Deadline: 11 May 2025

Contents Deadline: 11 May 2025 Resolutions & Memorials Received Germaneness Nongermane Motions Germane Motions Resolution v. Memorial Submission Sponsoring a Resolution Attesting a Memorial Signature/Attestation Reference & Counsel Acting upon the Report of Reference & Counsel Resolutions Committee Amending/Rescinding the Rules Resolutions/Memorials Deadline:   11 May 2025

As this is a regular meeting of the Synod Assembly, the introduction of new business is not only permitted but expected. Those interested in bringing new business to the assembly should note CR7.02:

CR 7.02. Memorials and Resolutions not germane to assembly business shall be submitted to the Committee on Reference and Counsel twenty (20) days prior to the assembly.

Unless the Synod Assembly, in session, amends or rescinds CR7.02 so as to permit introduction of nongermane business while the assembly is in session, 11 May 2025 will continue to serve as the deadline for submission of memorials and resolutions.*

N.B., while 11 May 2025 is the deadline, earlier submission is preferred and welcomed by Reference & Counsel. A crush of last minute submissions may overwhelm Reference & Counsel. It is the prerogative of Reference & Counsel to recommend declination of any resolutions or memorials which it finds it cannot adequately review.

Resolutions & Memorials Received

As resolutions are submitted for review by Reference & Counsel, they are formatted for and then posted on our online Pre-Assembly Bulletin of Reports. You may review then under the Report of Reference & Council. 

Germaneness

Nongermane Motions

A motion is nongermane if it does not relate to the pending business (or matter) before the assembly. Most resolutions (a type of original main motion) are nongermane, as they often introduce a new matter to the assembly. Under CR 7.02, such resolutions require prior submission to Reference & Counsel.

Germane Motions

Example of a germane motion Reid: (concluding his report as chair of Global Mission) ...And, so, the drought has put 40,000 at the edge of starvation, and our companion synods are particularly hard hit. I will entertain questions. Chair: Thank you, Pr. Reid. Are there any questions? Felici: Mme. Chair! Chair: Pr. Felici is recognized. Felici: I move that this Synod Assembly take up a special collection during the next recess for the relief of our companion synods. Chair: It is moved that this Synod Assembly take up a special collection during the next recess for the relief of our companion synods. Chair: Is there a second? Erzkus: I second. Chair: It is moved and seconded that this Synod Assembly take up a special collection during the next recess for the relief of our companion synods. The motion is before the assembly for debate. Pr. Felici, the floor is yours. Example of a nongermane motion Reid: (concluding his report as chair of Global Mission) ...And, so, the drought has put 40,000 at the edge of starvation, and our companion synods are particularly hard hit. I will entertain quesitons. Chair: Thank you, Pr. Reid. Are there any questions? Erzkus: Mr. Chairman! Chair: Pr. Erzkus is recognized. Erzkus: I move that this Synod Assembly take up a special collection for the Lutheran Campus Ministry at WVU. Chair: Pr. Erzkus, the motion is out of order as it is not germane to the report of the Global Mission Committee.

A motion is germane if it relates to the pending business (or matter) before the assembly. Motions germane to the pending business of the assembly do not require prior submission to Reference & Counsel and are not subject to the deadline. An example of such a germane motion would be to call for a special appeal for Madagascar drought relief at the time of the report of the Global Mission Committee (preferably right after the report if given or during questions and answers on the report).

Resolution v. Memorial

The difference between a resolution and a memorial is a question of standing: i.e., does the one submitting the proposed item have the authority (and what sort of authority), under our rules, to do so?

• Resolution: Voting members of the assembly submit resolutions. Resolutions must be sponsored by two or more voting members of the Synod Assembly. Someone who is not a voting member of the Synod Assembly cannot sponsor a resolution.
  
• Memorial: Some, who are not voting members of the assembly, are granted the right to petition the assembly, that petition being called a memorial. Memorials may be submitted by congregations of the synod. Conferences of the synod may also, in theory, memorialize the assembly, but a precondition for doing so is the recognition of the petitioning conference as a deliberative assembly. This recognition is effected through a continuing resolution, but, to date, no conference has petitioned the Synod Council for such recognition.

To complicate things, if the item before the Synod Assembly is a proposal to memorialize the Churchwide Assembly, whether it is itself a resolution or a memorial depends upon the source not the destination. If it comes from a voting member of the Synod Assembly, it is a resolution to memorialize the Churchwide Assembly. If it comes from a congregation or a conference, it is a memorial to memorialize the Churchwide Assembly. Regardless of whether it is a memorial or a resolution with respect to the Synod Assembly, if adopted, it will be a memorial to the Churchwide Assembly.

Submission

Those with standing to submit a resolution or a memorial should do so with the required "signatures" (electronic confirmation shall be sufficient), emailing the item to the bishop (Bishop@WV-WMD.org) and copies (cc) to the secretary (Secretary@WV-WMD.org), parliamentarian (Parliamentarian@WV-WMD.org), and chair of Reference & Counsel (Reference@WV-WMD.org).

You may submit in PDF, MS-Word, Word Perfect, RTF, or TXT formats.

Resolutions and memorials are to be formatted according to the standards found in RONR §10. N.B., the proper format of a resolution or a memorial does not include graphics, charts, or other images. It also does not include bold, strikethrough, italic, or other font features except as required by RONR §10.

If you would like a consultation with the bishop (Bishop@WV-WMD.org), parliamentarian (Parliamentarian@WV-WMD.org), or chair of Reference & Counsel (Reference@WV-WMD.org) prior to submission, please email.

As with all email communication, if you do not receive confirmation of receipt by the Synod Office within three days, call or text 304-363-4030.

Sponsoring a Resolution

Resolutions submitted by voting members must comply with CR7.03, unless the assembly rescinds or amends this rule.*

CR7.03. Resolutions submitted to Reference & Counsel shall be sponsored by at least two voting members of the Synod Assembly, a voting member being limited to sponsoring a maximum of five resolutions. For the purposes of this rule, when submission is in anticipation of the annual meeting of the Synod Assembly, verified registration as a voting member shall delineate standing.

A resolution requires a minimum of two sponsoring voting members, but more may sponsor if they wish. Furthermore, no voting member may sponsor more than five resolutions.

Attesting a Memorial

A congregation submitting a memorial must have taken formal action in either Congregation Meeting or in Congregation Council to do so. The Congregation Secretary must submit the memorial with an accompanying attestation that the memorial was properly authorized by the congregation.

Signature/Attestation

When submitting a memorial or resolution, complete and include in your submission email the following (or include at the bottom of your attached submission). It is best to CC all co-sponsors in the submission email. The contact information will only be used for administrative purposes by synod staff and Reference & Counsel. While the name of sponsors (resolutions) and congregations (memorials) will be published in the report of Reference & Counsel, the contact information will not.

Reference & Counsel

After a resolution or memorial is submitted, it is reviewed by the Committee on Reference & Counsel. Reference & Counsel reports its recommendations on each resolution and memorial to the Synod Assembly.

Resolutions and memorials will be published in the Pre-Assembly Bulletin of Reports and accompanied by the Report of Reference & Counsel.

Acting upon the Report of Reference & Counsel

The scope of the assembly's action upon the Report of Reference & Counsel is defined by CR7.04, barring recision or amendment by the assembly.*

CR7.04. For both resolutions and memorials reviewed by Reference & Counsel under B7.16 or CR7.02,
(a) When the Reference & Counsel has recommended the adoption of the resolution/memorial, the committee’s recommendation and text of the resolution/memorial shall be the main motion before the assembly;
(b) When Reference & Counsel has recommended the adoption of a substitute for the resolution/memorial, the committee’s recommendation, including the committee's text, shall be the main motion before the assembly;
(c) When Reference & Counsel has recommended referral of the resolution/memorial, the committee’s recommendation shall be the main motion before the assembly;
(d) When Reference & Counsel has recommended that the assembly decline to consider a proposed resolution, the voting member’s resolution, if then moved by that voting member and seconded, shall be the main motion and the committee’s recommendation shall be received as information;
(e) When Reference & Counsel has recommended that the assembly decline to consider a proposed memorial, the memorial, if then moved by a voting member who is also a voting member of the memorializing body and seconded, shall be the main motion and the committee’s recommendation shall be received as information.

Resolutions Committee

Example of a motion to refer/commit to Resolutions Committee Reid: (concluding his report as chair of Global Mission) ...And, so, the drought has put 40,000 at the edge of starvation, and our companion synods are particularly hard hit. I will entertain quesitons. Chair: Thank you, Pr. Reid. Are there any questions? Felici: Mme. Chair! Chair: Pr. Felici is recognized. Felici: I move to refer the report of the Global Missions Committee to the Resolutions Committee for response with an eye to authorizing a special appeal for the relief of our companion synods. Chair: It is moved to refer the report of the Global Missions Committee to the Resolutions Committee for response with an eye to authorizing a special appeal for the relief of our companion synods. Chair: Is there a second? Erzkus: I second. Chair: It is moved and seconded to refer the report of the Global Missions Committee to the Resolutions Committee for response with an eye to authorizing a special appeal for the relief of our companion synods. The motion is before the assembly for debate. Pr. Felici, the floor is yours.

The Committee on Resolutions has been underutilized for decades. Most think of it as the committee that presents the courtesy resolution at the end of the assembly and nothing more. Those familiar with RONR §59 will wonder why there are two committees (one being Reference & Counsel and the other the Committee on Resolutions). Our practice is to divide the labor between two committees.

• Reference & Counsel serves as a review committee for resolutions and memorials coming to the assembly from voting members or those with standing to petition.
• Resolutions Committee is a standing drafting committee. If a voting member thinks that some matter should be addressed but cannot personally provide adequate wording (or wishes a group to work on the wording), that member can move that the matter be referred to the Resolutions Committee. Usually, instructions are included in that motion to refer, instructions that set the parameters of the committee's work. The Resolutions Committee, after completing its work, reports back to the assembly.

*Amending/Rescinding the Rules

Six authorities govern the modus operandi of the Synod Assembly:

• the applicable code of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (the state in which WV-WMD is incorporated),
• The Articles of Incorporation of the WV-WMD Synod,
• The Constitution of the WV-WMD Synod,
• The Bylaws of the WV-WMD Synod,
• The Continuing Resolutions of the WV-WMD Synod,
• the convention standing rules of any particular Synod Assembly, and
• our parliamentary authority, Roberts' Rules of Order, Newly Revised, latest edition.

Under our polity, some of these (i.e., our bylaws, our continuing resolutions, and the convention standing rules) may be changed by any given Synod Assembly while it is in session, without notice, and with immediate effect.

The continuing resolutions mentioned supra may be amended through the procedure outlined in †S18.31.

†S18.31. This synod may adopt continuing resolutions not in conflict with this constitution or its bylaws or the constitution, bylaws, and continuing resolutions of the churchwide organization. Such continuing resolutions may be adopted or amended by a majority vote of the Synod Assembly or by a two-thirds vote of Synod Council. Newly adopted continuing resolutions and amendments to existing continuing resolutions shall be reported to the secretary of this church.

In addition to the continuing resolutions mentioned supra, the following bylaws related directly to resolutions and memorials.

B7.05. Every congregation shall have the right to memorialize the assembly of this synod on subjects affecting its own welfare and legitimate interests.

B7.10. All motions, resolutions, amendments, and nominations shall be submitted in writing and on proper forms available from the secretary of synod or the assembly pages. This provision may be waived by the secretary.

B7.16. A resolution of a general character which is not germane to the pending question or report shall be given by the proposer to a Committee of Reference and Counsel, which shall report thereon to the assembly with its recommendations. Other duties of the committee shall be (a) to recommend special orders for the hearing of representatives, (b) to grant or deny permission to distribute printed matter not issuing from the office of the secretary and (c) to give such assistance to the bishop as may be desired in the course of the assembly.

These may be amended by the assembly, following the procedure outlined in †S18.21

†S18.21. This synod may adopt bylaws not in conflict with this constitution or with the constitution and bylaws of the churchwide organization. This synod may amend its bylaws at any meeting of the Synod Assembly by a two-thirds vote of voting members of the assembly present and voting. Newly adopted bylaws and amendments to existing bylaws shall be reported to the secretary of this church.

If you would like assistance navigating this process, contact the parliamentarian (parliamentarian@wv-wmd.org).