Decision Number 482
SUBJECT TO FINAL EDITING
Legality of Proposed Mandatory Prior Consultation of Advance Committee with Annual Conference Board or Agency Responsible for Missions.
Digest
The General Conference may require consultation with the Annual Conference board or agency responsible for missions before approval by the Advance Committee of a project within the boundaries of said Annual Conference.
Statement of Facts
On April 22, 1980 the General Conference requested of the Judicial Council a declaratory decision on the legality of Petition H-01370 as amended in the Legislative Committee of the Council on Ministries. The proposed amendment to Par. 1006.5 of the 1976 Discipline reads as follows:
No project within the boundaries of an annual conference shall be approved by the Advance Committee for promotion, cultivation, and administration as an Advance Mission Special without consultation with the annual conference board or agency delegated responsibility for missions by the annual conference
Jurisdiction
The Judicial Council has jurisdiction under Par. 2507.2 of the 1976 Discipline.
Analysis and Rationale
The General Conference has the power to legislate on all matters distinctively connectional. (Discipline, Par. 15, Article IV) The Advance is a program created by the General Conference, and defined in Par. 913 of the 1976 Discipline. The Advance Committee is created and authorized to have oversight of the Advance in Par. 1006.5, which paragraph could be amended by the General Conference so as to include the proposed requirement for consultation with the Annual Conference board or agency.
Decision
The General Conference may require the Advance Committee to consult with the Annual Conference board or agency responsible for missions before approving a project within the boundaries of said Annual Conference.