Main Index Table of Contents Article 1-50 Article 51-94 Article 95 -105 Article 106-130  Appendix I Appendix II Appendix III Appendix IV Appendix V Appendix VI Appendix VII Appendix VIII

GUIDELINES FOR SYNOD1

1. Convening and Constitution of Synod

A. The convening Church shall set the date on which Synod shall meet (cf, A 49 C.O.). The convening Church shall publish this date along with the rule:

All material for Synod should be received by the convening Church (in twenty two copies) no later than six weeks prior to the convocation date of General Synod. Material received after this date shall ordinarily not be added to the agenda unless Synod is satisfied that the reasons given for later arrival are reasonable,2

B. The convening Church shall send the first Provisional Agenda to ail the Churches at least six months prior to convocation.

C.All material submitted to the convening Church together with a copy of the curent Guidelines for General Synod shall be sent to all delegates and the their alternates.3 All material submitted to Synod, including Reports, Appeal Overtures which quote any foreign language source must provide in the text the submission a full English translation and in a footnote the citation in the original language .4

D. All material for Synod should be received by the convening Church (in twenty two) copies no later than six weeks prior to the convocation date of General Synod. Material received after this date shall ordinarily not be added to the agenda unless Synod is satisfied that the reasons given for later arrival are reasonable.5

E.The minister of the convening Church or its counsellor shall act as chairman until Synod has been constituted.

1. He shall call the meeting to order in an ecclesiastical manner, (cf. A 34.C.O.).

2. He shall have the credentials examined as to whether General Synod can be constituted.

F.Officers of Synod shall be chosen by ballot in this order: chairman, vice- chair- man, first clerk, and second clerk. Election to office is to be by majority of valid votes cast.

A. The Chairman
 

1 . The chairman shall see to it that business is transacted in the proper order and is expedited as much as possible, and that members observe the rules of order and decorum. (cf. Art. 34, 35 C.O.).

2. He shall call the meeting to order at the appointed time, call the roll and shall see to it that each session is properly opened and closed.

3. He shall welcome fraternal delegates or other guests and respond to greetings received or appoint other members for this purpose.

4. He shall place before Synod every motion that is made and seconded, in accord with the accepted order; and he shall clearly state every question before a vote is taken, so that every member may know on what he is voting.

5. If the chairman feels the need to speak on a pending question, he shall relinquish the chair to the vice-chairman for that period of time. While holding the chair, he may speak to state matters of fact or to inform Synod regarding points of order.

6. He shall have, and duly exercise, the prerogative of declaring a motion or person out of order. If his ruling is challenged, it shall be submitted to Synod for decision by majority vote.

7. The chairman shall retain he right to vote on any question.

8. In case of a point of order, the chairman must make a ruling at once. This ruling may be reversed by a majority of Synod, if any member is dissatisfied with the ruling of the chair and appeals to the floor.

9. The chairman shall close the Synod with appropriate remarks and with prayer. (Art. 34 C.O.).

1. The vice-chairman shall, in the absence of the chairman, assume all his duties and privileges.

2. The vice-chairman shall render all possible assistance to the chairman as circumstances require.

3. He shall prepare the Press Release.

1 . Every morning, after the roll call, he shall read the Acts of the previous day.

2. He shall keep a proper record of the business of Synod. This record shall ordinarily contain:

a. The opening and closing of sessions and roll call.
b. All motions whether carried or defeated.
c. All final reports or committees and all decisions of Synod.
d. Any document or part of debate or address that Synod by majority vote has decided to insert in the Acts.

3. He shall not include in the Acts any motion that was withdrawn.

1. The second clerk shall serve in the absence of the first clerk.

2. He shall render assistance to the first clerk as circumstances require.

3. He shall handle outgoing mail on behalf of Synod.
 

A. Advisory Committees of Synod

1 . The officers of Synod shall propose advisory committees, with a convener, to serve for the duration of Synod.

2. The officers of Synod shall propose an arrangement of matters on the agenda to the appropriate committees.

3. All reports shall be distributed in ample time before they are presented for discussion.

4. The committee reporter shall present the reports.

5. If there is a minority report as well as a majority report, both reports shall be given into discussion, but the majority report shall be voted upon first.

6. During the discussion, the task of defending the report shall rest primarily with the reporter of the committee. Other committee members shall receive the privilege of the floor to elaborate on or clarify any point.

7. In order to facilitate the discussion on a pending issue, the chair shall ordinarily call for discussion in two parts (rounds) - in the first part opportunity is given to members to express remarks related to the issue in question. In the second or following parts, members may react to the discussion or the issue in question.

8. The discussion may be extended by discretion of the chairman or by decision of Synod.

9. If anyone has been requested to advise Synod on any matter, he shall address Synod on this point only when asked to do so by the chair.

1. All committees appointed by Synod shall see to it that they send as many copies of their report to the local churches as each has office-bearers.6

A. Closed Sessions of Synod

1 . A closed session shall ordinarily mean a session where members of Synod and office-bearers may be present. This shall be used in delicate or unusual situations.

2. A closed- restricted session shall, as a rule, mean a session where members of Synod only may be present. This shall only take place when Synod judges that such a course is dictated by due regard for personal honour or the welfare of the Churches in extremely delicate situations.

A main motion is one which presents a certain subject for consideration or action.

1 . A main motion is acceptable under the following conditions:

a. The mover has been recognized by the chair.

b. The motion has been seconded.

c. The motion is also presented in writing.
2. A main motion is not acceptable if another main motion is before Synod or if it conflicts with any decision already made by Synod.

3. A notice of motion may be given during the discussion.

C. A Motion to Amend

This is a proposal to alter a main motion in language or in meaning before final action is taken on the motion.

1 . A motion to amend may propose any of the following: to strike out, to insert, or to substitute certain words, phrases, sentences or paragraphs.

2. A motion to amend is not a proper amendment if it nullifies the main motion or is not germane to it.

3. A motion to amend an amendment is permissible and is called a secondary motion.

At the request of one or more members of Synod, a motion consisting of more than one part must be divided and voted upon separately, unless Synod decides that this is not necessary.

If any member is not satisfied with the ruling of the chair, the matter is referred to Synod for a decision.

It is the right of any member to protest against any decision of Synod. Protest should be registered immediately, or during the session in which the matter concerned was acted upon. Protest must be registered individually and not in groups. Members may, if they feel the need ask to have their negative vote recorded. Such requests must be made immediately after the vote is taken.

G. Motion to Bring Matters Once Decided Again Before Synod

Any member of Synod, for weighty reasons, may move to have a matter reconsidered, which was previously decided. This purpose of this motion is to propose a new discussion and a new vote.

H. Discussion
 

1. To obtain the flood, a speaker must be recognized by the chair.

2. If any member has spoken twice on a pending issue, others who have not yet spoken twice shall, as a rule, be given priority by the chair,

3. When the chairman believes that a motion under consideration has been debated sufficiently, he may propose cessation of debate. If a majority of Synod sustains his proposal, discussion shall cease and the vote shall be taken.

4. Any member of Synod, when he deems a matter to have been debated sufficiently, may move to close the discussion. Should a majority be in favour, the vote shall be taken, but only after those who have already requested the floor have been recognized.

1. The chair shall call the roll (in any order) when a vote is taken.

2. Voting about persons shall be by ballot.

3. Voting about delicate matters and other matters of a critical natures shall also be by ballot.
 

J. Revision

These Synodical Guidelines may be suspended, amended, revised or abrogated by a majority vote of Synod.

1General Synod 1983, Acts, Art. 45.
2General Synod 1995, Acts, Art. 111.
3General Synod 1986, Acts, Art. 76; General Synod 1995, Acts, Art. 111.
4General Synod 1989, Acts, Art. 131.
5General Synod 1986, Acts, Art. 162; General Synod 1995, Acts, Art. 110.
6General Synod 1995, Acts, Art. 110.

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©1995 General Synod of the Canadian Reformed Churches. All rights reserved.
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