Cross-Focused Leadership for Missouri

A lot of first-time delegates have questions about the convention .. what can they expect when they get to Houston this summer? This section will be developed to help answer some of those questions. Please add comments to the bottom of this page and we’ll incorporate those questions into this document.

WHAT IS A SYNODICAL CONVENTION LIKE?

What is a synodical convention like? If you are a first-time delegate, you may feel like a rural Iowan plunked down in Midtown Manhattan, trying to cross the street without getting trampled on by the crowds or being run over by the taxis with crazy drivers.

If you are a first-time delegate, you might think a convention is like a congregational voters’ meeting. Some of the procedures are the same as a voter’s meeting, but it is more like “voters’ meeting on steroids.” There are almost a hundred people to elect; dozens of resolutions to consider, amend, and adopt (or decline); and endless five-minute speeches on various subjects. There is a secretary who keeps minutes, chairmen who keep order in the proceedings, and the president who “runs the show.” People often make reference to “Robert,” who is the guy who wrote the book on Rules of Order and parliamentary procedure.

The convention is, after all, a type of parliament, legislature, or Congress. The difference is that synodical conventions meet once every three years for less than a week. Congress meets daily, except for recesses. In Congress, everyone knows each other. At synodical conventions, very few people know each other, except for the officers of synod (who sit up front), the District Presidents (who also sit up front), and various other people who represent the seminaries, universities, mission departments, human care departments, and other agencies of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. At synodical conventions, many people are attending for their very first time, sometimes over half of them! With over one thousand voting delegates, you will have a lot of company, that’s for sure!

Why is a synodical convention like the streets of Midtown Manhattan? It is because in both cases there are a lot of people trying to get their business done in a short amount of time. The first-time delegate will often want to say “Wait, hold the train! Where is this thing going?” The people trying to get their business done will look at you with a bit of a frown, implying “You should have done your homework, first, bud!” And then one of their friends will “Call the question,” and you have to vote pro or con. That is it, end of discussion, and you didn’t even know what they were talking about! The whole experience is, for the unprepared, very frustrating.

You can reduce your frustration by, first, browsing through web-sites like this one that talk about the issues facing the synod at its 2010 convention. Web-sites, blogs, newsletters, etc. will have their own bias. Some will be truthful. Others will be far from the truth. It is best to talk to a pastor or experienced LCMS layman that you know and trust, who can recommend to you the best sources for information about the convention.

Second, you should also check out the synod’s own web-site at: www.lcms.org, on the pages that talk about the convention. Information from the Secretary of the synod is usually the most helpful, since it is factual and directly related to convention business. Other materials on the synod’s web-site may or may not be helpful. Again your trusted pastor or LCMS layman can help you sort out the good from the bad.

Third, when the “Convention Workbook” is mailed to you and other delegates, you should read through all of it carefully. Reports are often the basis of actions in the overtures section. You need to realize that similar “overtures” will be merged by the “floor committees” who present them as resolutions. Many of the resolutions prepared by the floor committees often don’t even make it to the “floor,” i.e., to the point of being discussed. That is because the convention usually runs out of time at the end, and it is not wise to rush a convention action of any sort.

How should you study the Workbook? It is best to take notes from the Workbook on a separate notepad, to identify the major issues, and their relevant overture numbers. Then when the floor committees release the actual Resolutions in the publication called “Today’s Business,” you can use a colored pen to mark the actual resolutions “Good,” “Bad,” or “Indifferent” and a highlighter pen to note objectionable features in a Resolution.

Fourth, about the time you receive the “Workbook” you will also receive the nominations booklet from the synodical Committee for Convention Nominations. Sit down again with your trusted pastor or LCMS layman and ask his (or her) opinion about the nominees. Mark down your notes in the booklet, and that will help you when it comes time to vote. We also recommend that you consider voting with the United List, found at: www.theunitedlist.org

Fifth, be aware that you will be sitting in uncomfortable chairs for most of a week in a “refrigerated” convention center during July in Houston. Outdoors is usually unbearable, and indoors can be chilly. Be rested before you arrive, dress accordingly, and get a good night’s sleep while there. If you don’t want to get wet, bring an umbrella for the occasional torrential rains.

Finally, remember that even though you may have a strong disagreement with someone at the convention, they are a fellow Lutheran and a brother or sister in Christ. Conduct yourself accordingly and you, and everyone, will have a much more enjoyable time in conducting the work of our church!