This month we launch a limited-run series from the Rev. Dr. John W. Sias, LCMS secretary, focusing on the upcoming Synod convention.
By John W. Sias
By the middle of this month, the opening of the 69th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) will be under six months away.
Since 2013, the Synod has elected its president before the convention, that electronic election opening this year on June 6; vice-presidents continue to be elected at convention by the voting delegates already identified.
The time is now for congregations to take part in two important ways, both of which require action by the congregation or authorized by the congregation.
Nominations for president and vice-president
Each congregation has received information from YesElections on how to submit nominations of up to two ordained ministers for president, for first vice-president and for regional vice-president (the latter, from within the congregation’s designated region). Those candidates receiving the most nominating ballots and consenting to serve if elected constitute the ballots for election (Bylaws 3.12.2–3.12.2.2, 3.12.2.6–7). These votes count!
My office reports each convention on nomination voting in the Biographical Synopses and Statements of Nominees (in 2023, on Pages 9–39). The number of ballots received fluctuates a bit, but is, to me, surprisingly low.
Of 5,767 member congregations, 1,826 (32%) nominated for president and vice-presidents in 2023, hitting the middle of a 22–42% range since 2004. I have to believe more than a third of our congregations care who is on the ballot for these important positions.
These nominations must be submitted via the electronic system by Feb. 18.
Election of the president
Since the 2013 convention cycle, the Synod has elected its president by electronic means, before the convention. Each congregation or multi-congregation parish (Bylaw 2.5.5–6) has received information on how to register a pastor and lay voter who will participate in this election, to take place electronically June 6–9, and in weeks to follow if a majority election is not achieved on the first ballot. Voters will select a president from among the five top nominees who consent to serve if elected.
My office reports each convention opening day on this election in Today’s Business 2B (in 2023, on Pages 286–90). This will now be the fifth time the Synod has used this process and the third for which the electors are directly selected by the congregations for the vote instead of being those congregation delegates present at the prior district convention.
Interestingly, more parishes attended district conventions in 2013 and 2016 and were therefore registered than registered voters directly in 2019 and 2023 (in 2019 and 2023, only 63% of parishes registered voters, compared to 78–79% attending district conventions in 2013 and 2016).
Of those registered, about 90% voted in 2019 and about 83% in 2023. Taking into account both non-registration and non-voting, the total percentage of potential electors that actually vote has slid from 62% in 2013 to 54% in 2023.
Given that presidential elections are often determined by just a few percentage points, it’s important for parishes to register, and to register voters who will actually vote!
Presidential electors must be registered via the electronic system by March 8.
I encourage each congregation of the Synod to take some meeting time to discuss why it’s a part of the Synod (maybe even reading the Constitution of the Synod, Preamble and Articles II and III, or delving into what these offices do in Article XI), what the congregations need from the Synod and its officers, and how it will participate in governing the Synod through these and other convention processes, so that here, too, “the diversities of gifts should be for the common profit, 1 Cor. 12:4–31” (Preamble).
Much more detail about these two processes is available in the two noted reports, available at lcms.org/convention/national/publications.
If your congregation has not received the mailings described above, the president, pastor or administrator should contact us at lcmssecretary@lcms.org.
Next month, the column will focus on “overtures and what’s next for them.” Overtures are requests for convention action from congregations and other sources. These are due Feb. 28.
For information on this and other actions your congregation can take part in now through the convention, see lcms.org/convention/governance/guide#phase4.
Posted Jan. 14, 2026
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