With Barbara A. Below
This month’s Reporter includes an official notice listing the floor committee members for this year’s 65th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.
Much work has taken place to review and identify convention floor committee 
members, who are appointed by the Synod president, in consultation with the LCMS Council of Presidents and the praesidium.
District presidents submitted confidential recommendations of delegates and representatives to serve on floor committees. These recommendations — along with a review of all voting and advisory delegates and advisory representatives — were used to determine the president’s floor-committee appointments. Serving on floor committees are Synod vice-presidents; district presidents; ordained, commissioned and lay-member delegates; and representatives.
The responsibilities of floor committees are very important for conducting the business of a convention.
The committees are responsible for reviewing reports and overtures assigned to them by the president and responding with drafts of resolutions that will be presented for consideration by the convention delegates. Floor committees also may combine the content of reports and overtures into a single resolution for consideration, may make substantive changes to overtures, and/or may choose to decline overtures or place them in “omnibus” resolutions rather than present them for consideration by the delegates. Floor committees are then also responsible for presenting their resolutions to the convention and responding to discussion from the floor.
The 2013 convention floor committee numbers, names and a sampling of areas of responsibility are:
1. Witness — international and national matters related to evangelism and proclamation of the Gospel.
2. Mercy — international and national mercy efforts to reach those in need.
3. Life Together — supporting, strengthening and addressing matters that engage and impact the Synod and beyond.
4. Theology and Church Relations — theological, doctrinal and church-relations matters.
5. Seminary and University Education — colleges, universities and seminaries, their educational systems and the preparation of students in their vocations.
6. Administration and Finance — administration and financial matters of the LCMS.
7. Structure and Ecclesiastical Matters — the Synod’s structure, governance, Synod harmony, supervision and ecclesiastical matters.
8. Registration, Credentials and Elections — oversees the registration process to ensure that all delegates are properly credentialed and the election process is properly conducted.
9. Committee for Convention Nominations (elected by districts) — responsible to nominate candidates for certain elective offices, boards and commissions.
Thank you very much to everyone who has already been involved in nominations, overtures, floor committees and other convention preparations. Thank you in advance to the floor committee members for their extended service and commitment to the convention.
Much work has already been accomplished and much more work is to come. As we continue to move toward July, we do so with confidence that the Lord will bless our work.
To learn more about the 2013 convention via social media, visit www.facebook.com/LCMSConvention and www.twitter.com/LCMSConvention.
Barbara A. Below is an assistant to the Synod president.
Posted March 5, 2013 / Updated March 6, 2013
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