United Church of God, an International Association

Council of Elders Meeting Report

Council business today primarily dealt with amendment matters and assuring that its past mandates and directives are completed or adjusted as necessary.

Following up on Council decrees

Gary Antion presented a study, compiled from the minutes of previous Council meetings, listing the formal resolutions, informal requests and various suggestions brought forward in those sessions. Common principles of organizational structure stress the obligation to respect the decisions that are made, he said, and "If decisions call for action, action must be taken." Mr. Antion's intended this presentation to make sure that the Council completes "resolutions and requests that have been lost in the shuffle, or never followed."

The Council then thoroughly reviewed the eight resolutions and 19 requests he had highlighted to determine if they have been adequately fulfilled or where they stand in the implementation process. Some required far more discussion than others, especially to assess the current application of some issues that are no longer as relevant as when they were originally passed.

Of greatest concern are the resolutions, due to the binding requirements of those formal actions. "Resolutions are hanging over us; you pass it and you are obligated to do something about it," he said.

Five of the eight resolutions deal with financial matters, two have to do with the President's reports to the Council and the other one concerns a Council newsletter. Chairman Bob Dick asked the Finance Committee for follow-up with the five, the Strategic Planning Committee to handle the two, and the Communications Committee to work with the one. The committees will act in cooperation with the President and Treasurer as necessary, and report at the November meeting the status of compliance for these resolutions. By that time we should be able to bring this to closure, he said, and either rescind, amend or determine compliance on those that are still applicable.

Amendment matters

Aaron Dean, Rules and Process Committee member, announced that according to the prescribed schedule, several amendments have been put forth for placement on the agenda at the 1999 Annual Meeting of the General Conference of Elders. New appointees must be placed on the Amendment Committee, however, and he submitted a list of elders who had volunteered to serve in that capacity, plus some who had been nominated. The Council then selected a new panel, but the names are being temporarily withheld pending these individuals' notification and acceptance.

Council Secretary Gerald Seelig delivered to the Council a letter from legal counsel David Ulich, who specializes in representing non-profit religious boards, giving his analysis and recommendations for improving the Bylaws. Council members spent considerable time looking over the rationale behind Mr. Ulich's advice, and a number of amendment proposals Mr. Seelig had drafted in response.

Further discussion on executive session issues about personnel matters took the afternoon slot.

- Clyde Kilough

© 1998, United Church of God, an International Association