Governance — 2023–2026

Nominations: Secretary, Board and Commission Positions

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

---

Nomination Process

---

Slates for the election of the Secretary of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and Synod-convention-elected positions on the boards and commissions of the Synod and certain of its agencies are assembled by the Committee for Convention Nominations (CCN; Bylaws 3.12.3–3.12.3.8, 2023 Handbook, pp. 189–92).

Incumbents who are not term-limited are considered to be nominated (but do not always continue in service). The slates produced by the CCN may be amended by the convention through a process of floor nomination (Bylaw 3.12.3.7).

Outside of these two sources, however, the committee’s work depends entirely on nominations submitted by “agencies and officers of the Synod, congregational and individual members of the Synod, and the laypersons of the congregations of the Synod, between 18 months and 9 months prior to a Synod convention (Bylaw 3.12.3.4). (Candidates for president and the vice-presidents of the Synod are nominated by congregations as such via another means.

Regional Positions

---

Some of the positions on the Board of Directors of the Synod and all positions on the Boards for National and International Mission are regional positions. Nominations for such positions may be submitted from any region of the Synod, but those nominated must reside in the region corresponding to the position for which nominated (Bylaw 3.12.1).

The five regions of the Synod, based on underlying district boundaries, are as indicated in the following map:

 

Districts and Regions Map

View Map    Download Map

 

Congregations of the English and SELC non-geographic districts are considered to be part of the region of the geographical district in which they are located; those in Canada are considered part of the East-Southeast Region. (Regions are adjusted jointly by the Board of Directors and Council of Presidents of the Synod at least 24 months prior to each convention, taking into account geographical factors and congregation count, in the interest of fair representation.)

Return to top

Open Positions for Secretary, Boards, and Commissions

---

Nominations are being solicited for the positions listed below. All terms are for six years, except for Secretary of the Synod, LCEF Board of Directors and members of college and university boards of regents, which are three-year terms. Nominations are accepted from agencies and officers of the Synod, congregational and individual members of the Synod, and lay persons of the congregations of the Synod.

The CCN urgently needs names of the most highly qualified and churchly lay members of member congregations, ordained ministers and commissioned ministers to fill the important offices that govern the Synod and its agencies on behalf of the member congregations. Each congregation is urged to search itself diligently for those with the requisite gifts.

Nominations for regional LCMS Board of Directors, LCMS Board for National Mission and LCMS Board for International Mission positions are submitted through this process. While nominees for a given regional position must reside within that region, nominations for that position may originate inside or outside the region.

Names should be submitted as soon as possible, preferably by Aug. 18, 2025, to allow time for the gathering of necessary information and evaluations. However, names will be accepted for consideration until the deadline set by the Bylaws of the Synod: until October 18, 2025, nine months prior to the opening of the convention.

The Office of the Secretary, upon receipt of nominations, obtains biographical material and consent to serve if elected from each nominee, as well as evaluative material from a number of evaluators suggested by the nominee and by the nominee’s position in the Synod.

The Committee for Convention Nominations, comprised of lay members of member congregations and ordained and commissioned ministers elected by the conventions of the districts of the Synod (approximately half the districts in each triennium) will meet in January before the convention. They will receive the nominations submitted, as well as biographical and evaluative material assembled by the Office of the Secretary, and will select, for each position to be elected, a slate of candidates to be presented to the convention.

Personal statements and photographs are obtained from these candidates, and the material is published in the Biographical Synopses and Statements of Nominees, which is published at the same time as the Convention Workbook, no later than 12 weeks prior to the opening of the convention (Bylaw 3.1.8 [b]). There remains an opportunity at the convention for floor nominations to these offices.

To be elected by the 2026 convention (detailed descriptions and requirements for each position are included in the Secretary, Boards, and Commissions document):

Secretary

• One (1) Minister of Religion — Ordained

Board of Directors, LCMS: (AT-LARGE)

• One (1) Layperson
• One (1) Minister of Religion — Commissioned

Board of Directors, LCMS: (REGIONAL)

One (1) Layperson from each of the following regions:

• Central Region
• West-Southwest Region

LCMS Board for National Mission: (REGIONAL)

One (1) Individual Member (Minister of Religion—Ordained/Commissioned) from each of the following regions:

• Central Region
• Great Lakes Region
• West-Southwest Region

One (1) Layperson from each of the following regions:

• East-Southeast Region
• Great Plains Region

LCMS Board for International Mission: (REGIONAL)

One (1) Individual Member (Minister of Religion—Ordained/Commissioned) from each of the following regions:

• East-Southeast Region
• Great Plains Region

One (1) Layperson from each of the following regions:

• Central Region
• Great Lakes Region
• West-Southwest Region

Commission on Theology and Church Relations:

• One (1) Minister of Religion — Ordained (parish pastor)
• One (1) Layperson

Concordia Historical Institute Board of Governors:

• Two (2) Ministers of Religion — Ordained
• One (1) Minister of Religion — Commissioned / Layperson

Concordia Publishing House Board of Directors:

• Four (4) Laypersons

Lutheran Church Extension Fund Board of Directors:

• One (1) Minister of Religion — Ordained/Commissioned
• Two (2) Laypersons

LCMS Foundation Board of Trustees:

• One (1) Minister of Religion — Ordained/Commissioned
• One (1) Layperson

Concordia University System Board of Directors*:

• One (1) Minister of Religion — Ordained

LCMS Seminaries

Each Board of Regents (2):

• Two (2) Ministers of Religion — Ordained
• One (1) Minister of Religion — Commissioned
• One (1) Layperson

Universities of the Concordia University System

Each Board of Regents (6):

• One (1) Minister of Religion — Ordained
• One (1) Minister of Religion — Commissioned
• Two (2) Laypersons

Return to top

 

Important Resources

---

• Officer, Board, and Commission Positions Document
• LCMS Handbook
• Note for all Nominators and Nominees

Return to top