wfn.org | New Judicial Council decision answers membership question

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

CLEVELAND (UMNS) - The United Methodist Judicial Council has ruled that the
term "professing member" is not unconstitutional and may be used in
petitions that are sent from a legislative committee to a business session
of the General Conference.

This decision, given May 5, was a response to a request by the conference's
Committee on Correlation and Revision. It followed the council's May 3
decision regarding language previously declared unconstitutional. 

In its latest decision, the church's supreme court said: "If petitions using
the phrase 'professing member' can be amended to include a clear definition
of the phrase which does not refer to paragraphs or petitions already
declared unconstitutional or out of order, such petitions would be
constitutional and in order for consideration by the General Conference."

The decision was sought by the Committee on Correlation and Revision after
the council's earlier ruling noted that paragraphs previously declared
unconstitutional were "out of order and not to be considered by the 2000
General Conference."
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   -- Joretta Purdue

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United Methodist News Service
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