Synod Assembly
Assembly Rules & Procedures
Voting Membership
++S7.21. The membership of the Synod Assembly, of which at least 60 percent of the voting membership shall be composed of laypersons, shall be constituted as follows:
a. All ordained ministers under call on the roster of this synod in attendance at the Synod Assembly shall be voting members.
b. All associates in ministry, deaconesses of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and diaconal ministers, under call, on the official lay rosters of this synod shall have both voice and vote as lay voting members in the Synod Assembly, in addition to the voting membership of lay members of congregations provided in item +S7.21.c.
c. A minimum of one lay member elected by each congregation with fewer than 175 baptized members and a minimum of two lay members elected by each congregation with 175 baptized members related to this synod, normally one of whom shall be male and one of whom shall be female, shall be voting members. The Synod Council shall establish a formula to provide additional lay representation from congregations on the basis of the number of baptized members in the congregation. The Synod Council shall seek to ensure that, as nearly as possible, 50 percent of the lay members of the assembly shall be female and 50 percent shall be male. Additional members from each congregation normally shall be equally divided between male and female.
d. Voting membership shall include the officers of this synod.
S7.21.01 All retired ordained ministers on the roster of the synod shall elect 10% of their numbers to be voting members; all others shall be advisory members with voice but not vote.
S7.21.02 One lay conference officer shall be a voting member of the Synod Assembly.
S7.23. All retired ordained ministers, all ordained ministers on leave from call, all associates in ministry on leave from call or retired who are not elected as voting members, all deaconesses of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on leave from call or retired, and all diaconal ministers of this church on leave from call or retired, all of whose names appear on the rosters of this synod, shall have the privilege of voice but not vote at all meetings of the Synod Assembly. The presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and such other official representatives of this church as may be designated from time to time by the Church Council shall also have voice but not vote in the meetings of the Synod Assembly. Like privileges shall be accorded to those additional persons whom the Synod Assembly or the Synod Council shall from time to time designate.
S7.24. Ordained ministers under call on the roster of this synod shall remain as members of the Synod Assembly so long as they remain under call and so long as their names appear on the roster of ordained ministers of this synod. Associates in ministry, deaconesses of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America , and diaconal ministers of this church serving under call on the roster of this synod shall remain as members of the Synod Assembly so long as they remain under call and so long as their names appear on the official lay roster of this synod. Lay members of the Synod Assembly representing congregations shall continue as such until replaced by the election of new members or until they have been disqualified by termination of membership. Normally, congregations will hold elections prior to each regular meeting of the Synod Assembly.
++S7.25. With the exception of ordained ministers on the roster of this synod who reside outside the territory of this synod, each member of the Synod Assembly shall be voting member of a congregation of this synod.
S7.26. This synod may establish processes through the Synod Council that permit representatives of authorized worshiping communities of the synod, under ELCA bylaw 10.02.03., to serve as voting members of the Synod Assembly, consistent with +S7.21. Such authorized worshiping communities, acknowledged under criteria and procedures of the ELCA Division for Outreach and the Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, shall accept and adhere to the Confession of Faith and Statement of Purpose of this church, shall be served by leadership under the criteria of this church, and shall be subject to the discipline of this church.
S7.27. Duly elected voting members of the Synod Council who are not otherwise voting members of the Synod Assembly under +S7.21. shall be granted
privilege of both voice and vote as members of the Synod Assembly.
++S7.31. Proxy and absentee voting shall not be permitted in the transaction of any business of this synod.
S7.32. Robert's Rules of Order, latest edition, shall govern parliamentary procedures of the Synod Assembly, unless otherwise ordered by the assembly.
Voting Member Credentials
Voting privileges may be transferred from one member to another within a congregation between the first and second days of assembly. The vote is not transferable after the opening of the fifth assembly session at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 4, 2002. Voting members must transfer their materials with their vote. No additional materials will be available.
Quorum
Fifty percent (50%) of the registered voting members shall constitute a quorum.
Privilege of the Assembly Floor
Voting members of the assembly shall have prior right to the assembly floor.
Officers of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Southeastern Minnesota Synod of the ELCA shall be entitled to the privilege of the floor at all times.
Voting members addressing the assembly during the discussion of a pending motion or resolution shall identify themselves by name and congregation.
Unless otherwise determined by a majority vote of the assembly, all speeches during discussion of motions or resolution shall be limited to two minutes each with three persons speaking for and three persons speaking against the motion.
Voice Granted
Pastors not on the Southeastern Minnesota Synod roster serving as interim pastors in the synod shall have voice on the assembly floor.
Budget Impact
Any resolution that adds money to the budget would show a reduction of an equal amount in that same budget, or provide a proposal as to how the additional funds would be acquired.
Committee on Reference and Counsel
A resolution for consideration at the Synod Assembly must be submitted to the Committee on Reference and Counsel by 4:30 p.m. Friday, May 3, 2002 unless otherwise determined by the Synod Assembly. Any resolution presented during the assembly must have the signatures of 50 voting members in order to be considered by the assembly. Any resolution coming through conferences would be accepted without the signatures.
Nominee Biographical Information
Those nominated for the ballot from the assembly floor may submit their biographical data prior to 4:30 p.m. on Friday, May 3, 2002. This information will be distributed prior to the 9:30 a.m. session on Saturday, May 4, 2002.
Invalid Ballots
Ballots which are illegible or which are numbered inaccurately shall be considered invalid.
Motion to Adjourn
A motion to adjourn shall be debatable.
Distribution of Materials
Materials may be distributed on the floor of the assembly only with the written consent of the Bishop of the synod. In cases where the Bishop does not consent, appeal may be made to the Committee on Reference and Counsel. That committee's decision shall be final.
Visitor Seating
Visitors are welcome at the assembly. As a courtesy, please sit in the designated visitor area.
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