Constitution Resources | Southwestern Minnesota Synod ELCA

Each of this church's expressions — congregations, synods and the churchwide organization — has a constitution.

Click titles below to download constitutions, bylaws, and continuing resolutions for the following:

The Constitutions, Bylaws, and Continuing Resolutions reflect the theology and polity of this church as it organizes itself to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, share the sacraments, reach out to the neighbor with good news, and share the love of God in the world. Each expression of this church — churchwide, synod, and congregation — is held together in a relationship of interdependence that encourages each to respond to its context. These documents also demonstrate our commitment to seeing ourselves with others as part of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.

Updating your Constitution

Each congregation shall provide a copy of its governing documents to the synod. All proposed changes in the constitution or incorporation documents of a congregation shall be referred to the synod with which the congregation is affiliated. The synod shall approve or disapprove the proposed changes within 120 days of receipt thereof, and shall notify the congregation of its decision; in the absence of a decision, the changes shall go into effect. The synod shall recognize that congregations may organize themselves in a manner which they deem most appropriate.

If you have questions regarding congregation constitutions, please contact the synod office at 507-637-3904.

Click the titles below for the following resources:

Constitution Hygiene (PowerPoint)
Request for Assistance to Update Our Constitution (pdf)
How Do We Change Our Constitution? (pdf)
Integrating Bylaws and Continuing Resolutions (pdf)
Codification Explanation (pdf)
Procedures for Reviewing Constitutions (pdf)

Revising Congregation Constitutions

A congregation’s constitution should be considered as “an ecclesial, legal, and missional document that reflects the underlying theology and doctrines of this church as well as its polity and governance structures. As the guiding document of one of the three expressions of this church, it reflects that congregations, while fully the church, are not the whole church; they are in an interdependent relationship with synods and the churchwide organization and are part of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church…deeply rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Lutheran Confessions, and the history of this church.”

– Introduction to the Model Constitution for Congregations

Does our congregation need to update our congregation constitution?

Where can we learn about the latest required constitution changes?

Visit the website of the ELCA Office of the Secretary Under the “Congregations” tab:

Download the latest “Model Constitution Congregation” (Word format).
Download the “Guide for Use of the Model Constitution for Congregations” (pdf format).
Review the latest “Amendments to the Model Constitution for Congregations” for required changes to all previously adopted congregation constitutions.

How do we update our constitution?

What if our congregation’s constitution needs more work?

If a congregation finds that significant changes are needed to more accurately address current or anticipated practices, more than a simple update will most likely be required. Preparing or revising and adopting new amendments, bylaws, or continuing resolutions will likely require the time and effort of a constitution committee and will follow a more complex process.

The chart, “How Do We Change Our Congregation’s Constitution?” describes the required procedures for updating, amending, adopting, and approving constitution provisions, bylaws, and continuing resolutions. The steps for each type of change are drawn from the ELCA Model Constitution and referenced to the chapter and sections of that document.

Amendments

It is recommended that ELCA congregations and synods review the adopted amendments for their constitutions as soon as possible after each churchwide assembly to incorporate the required changes and to consider the recommended changes.

The churchwide assembly meets every three years. Amendments to any synod constitution are approved by the synod assembly. Amendments to any congregation constitution are approved by the congregation at its regular meeting. These meetings are governed by parliamentary procedure. Basic information on the parliamentary procedure can be found on the ELCA website.

ELCA Website, Office of the Secretary

Each churchwide assembly has amended the constitutions.

Links will bring you to the ELCA website to download Word Documents.