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Resolutions will be central part of Annual Meeting
Resolution process examined
204th Annual Meeting |
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May, 2003
At last year’s Annual Meeting, a resolution opposing the expansion of the war on terrorism beyond Afghanistan brought on heated debate and lingering questions about the resolution process.
As a result, the Board of Directors put together an ad hoc committee to look at that process and consider ways to improve it.
“There was this feeling that the resolution process was divisive, and that maybe we should look at going to petitions rather than resolutions,” said Deb Shepard, who is chair of the Board of Directors’ policy subcommittee and who sat on the ad hoc team.
The group looked at the United Church of Christ General Synod process and at the processes used by other Conferences, a review that will continue.
The result has been some proposed changes to the Annual Meeting standing rules designed to encourage participants to work out differences in the hearing process as much as possible, and to give a theological basis for all arguments.
Under the proposal, however, the concept of resolutions will remain the same.
“We believe in the resolution process,” said Shepherd, a member of First Church in Monson. “People sign a petition based on their own feelings and what it says, while with a resolution, it is the Body of Christ that we become at the Annual Meeting that votes in support or not in support. As we gather together as that body, there is a special place for the Holy Spirit to guide us.”
Under the new proposed rules, which must be approved by the Meeting, open hearings will be held for resolutions “of Christian conviction.” In those hearings, moderators will solicit comments, both pro and con, and equal time will be given to both sides if there are essentially equal numbers of participants for and against the resolutions. Then the moderator will work with the proposers and dissenters to try to come to a compromise.
“We would truly like to get folks to work at getting their voice heard there, at the hearing, and to work to find common ground,” Shepard said.
Under the proposal, if common ground cannot be found, then a representative from each side of the issue will be given a full three minutes to speak at the plenary session. In the past, only the proposers have been given three minutes. Both representatives will be encouraged to give a statement of the theological basis for their stance. Subsequent speakers will continue to be limited to 90 seconds each.