Dear South Dakota Synod voting members,

Transcription

1 Dear South Dakota Synod voting members, The task of electing our Synod s Bishop is an important one. Included in your Assembly materials is the Process for Electing a Bishop from the South Dakota Synod Constitution. It is included so that you can be familiar with the process before you come and for referral once we engage the process at Assembly. There has been much conversation leading up to this election; please refer to on the synod website to find more information on the Bishop Election and the communications and processes that have been happening leading up to Assembly time. This information on the website includes the vita for Bishop David Zellmer. Although most Conferences identified potential nominees for the office of Bishop, at this time, none of those nominees except for the current Bishop, David Zellmer, have chosen be included in the pre-assembly consideration. It is important to note that because no one is actually a nominee until the first ballot of the Assembly, there is also no official withdrawal process until the Assembly and any ordained pastor in the ELCA, including those named at Conference Assemblies, can still be nominated on that first ballot of the Assembly. Finally, the prayer below is offered: Almighty God, you have given your Holy Spirit to the church to lead us into all truth. Bless with the Spirit s grace and presence the people of the South Dakota Synod as we prepare to elect a bishop. Keep us steadfast in faith and united in love, that we may manifest your glory and prepare for the way of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. God s Blessings, Bishop Election Committee Pastor Dwight Stensgaard, Chair Pastor Heidi Binstock John Rasmussen 66

2 ProcessforElectingaBishop FromConstitution,BylawsandContinuingResolutions August2012 S9.04.TheBishopshallbeelectedbytheSynodAssembly.Theprocessofnomination andelectionshallbeasprovidedinthebylaws. S TheBishopshallbeelectedbyecclesiasticalballot.ThreeCfourthsofthelegal votescastshallbenecessaryforelectiononthefirstballot.ifnooneiselected,thefirst ballotshallbeconsideredthenominatingballot.threefourthsofthelegalvotescaston thesecondballotshallbenecessaryforelection.thethirdballotshallbelimitedtothe sevenpersons(plusties)whoreceivedthegreatestnumberoflegalvotesonthesecond ballot,andtwocthirdsofthelegalvotescastshallbenecessaryforelection.thefourth ballotshallbelimitedtothethreepersons(plusties)whoreceivethegreatestnumber oflegalvotesonthethirdballot,and60percentofthelegalvotescastshallbenecessary forelection.onsubsequentballotsamajorityofthelegalvotescastshallbenecessary forelection.theseballotsshallbelimitedtothetwopersons(plusties)whoreceivethe greatestnumberoflegalvotesonthepreviousballot. S Otherelectionmatters,suchastheprocessofidentifyingpotentialnominees leadingtotheelectionofabishop,andtherulesofprocedurefortheelectionofabishop shallbespecifiedinthecontinuingresolutionsofthesouthdakotasynodconstitution, asapprovedbythesynodassemblyone(1)yearpriortotheassemblyatwhichabishop istobeelected. S9.04.A12ProcessofIdentifyingPotentialNomineesLeadingtotheElectionofa Bishop: 1. AnincumbentbishopshallannouncetotheSynodCouncilwhetherheorsheis willingtoserveasubsequentterm.suchannouncementshalltakeplacenolater thanthesynodcouncilmeetinginnovemberpriortothesynodassemblyduring whichabishopistobeelected. 2. TheprocessesforidentifyingpotentialnomineesforBishopandelectionofa BishopshallapplyforallelectionsofaBishop. 3. TheSynodCouncilshallarrangeforasynodstudytobecompletedsixmonths priortothebeginningoftheelectionprocess.thesynodstudyandanystrategic planningadoptedbythesynodcouncilshallbedistributedtorosteredmembers andcongregationsofthesynodsixmonthspriortotheelection,providing guidancethroughoutthissynodaspotentialnomineesforbishopareidentified. 67

3 4. Attheassemblyofeachconferencepriortotheelectionofabishop,heldnolater than75dayspriortosynodassembly,thevotingmemberswillbeaskedto considerasetoftopicsdevelopedbythesynodcouncildesignedtoclarifythe visionforthissynod smission,theissuestheydeemimportantforthissynod, andthegiftsdesirableandnecessaryinabishop.thesecretaryofeach conferenceshallprovideminutesofthisdiscussiontothesecretaryofthesynod forusebythesynodcouncil. 5. Atthesameconferenceassembly,thevotingmemberswillbeaskedtoidentify currentlyrosteredelcapastorswhomthevotingmembersbelievehavegifts desirableinabishop.identifiedpastorsdonotneedtobemembersofthe conferenceorofthesouthdakotasynod.allelcapastorsareencouragedtogive permissiontobeconsideredinthediscernmentprocess. 6. Afterallvotingmembershavehadopportunitytoidentifypotentialnominees possessinggiftsfortheofficeofbishop,thevotingmemberswill,atthesame assembly,engageinaprocessoftheirowndeterminationtoselectuptothree potentialnominees,thenamesofwhomaretobeforwardedtothesynodfor inclusionamongthepotentialnomineesfortheofficeofbishop. 7. Thedeanofeachconferencewillcontacttheindividualsselectedbythe conferenceoconfirmtheirwillingnesstohavetheirnamesincludedwiththose selectedbyalltheconferencesaspossessinggiftsfortheofficeofbishop.ifthese individualsreaffirmtheirwillingnesstobesoidentified,thedeanwillfacilitate theircompletionofabiographicalinformationformdevelopedbythesynod Council.Thepotentialnomineesaretosubmitthesecompletedformstothe secretaryofthesynodwithintendayoftheconferenceassembly. 8. Thesecretaryofthesynodwillpostonthesynodwebsite45daysbeforethe SynodAssemblybeginsthenamesandbiographicalinformationofthepotential nomineesfortheofficeofbishopselectedbytheconferences.otherinformation alsomaybeposted. 9. Whiletheseindividualsareidentifiedaspotentialnomineesfortheofficeof bishop,thesouthdakotasynodwillcontinuetousetheecclesiasticalballotin whichthenameofanyelcaordainedministermaybeplacedinnominationon thefirstballot.anypersonidentifiedasapotentialnomineemuststillbe nominatedonthefirstballotbyavotingmemberattheassembly. 10. TheSynodAssemblywilladoptRulesofProcedurefortheElectionofaBishop basedupontheecclesiasticalballotasrequiredbythesouthdakotasynod Constitution. S9.04.B12RulesfortheProcedurefortheElectionofaBishop 68

4 1. InaccordancewiththeSouthDakotaSynodConstitution,theelectionofabishop shallbebyecclesiasticalballot.thereshallbenospokennominationsfromthe floor. 2. AnyordainedministerintheELCAiseligiblefornominationforbishop.Avalid ballotistocontainthenominee sfullnameasfoundintheclergyroster.all registeredvotingmembersofthesouthdakotasynodassemblyshallbeeligible tocastaballot. 3. ThreeCfourthsofthevotescastonthefirstballotshallbenecessaryforthe electionofabishop. 4. Ifnoelectionoccurs,thefirstballotisthenominatingballot.Thisballotbecomes thetotalslateofnominees. 5. Clergywhoarenominatedonthenominatingballotanddesirethattheirnamebe retainedonsubsequentballotsshallsubmitacompletebiographicalformtothe secretaryofthesynod.thismaybedoneelectronicallyforcandidatesnot present. 6. Clergynominatedonthefirstballotshallhavetherighttowithdrawtheirnames fromsubsequentballotsbeforethecastingofthesecondballot.aform requestingthenametobewithdrawnmustbesecuredfromthesynodsecretary andmustbereturnedtothesecretaryofthesynodby(inserttimeandday).this maybedoneelectronicallyforcandidatesnotpresent. 7. Onthesecondandallsubsequentballots,theorderoflistingofthenomineeson theballotshallbefromthegreatestnumberofballotscasttotheleast.tiesshall belistedalphabetically.threecfourthsofthevotescastonthesecondballotshall benecessaryforelection. 8. Followingthereportofthesecondballot,biographicaldatafortheseven nominees(plusties)whoreceivethegreatestnumberofballotscastonthe secondballotshallbedistributedtoallvotingmembers. 9. Beforethecastingofthethirdballot,thesevennominees(plusties)whoreceive thegreatestnumberofballotscastonthesecondballotshallbeinvitedtothe stageandbeintroducedbynametothemembersoftheassembly.thereshallbe noapplausebefore,during,oraftereachindividualintroduction.aftertimehas beenallottedforallvotingmemberstoreadthebiographicalinformationofthe sevennominees(plusties)willbeinvitedtoaddresstheassemblyonasubjectof theirownchoosing,witheachspeechlimitedtofiveminutes.ifanysuchperson isnotpresentattheassembly,theindividual,ifpossible,maydesignatean alternatetospeakonherorhisbehalf.atimekeepershallindicatetothespeaker when30secondsremainoftheallocatedtimeandwhentheallocatedtimehas elapsed.thesequenceofthespeechesshallbedeterminedbylot.thereshallbe 69

5 noapplausebefore,during,orafterindividualspeeches;onlyafterallhave spokenistheretobesuchaffirmation.thereshallbetenminutes timeallotted afterthesespeechesforvotingmemberstoengageinprayer,reflectiononthe speeches,andinformalconversationwithothervotingmembersbeforethethird ballotiscast. 10. TwoCthirdsofthevoteshallenecessaryforelectiononthethirdballot. 11. Priortothefourthballotforsynodbishop,thethreepersons(plusties)who receivedthegreatestnumberofvotesonthethirdballotwillbeinvitedto participateinaquestioncandcanswerperiod.theperiodshallbemoderatedby thedesignatedpresiderfortheelectionprocess.thesamesixquestionsshallbe askedofeachofthenominees.onlyonenomineeshallbeintheassemblyroom atatime.theorderthatthenomineesshallappearonstagetoanswerthe questionsshallbedeterminedbythedrawofname.eachnomineeshallhavea maximumoftwominutestorespondtoeachquestion.ifanynomineeisnot presentattheassembly,thatindividual,ifpossible,maydesignateanalternateto answeronherorhisbehalf.atimekeeperwillindicatetothespeakerwhen30 secondsremainoftheallottedtimeandwhentheallottedtimehasended. Questionstobeaskedshallbedeterminedbyacommitteeappointedbythe SynodCouncil.AnyvotingmemberoftheSynodAssemblymaysubmitquestions inasealedenvelopetothesecretaryofthesynod,orthesecretary sdesignee(list date,day,andtimecertainforthedeadline).thetimeforthequestioncandc answerperiodshallbeamaximumof45minutes.thereshallbenoapplause before,during,oraftereachanswer;onlyafterthequestioncandcanswerperiod hascometoanendistheretobesuchaffirmation. 12. Priortothecastingofthefourthballot,therewillbetimeforprayer,reflectionon thespeeches,andinformalconversationwithothervotingmembers.sixty percentofthevotescastshallbenecessaryforelectiononthefourthballot. 13. Onballotsafterthefourthballot,theballotsshallbelimitedtothetwonominees (plusties)whoreceivethegreatestnumberofvotescast. 14. Onallsubsequentballotsamajorityofthevotescastshallbenecessaryfor election. 15. Theresultsofeachballotshallbeprinted,distributed,andannouncedtothe assembly. S TheprocessofthenominationandelectionoftheSynodBishopshallbe supervisedbythebishopelectionscommitteewhichshallconsistofthreepersons appointedbythesynodcouncil.thebishopelectionscommitteeshallhavefinal authorityforallmatterspertainingtotheelection. 70