06 Aug GS 2010 art 73

Posted at 14:35h in CanRC, GS 2010 by

GS 2010 Article 73 – Committee for the Official Website

1.         Material

Report from the Committee for the Official Website (8.2.i.i-ii).

2.         Observations

  • 2.1       Synod Smithers 2007 (Article 74, Recommendation 4) gave the committee the following mandate:
    • [4.1.1] To maintain existing website and associated technical functions.
    • [4.1.2] To revise the content of the website whenever necessary, in particular ensuring that the text of the Book of Praise is the same as that most recently adopted and revised by general synod.
    • [4.1.3] To include on the website:
      • [4.1.3.1]           Contact material about each local church, either via links or directly on the website, subject to concurrence of the local church.
      • [4.1.3.2]           Contact information for committees and churches appointed by general synod for specific mandates.
      • [4.1.3.3]           Publication of the official reports of the synodical committees in a standardized format (e.g., PDF) with security measures restricting access only to consistories. These restrictions should be lifted after synod has dealt with them.
    • [4.1.4] To provide web and email services to the churches, and be available upon request to serve the churches with advice with regard to the possibilities of setting up their own websites.
    • [4.1.5] To serve Synod 2010 with a report to be sent to the churches at least six months prior to the beginning of this synod, including a financial statement and a proposed budget, and any recommendations regarding new content to be added to the website. 
  • 2.2       The committee redesigned the website, updated information when appropriate, added links to other useful websites, posted press releases from broader assemblies, and posted the Acts of Synod Smithers 2007. The committee also posted the reports of the synodical committees of General Synod and restricted access to these reports as per the instructions from General Synod Smithers 2007.
  • 2.3       The committee invited local churches to present themselves on the internet via the federational website.
  • 2.4       The committee considered posting sermons but instead posted links to web pages of local churches in the federation where sermons can be found.
  • 2.5       The committee is willing to serve churches with web and e-mail services, and encourages feedback.
  • 2.6       Since the Theological College now has its own website, the librarian of the college no longer needs to be on this committee.
  • 2.7       The committee recommends that General Synod 2010 decide:
    • 2.7.1    To strongly encourage ministers, synodical committees, and local churches to use a @canrc.org email address, and local congregations to use congregation.canrc.org as their primary domain name.
    • 2.7.2    To reduce the committee membership to four members (three technical and one administrative).
    • 2.7.3    To appoint two new members to the committee in the place of the three who have completed their terms.
    • 2.7.4     To approve the annual budget of $750.00.
  • 2.8       The committee recommends that its mandate be:
    • [1.]          To maintain the existing website and associated technical functions.
    • [2.]          To revise the content of the website whenever necessary, in particular ensuring that the text of the Book of Praise is the same as that most recently adopted and revised by General Synod.
    • 102
    • [3.]          To provide web services and email services to the churches and serve the churches with advice with regard to the possibilities of setting up their own web sites.
    • [4.]          To serve Synod 2010 with a report to be sent to the churches at least six months prior to the beginning of Synod, including a financial statement and a proposed budget, and any recommendations regarding new content to be added to the website.
  • 2.9       With respect to the Acts of General Synods, currently only Acts of General Synod Winnipeg 1989 and later are available on the web.
  • 2.10     The website currently lists all the churches in the federation, but not the mission churches/preaching posts.

3.         Considerations

  • 3.1       The committee has fulfilled its mandate.
  • 3.2         Synod Burlington-Ebenezer 2010 decided that reports from synod committees be made available on the web before synod also for all members of the churches (Article 65).
  • 3.3       It would be beneficial to consider the feasibility of making the Acts of all general synods available on the website in searchable format.
  • 3.4         The mission churches / preaching posts should also be listed on the website.
  • 3.5       To leave it to the officers of synod to recommend two new members to the committee.

4.         Recommendation

That Synod decide:

  • 4.1       To thank the committee for its work.
  • 4.2       To approve the annual budget of $750.00.
  • 4.3       To mandate the committee to:
    • 4.3.1    Maintain the existing website and associated technical functions.
    • 4.3.2    Revise the content of the website whenever necessary, in particular ensuring that the text of the Book of Praise is the same as that most recently adopted and revised by General Synod.
    • 4.3.3    Make synod reports available on the web before synod also for all members of the churches.
    • 4.3.4     Provide web services and email services to the churches
    • and serve the churches with advice with regard to the possibilities of setting up their own web sites.
    • 4.3.5    Work toward making all the Acts of all the general synods available on the website in searchable format.
    • 4.3.6    List the mission churches / preaching posts on the website.
    • 4.3.7    Serve Synod 2013 with a report to be sent to the churches at least six months prior to the beginning of Synod, including a financial statement and a proposed budget, and any recommendations regarding new content to be added to the website.

ADOPTED

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