GS26 calls for exploration of ways to increase church involvement in Synod
Written by Jeff Woodard June 26, 2007
Delegates at General Synod 26 adopted yesterday a resolution to direct Executive Council to work closely with UCC Conferences to increase local church involvement in General Synod. The resolution, which passed without discussion, stemmed from a substitute motion that was made during a committee meeting on Monday, June 25. The originally proposed resolution, titled "Changing the Composition of General Synod," called for every church to be permitted voting delegates if they had contributed at least $1 per member to OCWM over two preceding years.
The resolution of the amended motion reads: "In order to strengthen covenantal relationships and to encourage increased participation of local churches in the work and ministry of the General Synod, while maintaining the mandates for a diverse delegation, General Synod 26 directs the Executive Council to engage in a conversation with the Conferences about increasing local church involvement in General Synod, including the nomination and election process for General Synod delegates, and to report back on that conversation with recommendations to General Synod 27."
"The intent of the (originally) proposed resolution changing the composition of General Synod was to change the makeup of the General Synod," Julie Peeples, committee chair and a member of the Southern Conference, told delegates. "This (substitute) proposal was designed to achieve the goals of increasing the involvement of local churches in the General Synod, thereby hopefully strengthening the relationship and communication between local churches and national churches."
Proponents of the initial resolution, led by Tom Quellhorst of the Ohio Conference, cited a lack of inclusion and a general disconnect between local and national churches and under-representation of churches, both large and small. "We want to give every congregation an authorized minister a vote," said Quellhorst.
Passage of the originally proposed resolution could have swelled delegate numbers to 15,000. The concept didn't sit well with many committee members. "Say only 10,000 of 15,000 eligible delegates attended. We're still talking about a $15 million meeting that's held once every two years," said Kent Utley, Michigan Conference Minister, at an open forum Sunday night in the Hartford Commons Room of the Hartford Hilton. "Let's spend that money on mission, not means."
The forum dialogue discouraged Mary Beth Hartenstein. "I get a sense that the larger congregations are saying, 'Let's make sure we keep enough delegates to represent our congregation,' and the small churches seem to be saying, 'we want our people there, too.' What happened to the fact that our people are your people, and your people are our people? We are the United Church of Christ, and we need to trust one another," said Hartenstein, a member of the Illinois South Conference and pastor of St. Paul UCC in Waterloo, Ill.