Sounds as though we need a copy of the ELCA and Synod bylaws. Nothing better for a cold winter's night than a cup of kindness and a copy of denominational bylaws.
Dave Benke
They're available online. But if you're looking for something to help you fall asleep, I recommend the bylaws of a homeowner's association.
The point is that Brian misspoke when he said "The synod council can remove pastors from the roster." They can't. And the disciplinary provision isn't really ambiguous at all. If the discipline committee calls for private censure, the bishop does it. If they determine the pastor is to be removed. he or she is simply removed. Nobody else has to approve it. The Synod Council isn't involved at all. As Chuck said, the only way the Synod Council is involved in a pastor being removed from the roster is if they fail to approve an on-leave from call status.
Thanks for this, Richard -
a) spares the need to pore over those bylaws
b) makes way more sense given the power allocated to bishops in the ELCA in the last generation
c) would have made for highly contested synod council elections, which at least in my estimation are usually walk-overs and/or appointments
Dave Benke