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    Manual for Meetings

    TXT

    MANUAL FOR MEETINGS




    Amendment to 1.6 SKILLS USED IN BUILDI[...]
    [...]6

    A. MEETING TOGETHER[...]21
    5. Guidelines for meeting procedures[...]
    [...]38
    8. Application of this Manual for Meetings 39[...]
    INTRODUCTION

    The Manual for Meetings provides the official standing orders and rules of debate for the
    Uniting Church in Australia. This Manual is commended to all congregations, presbyteries,[...]ation in the UCA’s decision-making process.
    The Manual is a very important development in the life of th[...]oice of God in the councils of the church. Church meetings
    that encourage community, and listening to one an[...]n of the Assembly that
    the process present in the Manual will enable us to give expression to Christian co[...]ocess that explores
    how to bring matters before a meeting in the most helpful way. The determining phase, w[...]the careful deliberation that is outlined in the
    Manual.
    A review of the Manual has taken place since the Eight Assembly (1997) a[...]n-making, it is helpful for people to revisit the Manual
    for Meetings regularly. I particularly commend the Manual for Meeting to those who have
    responsibility for chairing meeting of councils of the Uniting Church[...]
    A. MEETING TOGETHER


    CHAPTER 1 - THE FORMATION OF COM[...]we use to create community and communicate in our meetings can
    themselves assist in the disce[...]
    [...]up depends on its reason for existence and on its meeting
    programme. Interaction between members and[...]When a group meets only for a limited time, as in meetings of the Assembly, a
    synod or a presby[...]
    [...]HER
    2.1 THE ACT OF SHARING TOGETHER
    For a meeting to be effective, the chairperson and all those pa[...]ion by many people that the reason for going to a meeting is to
    make decisions, in reality the act of[...]least amount of time.
    If the purpose of the meeting is:
    • to build community - let’s wel[...]nposts in order that the
    objective for this meeting can be achieved. The emphasis is on signposts, no[...]ouring to achieve the objectives.
    After the meeting is opened and the common purpose has been[...]
    [...]turgy for worship and rules of debate for council meetings.
    However we have sometimes made the assumption that the only appropriate style for a church
    meeting is one which proceeds by way of motion, debate an[...]WORSHIP
    Worship is a vital element in meetings of any council of the church. Regardless of
    the reasons for meeting, we are called to recognise whose we are.[...]closing ceremonies, celebrations, public meetings and other sessions where a specific[...]
    [...]by which a common
    mind of the meeting is sought about the wisest[...]
    [...]airperson to be sensitive to the mood
    f the meeting. It is frequently necessary to summarise o[...]up. Consequently, the style of the
    original meeting is not really the issue here. Referrals to a small group can happen
    during any type of meeting, and can arise through suggestions or proposals made in
    meetings operating under any procedural model.
    It is[...]dation or report
    for the council at a later meeting. In either case, provision should be made f[...]
    [...]E
    Only those council members present at the meeting of the council may vote. There
    is no[...]
    [...]CHAIRPERSON’S ROLE
    The procedures in this Manual make many demands on the person chairing a
    meeting. It is essential that the chairperson has a thorough knowledge of the whole
    of the Manual, including the understandings detailed in Chapter[...]person’s role can be summarised as presiding at meetings in a manner
    which assists the council to di[...]considerable discretion and responsibility in any meeting,
    including:
    • reminding t[...]rs, and the purpose of
    that particular meeting;
    • inviting the council to review its[...]dvising the council of the mood of the
    meeting as it becomes apparent;
    • summa[...]
    [...]RPERSON’S ROLE
    presiding at meetings in a manner which:
    •[...]
    [...]CHAPTER 5 - GUIDELINES FOR
    MEETING PROCEDURES
    (applying to both consensus[...]bly, a synod, a presbytery, a Church Council or a meeting
    of a congregation;
    leave of the counc[...]ajority as may be specified by the council;
    meeting means the gathering of the council over one or mo[...]ission by the council to
    participate in the meeting for all or part of the proceedings as appropriate[...]e not members of the council must leave the
    meeting before discussion on a specific issue continues;[...]the minimum number of members present to allow a meeting to
    proceed - not less than 50%, or a[...]
    [...]which any session may have been adjourned, the meeting commences with prayer
    or another form of wo[...]DGEMENT OF THE CHAIRPERSON
    Everybody in the meeting at all times must respect any direction or[...]
    [...]to be issued with coloured cards for use in the meeting. Orange and blue are the
    preferred[...]mber of the council at any time during the
    meeting, whichever procedures are being used. A poi[...]
    [...]ember may draw attention to a breach of Manualfor Meetings - Procedures, or
    may claim that the spea[...]specified, it may be proposed at any stage in a meeting, requires a seconder and is
    determ[...]
    [...]adjournment of the discussion, the session or the meeting is voted
    on immediately without f[...]
    [...]council to reconsider the matter within that meeting, may propose its reconsideration.
    When the council is meeting in multiple sessions the Business Committee (wher[...]of
    the council is brought to a subsequent meeting. Each meeting of a council is free to
    make its ow[...]
    [...]sus. Not every step will be appropriate for every meeting or decision, but when using
    this method for meeting procedure and decision making, it will be helpful[...]the next without a clear break in the flow of the meeting; and there
    will be occasions (particularly in sma[...]sion progresses, particularly
    in larger meetings. At the conclusion of a speech, those in ge[...]
    [...]es and enable the
    chairperson and the whole meeting to gauge the strength of feeling for various idea[...]ndividual insights
    - particularly in larger meetings. The use of small groups in this way is str[...]
    [...]il reviews the need for a
    decision at this meeting. It is important for the health of any orga[...]
    [...]sensus procedures the need for a decision at this meeting.
    If there is no consensus on this a[...]oes not agree that a decision is required at this meeting, there is
    opportunity for further w[...]final decision on the issue is not needed at this meeting, several options are
    available.[...]
    [...]lapses and is not recorded in the minutes of the meeting. The
    chairperson may call for an ind[...]s and is not recorded in the
    minutes of the meeting. The chairperson may call for an indication[...]
    [...]amendment
    or the motion. The minutes of the meeting carry no record of the business against[...]
    CHAPTER 8 - APPLICATION OF THIS MANUAL
    FOR MEETINGS
    8.1 COUNCILS OF THE CHURCH
    The Manual for Meetings was adopted as the Standing Orders and Rules of D[...]n and
    Regulations, and is the standard for meeting procedure throughout all councils of
    the C[...]to be carefully trained in the procedures of this Manual for Meetings.


    8.3 AMENDMENT
    These procedures[...]
    [...]ICIPATION IN
    DECISION-MAKING
    Paragraph 3.4 of the Manual refers to the use of small groups in the Delibera[...]he different steps can be spread over two or more meetings).
    This appendix details how working groups[...]
    [...]ft well-worded proposals for consideration by the meeting. The Facilitation Group
    reviewed all res[...]
    [...]ONS

    SUMMARY NOTES FOR CHAIRPERSONS ON STARTING A MEETING
    [Ref:4.6 overview of Chairperson’s role][...]xpected to take about
    twenty per cent of the meeting time).
    [Ref: 1.3, 1.4, 3.1, 5.2]

    2. Chair[...]ated at least
    twenty-four hours ahead of the meeting, it needs leave of the Council (seventy-fiv[...]
    [...]ent issue Yes No
    session or meeting (5.16.3)


    Private sitting (5.16.4)[...]
    [...]Yes Not relevant if this is subsequent meeting to when[...]
    [...]cs 1.3
    Guidelines for meeting procedures Chapter 5[...]
    [...]ng decisions by formal majority Chapter 7
    Meeting 5.1
    Me[...]
    [...]o-consensus 4.1
    Purpose of a meeting 2.1, 2.2


    Q
    Quorum[...]
    [...], 2.1, 3, 3.1, 5.1, 5.2
    - proportion of meeting time 1.4
    Written ballot[...]

    MD

    Manual for Meetings
    Meetings