Some may wonder why a picture of a woman in traditional Bavarian dress hold a large stein of beer. Many people have decided to not blog during Holy Week. I do respect that decision. Since I am blogging, however, I was going to put up a picture of a Volga German church or something in that vein. I put that picture up instead. What can I say?

You know, I should have never said the whole politics thing slows down during Lent. I am eating my words right now.

Once again, from CAT41:

[Note: the writers of this overture should have also noted that the calling of a special convention is nearly impossible, since it requires almost all of the District Presidents to agree that there exists a reason for such; i.e., the current bylaw in this regard absolutely robs the congregations of the synod of their voice in such matters. EJG]

The Crookston Circuit Forum (Minnesota North District) sent in the following overture for consideration by the 2004 LCMS Synodical Convention. It has been rejected by Dr. Kieschnick, alleging it "contains information which is materially in error, or contains an apparent misrepresentation of truth or character". No information is given as to which part of the overture is found to contain such. The overture, along with a letter from Dr. Kieschnick, has been forwarded to District President Donald Fondow's office, "which 'has ecclesiastical supervision over the entity submitting the overture for action'". The overture as submitted is below:

To Provide a Means for Suspension or Deposition of A Synodical President

WHEREAS, God states that all things should be done decently and in order, especially as this relates to the privilege of the proclamation of the Gospel and our witness and practice in this regard (1 Corinthians 14:40); and

WHEREAS, Sin brings disorder and hinders the proclamation of the Gospel as a result; and

WHEREAS, Events within our church body have taken place which demonstrate such hindrances and the ensuing consequences resulting in disharmony and lack of good order; and

WHEREAS, As a result of these events questions were addressed to the Commission on Constitutional Matters (CCM) for the sake of clarification and the opportunity to continue to walk together as Synod, and

WHEREAS, Some of the rulings by the CCM effectively place any person occupying the Office of the President of the LC-MS above the synodical constitution in between regularly scheduled synodical conventions (01-2240, 01-2241); and

WHEREAS, These rulings reveal that members of the Synod are without a means for suspension or deposition or of the opportunity to effectively deal with these matters for the sake of decency and good order which pertain to a sitting president if charges of false doctrine are brought forward and upheld in between regular conventions of Synod (cf. Constitution (Art. XI A 2), Bylaw 3.103, c.); and

WHEREAS, The only recourse according to the current Synodical Handbook is to call a special Synodical Convention (Art. VIII B 2) which is expensive, time consuming, and allows for possible continued opportunity for a synodical president to continue to do damage to the church while the constitutional process slowly progresses; and

WHEREAS, The constitution mentions "the deposition from office" of the president (Art. XI C 2), but fails to provide a mechanism for this to happen in good order; and

RESOLVED, That The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod meeting in convention request of the LC-MS Commission on Structure two means or models for placing a synodical president on restricted status, suspension, or deposition from office for cause, that are neither too difficult nor too easy to implement in a time of need or crisis, as is the case already provided (for example) with district presidents (Bylaw 2.27, c, 2, g); and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Commission on Structure present its results for vote at the next Synodical Convention in 2007.

Right now, because of the CCM, if a Synodical President, say for instance, gets caught with the secretary, there is no means to dispose of him without calling a special convention. Our SP could commit murder and not get tossed out of office until the next convention. The SP could convert to Mormonism and still be SP under the ridiculous CCM ruling. There needs to be a way to discipline a SP between conventions. Right now, there is nothing to keep a SP in check. This is a concern no matter who's in office.