Faith Lutheran Church, Sundre, AB has prepared a petition proposing changes in the manner in which the members of the Nominating Committee (“NC”) are selected.

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NCC Nominating Committee Selection Changes

Resolution Regarding Administrative ByLaw Part VII Section 1 - Nominations and Elections

Motion:

This convention directs that the Administrative ByLaw Part VII, Section 1 a.), be amended as follows: Remove the second sentence in Section 1 a.) "The National Church Council shall submit nominations for the Nominating Committee to the church in convention," Insert the following sentence after the first sentence of Section1 a,) "Nominations for the Nominating committee for the following convention shall be made by the convention delegates from the floor of the convention."

Rationale:

The Nominating Committee is a critical component of the ELCIC governance structure. Currently only individuals nominated by NCC for positions on the Nominating Committee are permitted to be elected to the Nominating Committee. The potential exists for the NCC to select like-minded individuals as candidates for election to the Nominating Committee.

This circular system of a simple majority of NCC members selecting 100% of the Nominating Committee may perpetuate control of the elected positions of the ELCIC by like minded theologically cohesive individuals, since the Nominating Committee determines the selection of the "official" ELCIC nominations for NCC and other ELCIC positions. The current system can result in theological and political views of the church decision-making bodies not reflecting the theological and political views of ELCIC congregations. Diversity of opinion regarding theological matters should be recognized in the selection of nominations to church positions of the ELCIC.

Although nominations from the floor of the convention are permitted for most elected positions except the Nominating Committee, the inability for "unofficial" nominees to distribute biographical data prior to the convention gives the "officially certified" nominations of the Nominating Committee a significant advantage, since their biographical data is published and included in the bulletin of reports published by the ELCIC, and sent in advance to all convention delegates.

Permitting nominations from the floor of the convention for positions on the Nominating Committee would ensure that candidates to church offices, including the NCC, are more representative of the diverse theological views within the ELCIC.