SUMMARY OF ACTIONS 177 th General Assembly Cumberland Presbyterian Church Robert D. Rush, Stated Clerk The following summary is NOT the authoritative document for guiding the church s actions. Only the General Assembly minutes can serve that purpose. General Regulation H. 1 A copy of the Assembly minutes shall be sent upon request to ordained ministers, probationers, commissioners, clerks of sessions, agency members, institutions of the Church, synod and presbytery clerks and to the Stated Clerk s exchanges. Others desiring a copy of the minutes may purchase them from the resource center. General Regulation H. 2 Church sessions, presbyteries and synods should study the Minutes of the General Assembly in order to implement actions and programs into the lower courts. Any errors should immediately be called to the attention of the Stated Clerk. after which the Reverend Dee Ann Thompson, Covenant Presbytery, delivered a sermon entitled, Hmm...What Shall I Wear? Ephesians 4:1-6 was read in Korean, after which Youth 12. Advisory Delegate, Timothy Young, Presbytery del Cristo, delivered the sermon entitled, Unity in the Body of Christ. Ephesians 4:7, 11-13, and 5:1-2 were read, after which the 13. Assembly Worship Director, the Reverend Steve Mosley, Arkansas Presbytery, delivered a sermon entitled, Standing on Holy Ground. EVANGELISM 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Theme: Hands Together: One in Christ ORGANIZATION Opened the Assembly with worship directed by the Worship Director, the Reverend Steve Mosley, Arkansas Presbytery. Matthew 16:13-20 was read in Japanese and English after which the Retiring Moderator, the Reverend Don Hubbard, Presbytery of East Tennessee, delivered a sermon entitled God Made a Jewel Box and Called it the Church. Elected the Reverend Frank Ward, West Tennessee Presbytery, as Moderator of the 177 th General Assembly. Set aside Rules of Order 1.0 Confession of Faith and elected Elder Rose Mary Magrill, Trinity Presbytery, as Co-Moderator. Accepted the resignation of two members of the Board of Trustees of Memphis Theological Seminary and one member of the Organizational Task Force. Elected sixty (60) persons to positions on various Boards and Agencies. Set aside General Regulation A. 11 to allow an Organizational Task Force Committee. Set aside General Regulation A. 12 to permit the General Assembly to consider the Organizational Task Force report without referral to the General Assembly Council. Set aside General Regulations F. 3 and F. 4 to receive Report Number Two of the Center Task Force. ADDITIONAL WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES 14. Approved directing the Denominational Board of Missions to re-emphasize its priority of reaching the non-christians and the unchurched. 15. Directed that the Denominational Board of Missions to regularly encourage presbyteries and churches to: Pray for the non-christian and the unchurched each Sunday. Intentionally seek out and cultivate the non-christian and the unchurched for invitation to Christian discipleship. Invite the non-christian and the unchurched to Christian Discipleship. Provide support for new converts. Directed the Denominational Board of Missions to assist 16. presbyteries and churches by providing or recommending models for training persons to reach the non-christian and the unchurched. Denied a resolution from a commissioner in regard to 17. focusing on evangelism, however; agreeing with the concern, thus adopted the following recommendations. The church s priority focus for the next five years will be 18. evangelism with an emphasis on leading congregations in how to do personal evangelism that is appropriate to the congregation s cultural context. Each presbytery is encouraged to set aside one day each six 19. months for the next five years to pray, fast, and review what the Lord would have them do in focusing on evangelism. Every agency and institution of the Church is to adjust its 20. overall mission to support this five-year priority focus by identifying how it can help the church accomplish this and report to General Assembly each year of its activities in support of this priority. Asked each ordained clergy to refresh their training in how 21. to lead a congregation in doing personal evangelism and to lead the congregation in doing evangelism. That the General Assembly Council or its replacement report 22. the Church s progress of this focus to General Assembly 9. Galatians 5:12-15 and Colossians 3:12-17 were read in Spanish after which Elder Mary Lyn Childs, Missouri Presbytery, delivered a sermon entitled, Together in Christ Can We Get There? Exodus 3:14-15 was read in Spanish and English after which 10. the Reverend Ramon Garcia, Murfreesboro Presbytery, 11. delivered a sermon entitled, Clothed in God s Presence. Colossians 3:11-17 was read in Korean and English, over the next five years. ORGANIZATIONAL TASK FORCE 23. Approved the concept of a single governing board for all program ministries and services, to be implemented
according to the law of Tennessee in such cases made and provided. 24. Approved electing a new 15 member Ministry Council of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church according to the law of Tennessee in such cases made and provided. The same 15 members will be named to oversee the programming of General Assembly boards and agencies following their dissolution. The Ministry Council will include the Stated Clerk, Moderator(s), immediate Past Moderator, and 3 youth (ages 16-19 when elected) to serve as Advisory Members of the council. The Ministry Council will be made up of 3 members from each synod with no more than 9 clergy or laity members, and no more than 9 members of either gender. Make up of the Ministry Council should reflect that we are a Global Church. The terms shall be for 3 years, staggered, to be elected by the General Assembly with a 3 year term limit. No denominational employee can serve on the Ministry Council. Instructed the members of the individual program boards 25. and agencies, acting as a corporate board, to take action to dissolve their corporation and form themselves into advisory committees and that the Board of Missions form themselves into two advisory committees, US Missions and Global Missions, with deliberate speed and care according to the law of Tennessee in such cases made and provided. Instructed the General Assembly Council to dissolve itself 26. as soon as possible according to the law of Tennessee in such cases made and provided. The Executive Director of the General Assembly Council 27. will be retained for 90 days following the dissolution of the Council, to aid in the transition and to be accountable to the new Ministry Council. Established the position of Chief Ministry Officer, who must 28. be a Cumberland Presbyterian. The new Ministry Council will initially hire the Chief Ministry Officer who will serve a 3 year term to be subsequently elected by the General Assembly. The initial term will end at the 180th General Assembly. The Chief Ministry Officer may succeed him/ herself with no term limits. Denied establishing the following ministries to function 29. under the authority of the Governing Board and the direction of the Director of Ministries and Services, to be ultimately responsible for all programming functions of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church: Global Ministries, Home Ministries, Church Life Ministries and Pastoral & Lay Development Ministries. That all the work of current programming Boards and 30. agencies remain intact. The Executives will become Team Leaders of their respective ministry areas. Denied a recommendation to establish the following service 31. areas to function under the authority of the Governing Board and the direction of the Director of Ministries and Services: Administration Services, Communication Services and Finance Services. The Chief Ministry Officer and the Ministry Council shall 32. jointly evaluate each staff position and establish a level of pay based on responsibility, contribution, and length of service for all permanent employees. It will take a majority vote of the Ministry Council to terminate any current employee. All future employees will serve at the discretion of the Chief Ministry Officer in consultation with the Ministry Council. Denied a recommendation to establish 6 six member Advisory 33. Committees to serve as resources to the ministries of Global Ministries, Home Ministries, Church Life Ministries and Pastoral & Lay Development Ministries, and the services of Communications and Finance. Beginning in 2008, the Nominating Committee shall propose 34. the membership of the various Advisory Committees to be elected by the 178 th General Assembly and subsequent General Assemblies. That the Denomination s priority goals be reviewed by the 35. Ministry Council. This review should: Test to see if they are still relevant and the key priorities. Flesh out each goal with clearer targets, actions and time lines. Focus on and emphasize how to maintain Cumberland identity, the strong sense of community. The new leadership team will participate in a leadership 36. team development process, which will include: Establishing operating norms, decision-making process, and leadership behaviors required for high performing team. Routinely evaluate how well it is operating against its norms and behaviors. Dimensions and focal areas derived from the evaluation process. (described in 32 above) Approved establishing a standardized system for the 37. evaluation of the leadership of ministry and service functions, with the process to include: Specifying dimensions directly related to priority goals and ministerial expectations. Making the evaluation required on a frequent basis. (annually at a minimum) Removing of personal relationships from the process. Evaluation of Team Leaders to be done by the Chief Ministry Officer. Evaluation of the Chief Ministry Officer to be done by the Ministry Council. In order to gauge how well the agencies and employees are 38. serving the needs of presbyteries and congregations a survey process will be developed. This can be done simply and economically using web-based packages, such as Survey Monkey. This process should be done deliberately and frequently enough to allow for needed mid-course corrections. For external clergy entering the denomination, a mentoring/ 39. assimilation/development process will be established. The process would be stewarded by the Commission on the Ministry. The Commission on the Ministry would develop the basic framework in collaboration with presbyterial and cross-cultural resources. Thereafter, each presbytery would manage the process based on its need. The Commission on the Ministry would collect resource materials from different presbyteries and make them available to other presbyteries. The Ministry Council will hire a person to be in charge 40. of technological systems and that the existing computer network will be updated. Technical implementation will be stewarded by the person hired to be in charge of technological systems. Directed that the financial accounting system be upgraded. 41. The upgrade would be stewarded by the Team Leader of the Board of Stewardship, Foundation and Benefits in consultation with the technology systems staff person. Directed that the existing database be updated with the 42. process to be shepherded by the General Assembly Office in consultation with the technology systems staff person. The technology systems staff person shall identify common 43. hardware platforms and software packages to facilitate communications and information exchange among all churches. All responsibilities currently assigned to the General 44. Assembly Council shall be assigned to the Ministry Council. The Ministry Council and the Chief Ministry Officer 45. shall continue or enhance our longstanding ecumenical relationships, especially between the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Cumberland Presbyterian
Church in America. Recognized the Historical Foundation as an Institution 46. governed by a Board of Trustees with membership elected from both the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America. The Ministry Council will develop a procedure in 47. conjunction with representatives of the Institutional boards, for making recommendations of OUO allocations to the General Assembly, and report back to the 178 th General Assembly, so as to continue funding to the Church s Institutions. (Cumberland Presbyterian Children s Home, Bethel College, Memphis Theological Seminary, and the Historical Foundation) Adopted a no nepotism policy in regards to future hiring 48. practices. Nepotism is defined as nuclear family members of existing denominational employees. This policy can be overridden by three fourths vote of the Ministry Council, and no current staff will be terminated for this reason. Current levels of deployment of denominational staff, 49. commonly, referred to as decentralization, shall be allowed to continue under the direction of the Ministry Council. Set aside General Regulations G. 1. d. No person shall be 50. elected to serve concurrently on more than one agency and G. 1. f. No member who continues to meet the standard requirements for election or appointment to any agency of the church shall be removed from membership except for misfeasance. The following persons were elected to the Ministry 51. Council: Terms to expire in 2008 Ms. Betsy Atkins, Tennessee Synod Rev. Iwao Satoh, Mission Synod Mr. Roy Shanks, Synod of the Midwest Ms. Breann Tolley, Synod of the Southeast Mr. Leo Whinery, Synod of Great Rivers Terms to expire in 2009 Rev. Hillman Moore, Synod of the Midwest Rev. Rickey Page, Tennessee Synod Ms. Eleanor Scrudder, Mission Synod Rev. Michael Wilkinson, Synod of the Southeast Rev. Wayne Wood, Synod of Great Rivers Terms to Expire in 2010 Ms. Jill Carr, Synod of Great Rivers Ms. Elizabeth Horsley, Mission Synod Rev. Richard Hughes, Tennessee Synod Ms. Gwen Roddye, Synod of the Southeast Rev. Sam Romines, Synod of the Midwest. Youth Advisory Members Mr. Billy Black, Synod of Great Rivers Ms. Corey Faulkner, Synod of the Southeast Mr. Kyle Smallen, Tennessee Synod Named Michael Wilkinson as the convener of the new 52. Ministry Council. CENTER TASK FORCE 53. The Union Avenue Property has a contract for $1,250,000. (1.25 million) 54. The property on Wolf Lake Drive is no longer available for purchase as it is leased to the State of Tennessee. 55. Directed that the note on the Warren Building be repaid from the money received for the building, and to pay the maintenance debt as soon as possible. th 56. Reaffirmed the decisions of the 175 and 176 th General Assemblies in strongly encouraging churches to swiftly move forward to give $100 per active member to the Center relocation effort. GENERAL ASSEMBLY COUNCIL 57. Reaffirmed the goal that each congregation is encouraged to give 10% of their annual income to Our United Outreach to support General Assembly programs through its boards and agencies and reaffirmed the directive for presbyteries to work with congregations in promoting Our United Outreach. Approved Our United Outreach allocations for 2008 in 58. the amount of $2,839,423 and for 2009 in the amount of $2,874,423. Denied a resolution from a commissioner requesting that 59. churches be permitted to pay Our United Outreach, but be allowed to designate the agencies that would receive the contribution. 60. Deleted General Regulation G. 1. e. No member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church whose church does not support Our United Outreach shall be elected to any board or agency. 61. Approved a Church Calendar for 2007-2008. 62. Expressed gratitude to the members of the General Assembly Council and to Davis Gray, Jr., Executive Director of the General Assembly Council for his fourteen years of faithful service to the church. th 63. Reaffirmed the following action of the 176 General Assembly and requested that a specific plan be presented by the General Assembly Council to the 178 th General Assembly: Encouraged Cumberland Presbyterians to pray that God will call men and women to the ministry of teaching in our schools: that the General Assembly Council develop a plan to recruit Cumberland Presbyterian scholars and give financial support for their pursuit of teaching degrees; that the General Assembly Council work with the Memphis Theological Seminary Board of Trustees and Administration to ensure that these scholars be recruited as Memphis Theological Seminary faculty members and that the plan be submitted to the 177 th General Assembly. (2006 General Assembly Minutes, page 406) The General Assembly Council is to develop and implement 64. a unified plan to promote and raise awareness to the resources and services available through the Cumberland Presbyterian website. (www.cumberland.org) BETHEL COLLEGE 65. Commended the Board of Trustees, the staff and the Reverend Robert D. Prosser for their faithful, sacrificial service and inspired leadership of Bethel College. CHRISTIAN EDUCATION 66. Encouraged presbyterial Boards of Christian Education to develop relationships with the staff of the Board of Christian Education by scheduling time for staff to attend one presbyterial board meeting every two years. 67. Encouraged congregations to consider using On Line
Curriculum Resources for providing training for their leaders. 68. Encouraged congregations to use I Have Been Baptized and Welcome to the Lord s Table. 69. Directed the Board of Christian Education to explore ways to communicate more regularly and effectively with our global presbyteries with regard to curriculum needs. 70. Directed the Board of Christian Education to develop annually a resource list of Christian Education materials that are culturally and linguistically appropriate for our global presbyteries. CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHILDREN S HOME 71. Designated May 18, 2008 as Children s Home Sunday and encouraged congregations to emphasize the importance of the Children s Home Sunday offering as one source of revenue for the care of children and their families. 72. Each congregation is encouraged to set aside one Sunday each month to pray for children and families, especially those who are hurting and hungry, in their communities and throughout the world. 73. Each presbytery and local congregation is encouraged to hear regularly from its Children s Home Champion. 74. Churches are requested to explore ways to interact with the Cumberland Presbyterian Children s Home through its Program Sharing and Consultation component to serve children and families in need in their own congregations and communities. Through these partnerships the resources of the Denomination and its Children s Home can be brought together to enrich the lives of children and families and bring healing and hope in more places. To support the need for expanded services individuals and 75. churches are encouraged to increase their current level of giving to the Children s Home. The Children s Home is encouraged to continue membership 76. in and cooperation with the Presbyterian Children s Homes and Related Ministries; Southwest Association of Children s Homes, Texas Alliance of Child and Family Services, and the Coalition of Homes for Children. Commended the staff and the Board of Trustees for their 77. faithful, sacrificial and dedicated service to the Cumberland Presbyterian Children s Home. THE CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN 78. Sessions are encouraged to establish a group plan to provide the magazine for their members in one of the following ways: (1) The church budget to include funds to provide the magazine for every family, (2) The church budget to include funds to provide the magazine for every elder and church leader, or (3) the session to designate a person to receive individual checks from members and provide the names, addresses, and payment in one check to encourage members to subscribe and to establish a group plan that enables members to receive the magazine at a reduced rate. HISTORICAL FOUNDATION 79. Through the minutes of General Assembly, and summary of actions, make congregations aware of the 1810 Circle and encourage church members to support this endeavor annually. 80. Through the presbyterial Stated Clerks, each remaining presbytery be directed to compile a comprehensive directory of the congregations within its bounds and that, if possible, these directories include maps, a photograph of the church and a brief church history. On completion, two copies to be placed in the Historical Library and Archives by December 31, 2009 preparatory to the bicentennial celebration of the Church s birth. Congregations are to be encouraged to have a special offering 81. on the Sunday designated as Denomination Day Sunday to help support the programs of the Historical Foundation. Through its minutes and summary of actions directed 82. presbyteries to encourage congregations to seriously consider the need for proper preservation of their session records and to contact the Foundation for assistance in exploring various options for doing this. Commended the Historical Foundation for its making 83. numerous resources available on its website that provides an invaluable and accessible means to research the rich heritage of our Cumberland Presbyterian faith. JUDICIARY 84. Affirmed that the Rules of Discipline have been adopted. 85. Approved a charter change for the Board of Missions. 86. Approved Guidelines for Reciprocal agreements. 87. Rescinded an opinion that presbyteries may not examine a Cumberland Presbyterian Minister transferring presbyteries. Adopted the opinion that each presbytery should adopt a procedure for reviewing the application of ministers desiring to join the presbytery. The presbytery may wish to exercise its review function through an appropriate committee, which may consider the minister s calling, experience, previous service, and other relevant matters. If the incoming minister is accepting a call to a particular church within the presbytery, the presbytery should examine the call and consider the relationship as provided in Section 7.06 of the Constitution. 88. When a minister is in the process of having his/her ordination recognized, the status is that of a probationer, thus the person must have a call (6.31) approved by the presbytery, the presbytery shall have the opportunity to examine the minister (6.32), then propose the Constitutional questions in 6.36 prior to declaring the person an ordained minister in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. 89. Denied a resolution from two commissioners calling for: Directing the Stated Clerk s Office to find ways to reach out to PCUSA congregations that are considering making a change in denominational affiliation. Take such steps that would enable our presbyteries to be sensitive to the needs of the PCUSA congregations within similar geographic boundaries. Develop and propose to the 178 th General Assembly a provisional system, perhaps similar to our Cross-Cultural ministry efforts to make and define a process for those PCUSA churches willing to become a part of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. MEMPHIS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 90. Expressed gratitude to Robert Norvell, Michael Qualls, Stephen Rhodes, Bettye Hendrix, Robert Tyson, and Don Reeves for their service to Memphis Theological Seminary and to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. 91. Authorized the Board of Trustees of Memphis Theological Seminary to purchase any residential properties on Roberta
Drive or St. Agnes Drive within the bounds of the MTS Board approved Master Campus Plan, and that the Board of Stewardship be authorized to provide loans to accomplish these purchases, and a copy of the long range campus plan be filed in the General Assembly Stated Clerk s Office. Commended the Board of Trustees of Memphis Theological 92. Seminary for their vision and long range plans implemented through the Master Campus Plan. Encouraged all Cumberland Presbyterian Churches to 93. recognize Theological Education Sunday by praying for the work of Memphis Theological Seminary and the Program of Alternate Studies, praying for students who are being educated through MTS and PAS, educating its members on the importance of theological education to the life and health of the denomination, and giving its members, through whatever means the session deems appropriate, an opportunity to make a contribution to the work of theological education in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Theological Education Sunday will be March 2, 2008. Commended the Program of Alternate Studies for its joint 94. work with the Board of Missions in expanding its reach to cross-cultural students both inside and outside the bounds of the United States. Denied a memorial from Hope Presbytery requesting that 95. the Board of Trustees of Memphis Theological Seminary to revise the Faculty handbook to : A. Include the Moderator and Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in search committees for new faculty in section 4.4.3. B. Have this search committee make a recommendation directly to the president rather than the faculty and student members only as in 4.4.3.d. C. To include the Moderator and Stated Clerk and two members of the Board of Trustees, one being a Cumberland Presbyterian as members of the Faculty s Promotions and Tenure Review Committee with privileges of voice and vote for the purpose of conducting Rank advancement and Tenure Review evaluations. D. That any changes in these procedures must be approved by the General Assembly. 96. Requested the Board of Trustees of Memphis Theological Seminary to review critically the process for seeking and selecting new faculty members, and granting tenure in order to determine how there may be greater representation of Cumberland Presbyterians in these processes and report their conclusions to the next General Assembly. Missions. 101. Alerted presbyteries and congregations to the special opportunities for participation in Builders Fellowship, including the Builders Fellowship Church, Builders Fellowship Sponsor, Builder s Fellowship Pioneer, Builders Fellowship Perpetual Member, and Memorial Gifts. 102. Urged congregations, groups and individuals to support new church efforts through the matching grant program, Quarter card program, Second Mile projects and other special gifts. COMMISSION ON THE MINISTRY 103. Approved the CONCEPT of establishing the office of certified lay minister and ordination with the following exceptions: An ordained minister from another denomination who does not meet the educational requirements for ordination the Cumberland Presbyterian Church shall be received as a certified lay minister by the presbytery, on recommendation of the committee on preparation for ministry when the committee is satisfied that the person has at least a clear understanding of Cumberland Presbyterian history, doctrine and polity. The presbytery s committee should be careful to judge the qualifications of such a person in knowledge of the Bible and Theology, in character, and in willingness to support the Confession of Faith and Constitution of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The presbytery may require additional study as it deems necessary. Such a person would be required to attend presbytery in keeping with all certified lay ministers, and would not be eligible to moderate the session. Ministers from other denominations not seeking ordination in our church and without the necessary educational requirements received as certified lay ministers, pending proper preparation through the appropriate presbyterial committee. 104. The issue of Certified Lay Ministers and licentiates being permitted to do the Sacraments was referred to the Joint Committee on Amendments for the preparation of Constitutional Amendments to be presented to the 178 th General Assembly. THEOLOGY AND SOCIAL CONCERNS MISSIONS 97. Encouraged presbyterial boards of missions to assist local church and presbyterial youth fellowships to plan and implement a youth evangelism conference in their own region making use of ideas from The Discomfort Zone. Encouraged presbyterial boards of missions and local 98. congregations to actively seek opportunities to engage in cross-culture outreach and evangelism in their area, to promote sensitivity toward immigrant ethnicities and to call on staff of the General Assembly Board of Missions to offer counsel and suggestions for these efforts. Urged presbyteries not presently engaged in new church 99. development to request assistance from the General Assembly Board of Missions to plan at least one before the end of the decade. Encouraged presbyteries to promote Builders Fellowship 100. by appointing a presbyterial advocate for the program, and that time be set aside at a presbytery meeting for a BF presentation by the advocate or staff of the Board of 105. Accepted as a study paper Greed in America, and urged it be used to initiate thought and discussion within Cumberland Presbyterian and Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America congregations. That the Offices of the Stated Clerks in both the 106. Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America make this paper available to churches through the Stated Clerks of the presbyteries. Denied a recommendation that churches view the movie 107. Amazing Grace, and use it to stimulate thought and discussion within the congregation. Directed the Unified Committee on Theology and Social 108. Concerns look at ways to help the Church work towards healing our world (environmentally and social injustices in our world) and to provide resources and means of actions for congregations. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
109. Exempted future moderators and worship directors from serving on General Assembly committees. 110. Although agreeing with the intent of the recommendation of favoring the election of a Moderator from Asia in 2008, denied the recommendation. 111. In the contingency fund moved $4,500 designated for the Catechism Committee to unrestricted funds. 112. Approved the resolution from a commissioner requesting that July 7, 2007 be A Special Day of Prayer for peace in Colombia and special protection for the Christians in Buenaventura, and asked all our churches to join our Colombian brothers and sisters in this Day of Prayer. CHANGES IN GENERAL REGULATIONS 113. A. 11. STANDING COMMITTEES NAMED. The Standing Committees of the General Assembly shall be as follows: Judiciary, Children s Home/Bethel College, Memphis Theological Seminary/Historical Foundation, Missions/Commission on the Ministry/Commission on Chaplains, Christian Education/Stewardship, Program Planning, and Theology and Social Concerns. Each board and agency will make appropriate annual reports to the General Assembly. The Moderator may, with the consent of the General Assembly, appoint such special committees as needed. All General Assembly committees are required to hear advisory committee representatives and Team Leaders (delete word Executive) if such hearings are requested. When a General Assembly Standing Committee is seeking information regarding an issue dealt with in more than one report it may invite representatives in those agencies to be present at the same time. Committees shall write out all recommendations verbatim in their reports. A. 12. CHANGES AFFECTING THE WHOLE 114. CHURCH. When far-reaching changes in programs and/ or policies are recommended by a standing committee, the committee shall recommend that the proposals be referred for study by the Ministry Council (delete General Assembly Council) and the agency affected before they become final. If serious consequences are discovered, the Ministry Council (delete General Assembly Council) and the agency affected may delay implementation until the next General Assembly. B. 8. Presbytery moderators and stated clerks shall be 115. asked to assist in the securing of names and data concerning persons who may be qualified to serve on (Assembly Boards and agencies) the Ministry Council, the Advisory Committees of our Boards and Agencies, and the governing Boards of our institutions. The number of names shall not be less than one for every thousand active members, or a fraction thereof, in a presbytery. This file shall be available to the General Assembly for its use. D. g. 1. The Stated Clerk shall be elected by the General 116. Assembly for a term of four years. The regular term of office shall begin on January 1 and expire on December 31. There shall be no limit to the number of terms to which one individual may be elected. The Nominating Committee shall make nominations when the Stated Clerk s term expires. Nominations may also be made from the floor. If the office becomes vacant, the clerk declines to be renominated or is unacceptable to the Nominating Committee for renomination; a search shall be conducted by the Ministry Council (delete General Assembly Council). If the Stated Clerk resigns or becomes unable to serve between meetings of the Assembly, the Ministry Council (delete General Assembly Council) shall assume the responsibilities and authorities of the office and arrange for their fulfillment. 117. D. 2. e. 4. and 5. represent the interests of the General Assembly commissions, committees and task forces before the Ministry Council (delete General Assembly Council) Hold, report annually, and distribute as authorized by the General Assembly or the Ministry Council (delete General Assembly Council) the Contingency Fund and all other General Assembly funds not entrusted to the care of a General Assembly Board or Agency. F. 3. All agencies of the General Assembly with the 118. exception of institutions on the academic year, are directed to close their books as soon after December 31 as possible, but not later than January 31 of the following year, and deliver 2 copies (letter size) of their report, along with a copy on computer diskette, if possible, to the Stated Clerk not later than March 15. Reports should be written as concisely as possible and yet reflect the total work of the agency and signed by two board/executive officers. Institutions on the academic year shall close their books at the end of their fiscal year and report by March 15th of the following year. Line item budgets for the forthcoming year shall accompany board reports. All agencies funded directly from OUO shall submit multi-year program budgets to the Ministry Council (delete GAC) not later than November 1. F. 6. all financial records of monies or securities held by 119. anyone in the name of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church shall be audited by a certified public accountant. The audit shall be sufficient and the records and securities are not to be submitted at the meeting of General Assembly. Two copies of the report of the accountant are to be delivered to the Office of the General Assembly for review by the Ministry Council (GAC) Boards and agencies with budget income of $100,000 or less are not required to have an audit but to submit their books and financial statements to the Ministry Council (GAC) audit committee annually. G. 1. b. The membership of the agencies of General 120. Assembly shall be as follows: (Delete the General Assembly Council) The Ministry Council 15 voting members elected by the General Assembly (3 members from each synod with no more than 9 clergy or laity members and no more than 9 members of either gender) and 6 advisory members (Stated Clerk, Moderator, immediate Past Moderator, and 3 youth ages 16-19 when elected) Make up of the Ministry Council should reflect that we are a global Church. The additional changes are as follows: Board of Stewardship - 11 Advisory Members Board of Christian Education - 9 Advisory members Board of Missions - 15 Advisory Members (2 members from each of the 5 synods, 5 members elected at large, and no fewer than 6 of either sex) The Cumberland Presbyterian - 5 Advisory Members Commission on the Ministry - 9 Advisory Members