Convention News

Call for nominations for LCC’s 2022 National Convention

CANADA - As Lutheran Church– Canada (LCC) begins preparations for 2022’s National Convention in Edmonton, the church is calling on its members to prayerfully consider nominations for synod’s boards and offices. In April, LCC sent a letter to all congregations inviting them to recommend candidates by October 10.

Any LCC member may recommend one or more persons for nominations to the following offices; they do not require a congregational vote. Descriptions of the offices and the responsibilities and qualifications for nominees are available online.

1. Board of Directors (BOD) - To be elected: 5 lay persons; 3 pastors; and 1 deacon (with at least 1 individual from each region).

2. Commission on Adjudication (COA) - To be elected: 2 rostered workers (the other members of the COA are 3 lay persons appointed by each regional pastor, at least 1 of whom must be a lawyer).

3. Commission on Constitutional Matters and Structure (CCMS) - To be elected: 3 rostered workers, 1 of whom may be a deacon; and 3 laypersons, 1 of whom must be a lawyer (the other member of the CCMS is the secretary of the BOD who is appointed to that office from among the Board members).

4. Commission on Nominations and Elections (CNE) - To be elected: 4 rostered workers, at least 3 of whom shall be pastors and 1 may be a deacon; and 3 laypersons (each region is to be represented, if possible, by at least 1 member).

5. Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) - To be elected: 2 rostered workers serving congregations, at least 1 of whom must be a pastor or pastor emeriti; and 2 lay persons (the other members of the CTCR are a faculty member from each of our two seminaries who is appointed or elected by the faculty, and a member appointed by the synod president).

6. Regional Mission and Ministry Council (RMMC) - To be elected: 1 lay person from each circuit (the RMMC consists of a lay person and the circuit counsellor from each circuit in the region).

7. Board of Regents (Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary, St. Catharines) - To be approved for selection by the Board of Regents: 1 pastor; and 1 lay person from each region (the names of those approved for selection at the convention are submitted to the BOR which makes the final official election or appointment).

8. Board of Regents (Concordia Lutheran Seminary, Edmonton)- To be approved for selection by the Board of Regents: 1 pastor; and 1 lay person from each region (the names of those approved for selection at the convention are submitted to the BOD which makes the final official election or appointment).

For the first time ever, nominations can be submitted online through LCC’s website here: www.lutheranchurchcanada.ca/synodconvention-2022/recommendationfor-nomination-form/

Nominations can also be recorded on the nomination form and sent to the Commission on Nominations and Elections (CNE), care of LCC’s office in Winnipeg. The Commission will then select nominees and alternates from the recommendations submitted. Additional recommendations for nominations may be made from the floor of the convention; provided that the candidate has given his or her written consent and the required biographical information. However, please remember that all potential nominees must be vetted by the CNE. As a result, the CNE asks that if you are planning on making a recommendation for nomination from the floor, please provide the CNE with the appropriate documentation prior to the start of the convention; failure to do so, may result in the disqualification of the recommended nominee. Recommendations are requested by June 30, 2021, if possible. The deadline is October 10, 2021.

Not all candidates for elected office are nominated through the above described process. The offices of President, Vice-President, Regional Pastor, and Circuit Counselor are nominated through a separate process, where a congregational vote is needed to nominate candidates. At a later date, each congregation will be sent an official nominating ballot for these offices.

LCC releases Synod Convention Infographic

CANADA - The word ‘synod’ actually means ‘assembly or meeting’—that is, a gathering of clergy and lay members of congregations who are joined together in a common confession of faith and convened for the purpose of discussion of issues pertaining to doctrine and practice, administrative matters, and, above all, as an opportunity for worship and nurture in God’s Word.

The 2022 convention will be the first time that every LCC parish is represented at a Synodical convention! So, why does LCC hold a convention anyway? In traditional Lutheran fashion, we decided to ask “What does this mean?” as it pertains to the bylaws about convention in our Synod’s Handbook. Check out LCC’s Synod Convention Infographic here: www.lutheranchurchcanada.ca/synod-convention-2022/infographic/