Official notice: Constitutional amendment on calling special district conventions

To All Member Congregations of the Synod:

The 69th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (in Session 7, on July 21, in Phoenix, Ariz., and by a vote of Yes: 887; No: 24, more than the required two-thirds majority) adopted Res. 9-14A, “To Amend Constitution Article XII 15 as to Call of Special District Conventions,” a resolution that will—if ratified—amend the Synod Constitution to allow alternate means, in cases of urgent necessity, for district conventions to be called by circuit forums or by district vice-presidents and circuit visitors without the consent of the district president.

Article XV, governing such amendments, now requires the following:

The amendment adopted by the convention must be submitted to the congregations of the Synod by means of three announcements in the Synod’s official periodicals.

The amendment must be submitted directly to each voting congregation of the Synod on an official ballot provided by the Synod.

After taking official action on this matter, congregations must use the official ballot to cast their affirmative or negative votes on the amendment, returning it to the Secretary of the Synod.

The amendment must receive a favorable two-thirds majority of all votes cast by congregations within six months of the date of submission to the congregations.

This announcement informs the congregations of the Synod that the required official ballot will be opened in the Synod’s electronic voting system on September 15, 2026. Information is being emailed to congregations, their pastors, and reported officers regarding the amendment and the vote. Congregations wishing to vote must use the official ballot provided in the electronic voting system at vote.lcms.org.

Ballots properly submitted to the Office of the Secretary via the electronic system by the close of March 15, 2027 (St. Louis time), will be tabulated, and if the amendment receives a two-thirds majority affirmative vote, it will become effective on that date.

The full text of Res. 9-14A is available in the 2026 Convention Proceedings; questions and concerns may be directed to my office at lcmssecretary@lcms.org or (314) 996-1417.

Rev. Dr. John W. Sias, Secretary

Posted Sept. 1, 2026