2025 Journal-Yearbook

Illinois Great Rivers Conference 2025 Journal-Yearbook

conference members present and voting. 3. If determined necessary by the Standing Rules Committee, new or amended policies of conference boards, commissions, committees, councils, ministry teams, offices, and other groups shall be approved by a simple majority of those present and voting. 4. Changes to the Standing Rules adopted by the Annual Conference become ef- fective January 1st of the year following adoption, unless otherwise specified. 5. New or amended Conference Policies adopted by the Annual Conference become effective July 1 of the year of the adoption. 6. Any proposal presented at the annual conference session to change the Standing Rules or Conference Policies shall lay on the table at least overnight for consideration by the Committee, and then its passage shall require a 2/3 vote of those present and voting. 7. All IGRC standing rules will be reviewed quadrennially immediately fol- lowing the publication of each new Book of Discipline . All references to the Book of Discipline will be updated to reflect the current Book of Discipline . All other standing rules will be reviewed by the Committee on Standing Rules for relevance. Changes in Standing Rules that require a vote of the annual conference will be presented as part of annual conference legislation. D. Suspension of Standing Rules 1. For good cause, the Standing Rules may be suspended during an Annual Con- ference session by an affirmative 2/3 vote of the members present and voting. 2. Proponents of a motion to suspend the rules shall identify (a) the good cause warranting the suspension and (b) the absence of any reasonable alternative to accomplish the proponents’ purposes within the framework of the standing rules. III. ANNUAL CONFERENCE SESSION A. Purpose: The members of the Annual Conference shall convene in session, as called by the bishop or bishops duly assigned to the Annual Conference (hereafter, "bishop"), to decide the matters brought before them ( ¶s 601, 603.2, 604, and 605.2, 2020/2024 Book of Discipline ). B. Agenda: The bishop, in consultation with the Committee on Annual Conference Sessions and/or other persons/groups so delegated, shall develop the agenda for the session of the Annual Conference. (¶ 605.2, 2020/2024 Book of Discipline ) C. Members of the Annual Conference 1. In consultation with the bishop, the Committee on Annual Conference Sessions shall determine a method of meeting for the Annual Conference session, including whether that meeting shall be fully in person, fully online, or in a hybrid combined configuration with some members present in person and some members present through video or audio participation online. When conducted online or in hybrid with some online, the bar of the Annual Conference shall include all members participating through approved electronic communication systems. 2. All clergy persons, as defined in ¶ 602, 2020/2024 Book of Discipline , are members of the Annual Conference. These include elders and deacons in full connection, provisional members, associate members, affiliate members, and licensed local pastors under appointment. 3. Lay members of the annual conference shall include: (¶ 32, 2020/2024 Book of Discipline )

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