In January, the OSCS Board of Directors adopted refreshed bylaws. The changes focus on these key areas:
Expanding Possibilities
- Previous bylaws required 25% of Board Members to be members of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church. Going forward, a minimum of two Board Members will be members of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church (OSLC)
- Removing the requirement that 51% of Board Members are members of Evangelical Lutheran Church of America congregations
Building Accessibility and Inclusion
- Removing Robert’s Rules of Order as procedural guidance
- Updating term limits from two three-year terms to three two-year terms
- Removing gendered language from the bylaws
- Simplifying language used in the document
Reflecting Existing Practices
- Adding reference to the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee
- Updating references to reflect current technology practices
OSLC and OSCS will continue to be close partners. This round of changes also removed the requirement that future bylaws changes will require approval of the Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church Council. These changes were made with the church’s support.
These refreshed bylaws move us closer to our goal of building belonging by expanding eligibility and accessibility for board membership, creating more opportunities to bring on more board members with life experience that aligns with the communities we are trying to serve.
