to delay, reject or otherwise put the kibbosh on the proposals of the Blue Ribbon Task Force proposals and process. It’s just a devastating indictment against the process and a major statement of “no confidence” in the current leadership of Synod.
I’ve put a quick listing of some of the first few overtures at the end of this post but it just got to be too many so I gave up.
This can not be good timing for the leadership that is pushing the proposals since I am hearing from multiple informed sources that there is a “confidential” consultant report that blows the lid off the BRTFSSG process. I hope to have the first of many reports on this confidential report this weekend.
Anyway, here are some of the titles from concerned Districts, Circuits and congregations from all over Synod. They always use parliamentary language and tend to be very diplomatic, but it’s clear that folks aren’t exactly pleased with the proposals:
To Allow Time for Reasonable Conversation and Consideration of Changes to Structure
To Foster Greater Unanimity in Decisions re Structure
To Postpone Consideration and Implementation of Task Force Report
To Exercise Care and Delay Implementation of Structure Changes
To Submit BRTFSSG Report to All Congregations for Study and Defer Action until Following Convention
To Proceed with Task Force Proposals Only If Full and Timely Disclosure of Proposed Revisions Is Provided
To Reject Blue Ribbon Task Force Recommendations
To Defer Proposed Restructure/Reorganization to 2013 Convention
To Retain Existing Synod Constitution
To Reject Proposed Changes to Articles II, III, and VI
To Reject All Proposals That Limit or Hinder Participation of Congregations
To Retain Congregational Orientation of Synod
To Retain Current Congregational Representation
To Maintain Present Form of Delegate Representation
To Retain Voting Delegates as Lay and Pastoral
To Retain Current Article V of Constitution
To Reject Any Proposed Changes re Voting Delegates to Synod Conventions
To Reject Proposed Change re Voting Delegates to District Conventions
To Reject Proposal for Advisory Boards