Convention 2016: It’s Time … for 2016 Convention Deadlines (by Pr. Charles Henrickson)

Convention 2016: It’s Time … for 2016 Convention Deadlines

About a week ago, Secretary Hartwig’s office sent out this convention postcard mailing:

Mailing No. 12: Jan. 15, 2016

It’s Time … for 2016 Convention Deadlines

With the arrival of the new year, three important LCMS convention deadlines are rapidly approaching for your congregation:

Feb. 9, 2016 — President and first vice-president nominating ballots must be received by this date by the Synod’s auditor, Brown Smith Wallace. Official ballots must be used and signed by two congregation officers. Blue return envelopes were provided in your congregation’s nominations packet.

Feb. 9, 2016 — Regional vice-president, Board of Directors and mission board nominating ballots must be received by this date by the Office of the Secretary of the Synod. Official ballots must be used and signed by two congregation officers. Yellow return envelopes were provided in your congregation’s nominations packet.

[Note: If a nominating ballot has been spoiled or lost, a duplicate ballot must be obtained from the Office of the Secretary in sufficient time to meet the Feb. 9 deadline.]

Feb. 20, 2016 — Overtures (proposed convention actions) are due to be received by the Office of the President for inclusion in the 2016 Convention Workbook and must be signed by at least one officer of the congregation. Overtures received after the Feb. 20 deadline are included in convention business only if judged to be a matter of overriding importance and urgency and not covered by overtures already submitted.

Raymond L. Hartwig
LCMS Secretary

Now today I’d like to point out a couple things about the official nominations ballots:

1) Note that the LCMS Presidential Nomination Ballot and the LCMS Regional Nomination Ballots go to two different places. So use the pre-addressed envelopes accordingly. (Of course, make sure the ballots are filled out properly, dated, and signed by the congregation chairman and congregation secretary.)

2) Note that the ballots provide for two nominees for every position. Thus your congregation may want to make use of both slots. For example, if your congregation is in the Central Region (Regional map), you may nominate two persons for Lay Member, Board for International Mission. The United List has recommended one name: Dr. Kristine Bruss, Topeka, KS (KS). But you may want to nominate a second name also, perhaps: Jerry M. Frese, Lansing, KS (KS). Mr. Frese was appointed to the BIM in November to fill out a vacant term. But he would need to receive sufficient nominations now to appear on the ballot at the convention.

Also, a request about convention overtures: My congregation is having its voters’ meeting on January 31. I would be interested in seeing any good overtures on issues such as these: phasing out licensed lay deacons; tightening and upgrading the Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) program; strengthening Lutheran identity at our Concordias; reforming the Dispute Resolution Process (DRP) and doctrinal discipline; rescinding 2004 Res. 3-08A on the service of women; etc. Feel free to post such overtures, or at least links to them, below.

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