Convention floor committees meet in St. Louis; first issue of ‘Today’s Business’ now available

Attendees at the 2019 Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) Floor Committee Weekend worship in the LCMS International Center chapel in St. Louis on May 31. During the weekend, delegates drafted the resolutions that will be considered at the 2019 LCMS Convention in Tampa, Fla., July 20-25. (Michael Schuermann)

By Cheryl Magness

On Friday, May 31, approximately 130 Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) pastors, commissioned ministers and laypeople from around the country gathered at the LCMS International Center in St. Louis to begin their service on floor committees for the 2019 LCMS Convention.

Floor committee members are appointed by the LCMS president in consultation with the Council of Presidents and Praesidium (Bylaw 3.1.7). Appointments are made from among the voting delegates, advisory delegates and advisory representatives (Bylaw 3.1.7 [a]).

The floor committees are charged with drafting the resolutions that will be considered at the July 20–25 convention in Tampa, Fla.

The schedule for the weekend included:

floor committee secretary training;

a report from the Synod president;

multiple opportunities for each committee to meet; and

daily worship, including Divine Service with Holy Communion Saturday evening, June 1.

To form their resolutions, each floor committee went through the overtures and reports contained in the 2019 Convention Workbook.

Those resolutions have been published in the first issue of Today’s Business, now available for free download. There are 103 total resolutions from the 12 floor committees, plus three “omnibus” resolutions.

A printed copy of the first Today’s Business will be mailed in advance of the convention to voting delegates; advisory delegates; officers of the Synod; and members of boards, commissions and the Council of Presidents. Copies will also be available from Concordia Publishing House for $7.50 plus shipping.

In addition to the resolutions, the first issue of Today’s Business includes information about the convention schedule, late overtures and a late report, Part 2 of the President’s Report, proposed special standing rules, and official announcements, some providing updates to information already published.

There will be five more issues of Today’s Business — one published each morning of the convention — with the schedule for the day, substitute or revised resolutions, wording for proposed amendments, and other official announcements and information. A limited number of additional copies of daily editions will be available for visitors attending the convention.

Convention business will be conducted by the 12 floor committees in the areas of National Witness; International Witness; Mercy; Life Together; Theology and Church Relations; Pastoral Ministry and Seminaries; University Education; Finance; Structure and Administration; Ecclesiastical Supervision and Dispute Resolution; Church and Culture; and Retention: Schools, Family, Youth, and Young Adults.

A 13th floor committee — Registrations, Credentials and Elections — is not involved in the resolution process.

For more information about the 2019 LCMS Convention, visit lcms.org/convention.
Today’s Business: First Issue
Posted June 6, 2019