Proposals

Closing Date

All proposals must reach the General Church Council (GCC) no later than 15 May. Proposing entities may submit proposals by email.

Requirements for making a proposal

The following LCA bodies may submit proposals for inclusion on the agenda: congregations, boards, standing committees and commissions, General Pastors’ Conference, General Church Council and its executive, district synods, district church councils and pastors’ conferences. Proposals are to be submitted by email by 15 May 2018 to the Synod Secretary via email synod@lca.org.au on this form.

Proposals of a theological and confessional nature

If the GCC determines that a proposal is of such a nature, it will refer it to the General Pastors Conference (GPC), as required in the LCA By-Laws:

5.6.2       The General Pastors' Conference shall serve as a theological adviser to the General Synod and in fulfilment of such function

5.6.2.1    shall consider those questions, issues and statements of a theological and confessional nature which appear on the agenda of the convention of the General Synod and are referred to it by the General Church Council;

5.6.2.2    may voice its opinion with regard to the advisability or non-advisability of dealing with any such question or issue or of adopting a particular statement; and

5.6.2.3    may recommend amendments, corrections, additions or explanations concerning proposed statements.

7.3.28.2 A matter deemed to be of a theological and confessional nature which has been referred to the General Pastors' Conference for consideration shall be considered by the convention only after a recommendation has been received from the General Pastors' Conference.

You may recall that during and since the 2015 Synod what it means to ‘serve as a theological advisor’, and the distinctions between ‘advice’, ‘advisability’, ‘non-advisability’ and ‘recommendation’ has caused quite some discussion. In 2015 the Synod ruled to consider the ordination of both men and women on the ‘advice’ of the GPC without a specific ‘recommendation’ on its ‘advisability’ or ‘non-advisability’. The Synod took the view that, given the variance in wording in the LCA By-Laws, both ‘advice’ and ‘recommendation’ appeared to hold much the same meaning in the context of the meeting. The organisers of the GPC and the Synod are making sincere efforts to avoid this dilemma happening again in 2018.

The LCA By-Laws require a two-thirds majority of all registered delegates at the convention to pass a proposal of a theological and confessional nature:

7.3.28.3 For a resolution on a matter of doctrine to be deemed to be the official position of the Church it shall require a two-thirds majority of all the registered delegates at the convention.

Please note that the 2018 General Pastors Conference will meet 10-12 July.

All other proposals

The GCC will handle these proposals for inclusion on the Synod agenda for discussion and decision, unless withdrawn, as required by the LCA By-Laws:

7.3.5       All proposals on the Agenda shall be placed before the convention for discussion and decision, unless withdrawn.