Resolutions for General Synod 2004

Issues

Most issues come before the General Synod by means of a resolution. Details of the procedures around resolutions will be contained in the Convening Circular. However, you might want to make sure now that a resolution that is important to you and your diocese finds its way into the process.

The first thing to do is to discover if the issue you are interested in is coming forward from any of the committees. The staff of the General Synod will help you determine this. Secondly, if your diocese passed a resolution at its own Synod requesting that the General Synod take some particular action, you must make sure that it is sent on to the General Secretary’s Office as a “memorial”. Thirdly, any member may submit a resolution provided that the mover and seconder are members of General Synod.

The main rule to observe is to make sure that your resolution addresses an issue which is important for the whole Church to discuss at this time, and that will accomplish something.

Priority

As there are often many resolutions, the Resolutions Committee (a Sessional Committee of the Synod) will place them in priority according to their source in this order:

1. from witin the General Synod itself – Standing Committees, Councils and Commissions;
2. from ecclesiastical provinces and dioceses;
3. from members of General Synod.

Priority on the agenda will be given to those resolutions that are included in the Convening Circular.

Resolutions received after the printing of the Convening Circular will be given to the Resolutions Committee, if they are received before the last date for receipt of motions (at a specifically designated time during the meeting of Synod.

Resolutions and memorials to be considered must be in writing, on the enclosed form, and have the names of a mover and seconder who are members of the 2004 General Synod.

Writing Resolutions

Resolutions have 4 parts:

1. an opening phrase: That this General Synod,
2. a statement of the action you wish the General Synod to take
3. a description the action to be taken (refer to a committee, write a letter, set up a task force, etc.)
4. a timeline for action, if applicable

You are advised to include with your resolution(s) a brief explanation of its intent. You may not however, include “whereas” clauses in the resolution itself. This is so that the actual action being requested may be readily addressed by the Synod.

Process

All resolutions will be reviewed by the Resolutions Committee to ensure that they are in order. They must:

1. Deal with a matter that falls within the jurisdiction of the General Synod.
2. Be clear, unambiguous, accurate, and capable of performance.
3. Be of a national rather than local nature.
4. Not be calculated to be a source of embarrassment to the Church.

If adoption of your resolution entails the spending of money, please alert the Resolutions Committee to this fact, and identify the source of funds, if possible. Resolutions that entail expenditures will be considered by the Expenditures Committee before being presented to Synod.

The Resolutions Committee will group together similar resolutions and may ask you to make changes to clarify your resolution, or to consult with people addressing the same issue, in order to frame one resolution.

Although resolutions have the priority noted previously, they may come up for debate in relation to similar items on the agenda.