ST. LOUIS – Houston will be the site of the 2007 convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, said delegates attending the 62nd Regular Convention of the LCMS. They adopted Resolution 4-06 July 15, noting that Houston offers significant savings in hotel, airline and personnel costs.
The resolution, adopted 996-137, was introduced by the floor committee for program and finance. Dr. Thomas W. Kuchta, Synod treasurer, added that the cost savings include the complimentary use of a convention-center hall. The board of directors of the Texas District invited the Synod to meet in Houston.
The convention acted on other resolutions from the committee before adjourning July 15:
- By 623-514, it adopted Res. 4-07, establishing a blue ribbon task force for funding the mission of the church. The LCMS president will appoint the task force. Delegates amended the resolution, asking that recommendations be reported a year in advance of the 2007 convention.
- Following lengthy debate, the delegates adopted Res. 4-11, which clarifies and makes consistent provisions for property reversion in articles of incorporation of all corporate agencies of the Synod. The agencies include seminaries, universities, colleges, districts and Synodwide corporate entities. The resolution, adopted 873-210, requires LCMS corporate entities to include in their articles of incorporation that the institutions acknowledge allegiance to the Synod and its convention and submit to their authority. Should the corporate entity be dissolved or terminated, its property “shall vest or be transferred to the Synod,” the resolution said.
- Res. 4-04, adopted 748-352, establishes uniform reversionary interests on college, university and seminary properties. With the understanding that the Synod owns properties of its higher education institutions, the resolution makes consistent the reversionary interests of properties of the Synod’s education institutions “in favor of the Synod.”
- The convention amended the Synod’s bylaws regarding duties of the chief administrative officer of the Synod Board of Directors. Res. 4-09 retains the position as a Synod officer, but makes it accountable exclusively to the Synod’s Board of Directors, instead of both the Board and Synod president. Dr. Robert T. Kuhn, Board chairman, said the board determined that the president has not made much use of the position, and said it is difficult for one person to “serve two masters.” The bylaw change was made with the president’s concurrence, Kuhn said. Delegates voted 898-225 to adopt the resolution.
Posted July 15, 2004
