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Here are 10 guidelines for selecting delegates from your congregation
- Each congregation should appoint one delegate for each 100 of your congregational members (or fraction thereof). Congregations must belong to one of the 21 area conferences of Mennonite Church USA. The “fraction thereof” part simply means that a congregation with 201 members, for example, should appoint three delegates.
- Each congregation may choose to appoint one additional alternate delegate for every five delegates (or portion thereof). Alternate delegates will not be able to vote but will be able to participate in all other aspects of the delegate process. The “portion thereof” part means that every congregation with up to five delegates can appoint an alternate as well. If you have more than five delegates (and up to ten), you can appoint two alternate delegates. Alternate delegates should receive all of the same advance information and preparation as regular delegates, but they should be identified separately.
- Congregational membership will be based on the membership figures supplied for the Mennonite Church USA 2009 Directory.
- Pastors are not automatically delegates but may serve as delegates at the discretion of their congregations.
- Consider appointing a young adult (age 18-30) as a delegate if your congregation has more than one delegate. A mentoring system will be in place to help young adults fully participate in the delegate process.
- There will be no proxy or absentee voting. The primary goal for the Delegate Assembly is for members of congregations to talk to each other. When votes are needed, each delegate is entitled to cast only one vote.
- Each congregation may decide how it will appoint its own delegates. The only requirement is that delegates must be members of your congregation. Please consider appointing delegates for a four-year term (two Assemblies) so that some of your delegates have some experience in participating in the Delegate Assembly and in reporting back to your congregation.
- As soon as you are able – and no later than April 1, 2009 – enter your delegates on the Mennonite Directory Congregational Update Web page. This is the same process you used for updating your congregational information for the 2009 Directory. Go to: www.mennodata.org/mennonitedirectory/login.asp.
See item #20 on your congregational profile. Enter the email and mailing addresses as well as the names of your delegates. If you need assistance with your congregational number or password, contact your area conference office. Please enter this data by April 1 and submit updates until June 15. If you do not have Web access, simply send the information to Shelley Buller, PO Box 347, Newton KS 67114; email: ShelleyB@MennoniteUSA.org or ask your area conference office to enter the information for you.
- Dual conference congregations only appoint one set of delegates.
- Begin to pray now for Convention 2009. Pray, individually and corporately, for the work God wants to do among us as we gather in Columbus next summer.
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| Convention 2009 is a ministry of Mennonite Church USA Executive Leadership | |
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