Here's the WILKEN Plan. Sweet it is!
August 21, 2008
The Wilken Plan, by Pr. Todd Wilken
I offer the following, not as proposals or possibilities for consideration and discussion. The following proposals/possibilities are final. Take them or leave them.
They’re also not in any particular order (I didn’t have a fancy Task Force to help me).
I call it The Wilken Plan: 100 districts (4 non-geographical).
All district presidents part-time, elected by their districts to a single 2 year term.
District conventions every year, staggered with synodical convention, half a day, business only. Every congregation sends a pastor and a layman, each have one vote.
Synodical Convention every year, 2 days, business only. Every congregation sends a pastor and a layman, each have one vote.
1 year terms limits for the entire synodical Presidium, all of them, including the synodical president, part-time.
All boards and commissions elected by synodical convention to 2 year terms. Directors of all boards and commissions part-time, elected by synodical convention to a single 2 year term, staggered with the election of their board or commission.
CCM, and every other commission, advisory. Members elected by synodical convention and serve a single 2 year term.
Eliminate the CTCR, and start using the Seminary faculties in its place, stop wasting time answering settled questions.
Synodical bureaucracy reduced to only the odd numbered objectives in Article III.
Synodical budget to be determined by congregational support alone.
All elected offices, executive directors, etc. paid district scale (prorated of course, since they’re all part time).
Sell the International Center and other headquarter properties.
Move synodical headquarters to the basement of Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Woonsocket, South Dakota.
Since we’re now living in the 21st century, all boards and commissions meet face-to-face only once a year in Woonsocket. All other meetings conducted by teleconference or video conference (of course this will put the Crowne Plaza in St. Louis and perhaps a few resorts in Palm Beach and Arizona out of business, but think of what it will do for the Woonsocket economy!)
Oh yes, and rename the synod. Choose from: “The Part-Time Synod” or “Your Grandfather’s Church.”
Is there a specific reason that my old Seminary dorm-mate Rev. Mike Bagnall would have the headquarters in his basement? Would he be the honorary Bishop or something?
ReplyDeleteWilken must have liked the looks of his basement???
ReplyDeleteLong time "listener," first time "caller..."
ReplyDelete(And because I didn't check in when you had your roll call: Baptized Son of God, Husband of one, father of two, CSL graduate in 2007, Associate Pastor @ Mt. Calvary, San Antonio)
I assume you've read the latest Concordia Journal, and hopefully you've seen the Concordia Journal Currents round table discussion. Good stuff.
This plan looks like a return to our synod's roots, and the reason we have for walking together--also this Sunday's Gospel reading--our confession of Christ, the Son of the living God.
Wouldn't this first require that the Synod's pastors agree on those things that are essential (the esse) to "being Church?" (remove tongue from cheek). It seems to me that the bene esse (those beneficial things) has replaced the esse, and until we sort that out, we won't understand why we have a synod in the first place.
I've suggested in my own circuit that we use Concordia Journal, and the accompanying round table discussion, as a platform for how we relate to one another (largely relying on Kloha's article in said publication), regardless of the synods structure.
Any thoughts??
Why so many districts? Would circuits be eliminated?
ReplyDeleteThe idea of 1-year terms of presidents stinks! Would rather have bishops like the AC says we should.
Anonymous:
ReplyDeleteWe have a bishop right now. Granted, he doesn't wear a pointy hat, but he acts just like the bishops I read about in the Confessions (on Rome's side, that is).
TW
WILKEN FOR PRESIDENT!!
ReplyDelete(You had to know someone was gonna say it. That or we all join the ELCM.)
There is a similar option already out on the table, the Evangelical Lutheran Conference & Ministerium. All officers of synod are required to be parish pastors, and remain as such, there are no paid staff positions, should the synod grow to having geographic districts, annual conventions, and a triennial convention, in which each member congregation has one vote, and each Pastor serving a congregation has one vote.
ReplyDeleteOne other note that's a bit different from Pr. Wilken's suggestion, any doctrinal change such as ordination of women, could only be changed by a consensus of ALL voting member pastors & congregations of synod. For example, in 2005, ELCM by consensus opted to not ordain women. There had been no women applicants or seminary students prior to this. It would require a consensus of all voting member pastors and congregations to permit women's ordination.
LutherCorp© ! Short and totally now. We can even keep the LCMS initials by calling it LutherCorp© Missional Services, or something like that. Although we would run the risk of getting confused with Lex Luthor's LuthorCorp. Maybe that's not so bad, though. People looking for comic book villains or Hollywood superheros might stumble upon the LCMS and join. Any means to gain members, they say. You just have to BELIEVE!
ReplyDeleteAnd that leafy logo looks utterly gnostic to me, but very green and environmentally friendly. I'm sure it's a keeper.
WLG +
Banished to the realm of hated men.