Convention 2013: Nominations Ballots, by February 20 (by Pr. Charles Henrickson)

 St. Louis, July 20-25

In early October all LCMS congregations were sent a mailing from the Office of the Secretary containing Official Nominations Ballots and return envelopes for the 2013 Elections. These ballots must be voted on, filled out, returned, and received properly, following particular instructions, by the February 20 deadline. My guess is that most congregations that are going to participate in this process will be doing so, now that Advent and Christmas are over, sometime during the next four or five weeks.

Each congregation may nominate one or two ordained ministers for President of the Synod, as well as one or two ordained ministers for First Vice-President. The name(s) you nominate for one office may also be nominated for the other office, if your congregation so wishes. Once your congregation has voted on these nominations, the Official Nominations Ballot for President and First VP must be dated and be signed by the congregation’s chairman and secretary. Then that ballot should be returned in the white envelope you were sent in the mailing, which is pre-addressed as follows:

ATTN FRANK MEGARGEL CPA
BROWN SMITH WALLACE LLC
PO BOX 1511
ST CHARLES MO 63302-1511

And in the lower left corner of the envelope it says:

LCMS OFFICIAL NOMINATIONS BALLOT — 2013 ELECTIONS

Make sure you do all this so that the ballot, in the envelope, will be received (not just returned) by February 20.

OK, so that takes care of the Nominations Ballot for SP and 1VP. That’s similar to what we’ve done in previous years. What’s new this go-round are Regional Elections. Each LCMS congregation was sent an Official Nominations Ballot for Regional Vice-President. Also, congregations in two regions (Central and West-Southwest) were sent an Official Nominations Ballot for Regional Lay Member, Board of Directors.

Your congregation is located in one of five regions: East-Southeast; Great Lakes; Central; Great Plains; or West-Southwest. You can see where your congregation would be located on this LCMS Region-District Map.

Now a word about one important correction on this map involving the Nebraska District, but which affects nominations throughout both the Central and Great Plains Regions. The first map sent out incorrectly placed Nebraska in the Central Region. The corrected map (linked and pictured), sent out about a week later, placed Nebraska in the Great Plains Region. So then, if you are in the Central Region, do NOT nominate anyone from Nebraska for a regional position (VP or BOD). On the other hand, if you are in the Great Plains Region, you MAY nominate someone from Nebraska for Regional Vice-President.

So let’s take the Great Plains Region as an example. Your congregation is in that region if it is located in the geographical territory represented by these districts: Nebraska; Iowa West; Minnesota South; Minnesota North; North Dakota; South Dakota; Wyoming; or Montana. (If your congregation is English District or SELC, it is included in whatever region its geographical location is.) Your congregation may nominate one or two ordained ministers who reside anywhere in that region. Complete the Official Nominations Ballot for Regional VP as described above (dated and signed by chairman and secretary); however, this ballot should be returned in the colored envelope you were sent in the mailing, which is pre-addressed as follows:

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
THE LUTHERAN CHURCH-MISSOURI SYNOD
1333 S KIRKWOOD ROAD
ST. LOUIS MO 63122-7295

And in the lower left corner of the envelope it says:

LCMS OFFICIAL NOMINATIONS BALLOT — 2013 REGIONAL ELECTIONS

Now, as to Regional Lay Member, Board of Directors. Because of which positions need to be filled at this convention, this ballot was sent only to congregations in the Central Region and the West-Southwest Region. Let’s take the Central Region as an example. Your congregation is in the Central Region if it is located in the geographical territory represented by these districts: Indiana; Central Illinois; Southern Illinois; Mid-South; Missouri; Kansas; or Oklahoma. (Again, also including those English or SELC congregations located in that territory.) You may nominate one or two LAYPERSONS who live anywhere in that region to be on the LCMS Board of Directors. Please try to find out the address and (if possible) the telephone number of your lay nominee(s) and put that information on the ballot. Complete the ballot, etc., and return likewise in the colored envelope to the Office of the Secretary, to be received there by February 20.

If you cannot find the Official Nominations Ballots that were sent out in the mailing in early October, and you want replacement ballots, you need to contact the LCMS Office of the Secretary.

For all things pertaining to the upcoming convention, a good starting point is the Synod’s webpage, National LCMS Convention, where you can find many helpful links.

By the way, a reminder about Convention Overtures: The deadline for those is coming up, too. March 2 is the official deadline, and they’re recommending earlier, if possible. Congregations and/or circuit forums–both may submit overtures. I posted an article on that process a while back, which see: Convention 2013: Submitting overtures, by March 2–better, by February 1.

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