IS YOUR CONSTITUTION UP-TO-DATE?
Each of this church's expressions—congregations, synods, and the churchwide organization—has a constitution. describing the purpose and function of each expression. More than just formal documents—they are living guides that support faithful governance, clarify decision-making, and align with churchwide standards. Regular review and thoughtful updates help ensure that your congregation can respond to changing needs while remaining rooted in its mission.
Because these documents are so important to the work of the church, it is essential that constitutions are updated regularly. The process for updating constitutions, bylaws, and continuing resolutions works best when any proposed amendments or changes are reviewed prior to congregation notice and votes.
Synod Administrator Rich Gates is available to help you through the process of exploration, review, and approval.
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​​​Amending your constitution to be consistent with the current model constitution is a straightforward process:
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identify changes that would be needed to bring the current constitution up-to-date with the model constitution
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(Hint: If it’s been awhile, it may be easiest to begin with a copy of the current model constitution and then edit that document for local needs and circumstances as appropriate);
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at least 30 days prior to the congregation’s annual meeting, the congregation council takes action to recommend any identified amendments to the constitution;
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at least 30 days prior to the congregation’s annual meeting, the recommended amendments are published and made available to the congregation; and, finally,
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amendments are approved by a majority vote of those voting members present and voting.
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If you are considering other amendments or updates for you congregation’s constitution, bylaws, and/or continuing resolutions, additional time or notices may be needed.
The current model constitution for congregations can be downloaded at this link:
Additional documents and resources that you may find helpful are:
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Guide for Use of the Model Constitution for Congregations
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2025 Constitución Modelo para Congregaciones (the model constitution in Spanish)
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Archived Amendments to the Model Constitutions (amendments adopted by year for each of the Churchwide Assemblies)
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Congregation Constitution 101 | Oct. 14, 2025 (a video presentation from the ELCA Office of the Secretary)
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Congregation Constitution 101 Slides (the PowerPoint® slides from the above video presentation)
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