Dear CGS Family -
NOTICE OF CONGREGATIONAL MEETING, SUNDAY OCTOBER 18:
The Session of CGS has called a very important (because of its practical impact) but very brief congregational meeting for Sunday, October 18; the meeting will commence immediately upon the benediction of the Worship Service. There will be one (only) item of business on the docket, and -- by edict of our church constitution -- no other items are allowed to be introduced during such called meetings. So the meeting will be quite brief (10 minutes or less, literally, will suffice).
Proposal:
The one item of business for your consideration will be an opportunity to amend our current CGS Bylaws in order to allow us to conduct future congregational meetings by the use of electronic media; at present, we are unable to legally do so. The text of the proposed amendment would be inserted into Section VII of our current Bylaws, which section deals with CGS' use of Robert's Rules of Order during congregational meetings. The proposed amendment reads as follows:
At such times as the Session may deem warranted, congregational meetings may be held by the use of electronic media (including - but not limited to - such techniques as video conferencing technology, electronic balloting, etc.) provided such meetings otherwise remain in accord with i) these Bylaws, and ii) the Book of Church Order of the PCA, and iii) the applicable provisions of Robert's Rules of Order.
Rationale for the Proposal:
It would appear (sadly) that the purpose of this in-person meeting on Sunday Oct 18 -- bear with me -- is to give ourselves permission not to meet in-person. Somewhere, Joseph Heller is smiling wryly. I'll try to explain:
When COVID first forced us to cease in-person worship, I contacted the national headquarters of the Office of the Stated Clerk of the PCA on behalf of CGS, requesting that -- since COVID was preventing us from meeting in person -- CGS be allowed to conduct congregational business via electronic media (e.g. Zoom). To which the Office essentially replied: "Yes, certainly... but only if your existing Bylaws already contain a provision for allowing Zoom meetings in times of untoward circumstances. However, if your existing Bylaws do not, you must convene an in-person meeting to order to so amend your Bylaws."
Catch-22, for sure: We literally have to meet together in order to give ourselves permission not to meet together...
Plea:
There are a number of actions that our congregation needs to be able to execute in the weeks/months ahead, and we need to provide a safe path by which all of our membership can participate in those impending discussions/decisions. So, I am asking you to intervene to preserve (what's left of) my sanity --
Those of you CGS members who have already demonstrated (by previous attendance) that you feel comfortable attending our worship services in-person: PLEASE make a commitment to attend worship on Sunday, October 18 ! We will be able to safely accommodate at least 175 persons, which should more than comfortably provide our necessary quorum of members...
I personally would be deeply grateful to be able to put this "legislative" irritant behind me on October the 18th -- but Beth even more so, as she is forced to live daily with my rantings...
Godspeed,
Glenn Jordan
