GS 2013
Appendix 22 – Guidelines for General Synod (Updated)
GUIDELINES FOR GENERAL SYNOD
I Convening and Constitution of Synod[1]
A. The convening Church shall set the date on which Synod shall meet (cf. Art. 49, CO). The convening church shall publish the date along with the rule:
All material for Synod should be received by the convening Church (in digital format, and five paper copies)[2] no later than six weeks prior to the convocation date of General Synod. Material received after this date shall ordinarily not be added to the agenda unless Synod is satisfied that the reasons given for later arrival are reasonable.[3]
B. Correspondence from the convening church, including the notice of convocation, agendas, reports, and proposals may be sent to the churches and/ or delegates as digital files. However, in order to maintain the confidentiality of potentially sensitive material, personal appeals as well as other documents which contain personal information (e.g., letters of appointment) must be sent from the convening church as password-protected digital files.[4]
C. The convening Church shall send the first Provisional Agenda to all the Churches at least six months prior to convocation.
D. All material submitted to the convening Church together with a copy of the current Guidelines for General Synod shall be sent to all delegates and the first alternates.[5] All material submitted to Synod, including Reports, Appeals, and Overtures which quote any foreign language source must provide in the text of the submission a full English translation and in a footnote the citation in the original language.[6]
E. All material for Synod should be received by the convening Church (in digital format, and five paper copies)[7] no later than six weeks prior to the convocation date of General Synod. Material received after this date shall ordinarily not be added to the agenda unless Synod is satisfied that the reasons given for later arrival are reasonable.[8]
F. Since matters on the agenda of general synod involve the churches in common, regional synods shall distribute copies of adopted overtures to all the churches in the federation no later than five months prior to the convening of a general synod.[9]
G. The minister of the convening Church or its counselor shall act as chairman until Synod has been constituted.
1. He shall call the meeting to order in an ecclesiastical manner (cf. Art. 34, CO);
2. He shall have the credentials examined as to whether General Synod can be constituted.
H. Officers of Synod shall be chosen by ballot in this order: chairman, vice- chairman, first clerk, and second clerk. Election to office is to be by majority of valid votes cast.[10]
I. Although advice can be requested in particular matters, advisory members shall not be appointed.
J. The convening church shall arrange to have people present during Synod to assist the clerks in preparing the Acts and to do other paper work.[11]
II Duties of the Officers
A. The Chairman
1. He shall have, and duly exercise, the prerogative of declaring a motion or a person out of order. If his ruling is challenged, it shall be submitted to Synod for decision by majority vote.
2. If the chairman feels the need to speak on a pending question, he shall relinquish the chair to the vice-chairman for that period of time. While holding the chair, he may speak to state matters of fact or to inform Synod regarding points of order.
3. He shall place before Synod every motion that is made and seconded, in accord with the accepted order; and he shall clearly state every question before a vote is taken, so that every member may know on what he is voting.
4. He shall welcome fraternal delegates or other guests and respond to greetings received or appoint other members for this purpose.
5. He shall call the meeting to order at the appointed time, call the roll and shall see to it that each session is properly opened and closed.
6. The chairman shall see to it that business is transacted in the proper order and is expedited as much as possible, and that members observe the rules of order and decorum (cf. Art. 34 and 35, CO).
7. The chairman shall retain his right to vote on any question.
8. In case of a point of order, the chairman must make a ruling at This ruling may be reversed by a majority of Synod, if any member is dissatisfied with the ruling of the chair and appeals to the floor.
9. The chairman shall close the Synod with appropriate remarks and prayer (Art. 34, CO).
B. The Vice-Chairman
1. The vice-chairman shall, in the absence of the chairman, assume all his duties and privileges.
2. The vice-chairman shall render all possible assistance to the chairman as circumstances require.
3. He shall prepare the Press Release.
C. The First Clerk
1. Every morning, after the roll call, he shall read the Acts of the previous day.
2. He shall keep a proper record of the business of Synod. This record should ordinarily contain:
a. The opening and closing of sessions and roll call.
b. All motions whether carried or defeated.
c. All final reports of committees and all decisions of Synod.
d. Any document or part of debate or address that Synod by a majority vote has decided to insert in the
3. He shall not include in the Acts any motion that was withdrawn.
D. The Second Clerk
1. The second clerk shall serve in the absence of the first clerk.
2. He shall render assistance to the first clerk as circumstances require.
3. He shall handle outgoing mail on behalf of Synod.
III Synodical Committees
A. Advisory Committees of Synod
1. The officers of Synod shall propose advisory committees, with a convener, to serve for the duration of Synod.
2. The officers of Synod shall propose an arrangement of matters on the agenda to the appropriate committees.
3. All reports shall be distributed in ample time before they are presented for discussion.
4. The committee reporter shall present the reports.
5. If there is a minority report as well as a majority report, both reports shall be given into discussion, but the majority report shall be voted upon first.
6. During the discussion, the task of defending the report shall rest primarily with the reporter of the committee. Other committee members shall receive the privilege of the floor to elaborate on or clarify any point.
7. In order to facilitate the discussion on a pending issue, the chair shall ordinarily call for the discussion in two parts (rounds). In the first part opportunity is given to members to express remarks related to the issue in question. In the second or following parts, members may react to the discussion or the issue in question.
8. The discussion may be extended by discretion of the chairman or by a decision of Synod.
9. If anyone has been requested to advise Synod on any matter, he shall address synod on this point only when asked to do so by the chair.
2. Synodical Committees
1. All committees appointed by Synod shall see to it that they send a copy of their report in digital format to each of the local churches.[12]
IV Rules of Order
A. Closed Sessions of Synod
1. A closed session shall ordinarily mean a session where members of Synod and office-bearers may be present. This shall be used in delicate or unusual situations.
2. A closed-restricted session shall, as a rule, mean a session where members of Synod only may be present. This shall only take place when Synod judges that such a course is dictated by due regard for personal honour or the welfare of the Churches in extremely delicate situations.
B. Main Motions
A main motion is one which presents a certain subject for consideration or action.
1. A main motion is acceptable under the following conditions:
a. The mover has been recognized by the chair.
b. The motion has been seconded.
c. The motion is also presented in writing.
2. A main motion is not acceptable if another main motion is before Synod or if it conflicts with any decision already made by Synod.
3. A notice of motion may be given during the discussion.
C. A Motion to Amend
This is a proposal to alter a main motion in language or in meaning before final action is taken on the motion.
1. A motion to amend may propose any of the following: to strike out, to insert, or to substitute certain words, phrases, sentences or paragraphs.
2. A motion to amend is not a proper amendment if it nullifies the main motion or is not germane to it.
3. A motion to amend an amendment is permissible and is called a secondary motion.
D. Call for a Division of the Question
At the request of one or more members of Synod, a motion consisting of more than one part must be divided and voted upon separately, unless Synod decides that this is not necessary.
E. Objection to Consideration of a Question
If any member is not satisfied with the ruling of the chair, the matter is referred to Synod for a decision.
F. Right of Protest
It is the right of any member to protest against any decision of Synod.
Protest should be registered immediately, or during the session in which the matter concerned was acted upon. Protests must be registered individually and not in groups. Members may, if they feel the need, ask to have their negative vote recorded. Such requests must be made immediately after the vote is taken.
G. Motion to Bring Matters Once Decided Again Before Synod
Any member of Synod, for weighty reasons, may move to have a matter reconsidered, which was previously decided. The purpose of this motion is to propose a new discussion and a new vote.
H. Discussion
1. To obtain the floor, a speaker must be recognized by the chair.
2. If any member has spoken twice on a pending issue, others who have not yet spoken twice shall, as a rule, be given priority by the chair.
3. When the chairman believes that a motion under consideration has been debated sufficiently, he may propose cessation of debate. If a majority of Synod sustains his proposal, discussion shall cease and the vote shall be taken.
4. Any member of Synod, when he deems a matter to have been debated sufficiently, may move to close the discussion. Should a majority be in favour, the vote shall be taken, but only after those who have already requested the floor have been recognized.
I. Voting
1. It is in the freedom of the chair to determine how the vote is to be taken: by calling the roll (in any order) or by show of hands.[13]
2. Voting about persons shall be by ballot.
3. Voting about delicate matters and other matters of a critical nature shall also be by ballot.
J. Revision
These Synodical Guidelines may be suspended, amended, revised or abrogated by a majority vote of Synod.
[1] Synod Cloverdale 1983, Article 45.
[2] Synod Carman 2013, Article 173.
[3] Synod Abbotsford 1995, Article 111; Synod Chatham 2004, Article 118.
[4] Synod Carman 2013, Article 173.
[5] Synod Burlington 1986, Article 76; Synod Abbotsford 1995, Article 111.
[6] Synod Winnipeg 1989, Article 131.
[7] Synod Carman 2013, Article 173.
[8] Synod Burlington 1986, Article 162; Synod Abbotsford 1995, Article 110.
[9] Synod Winnipeg 1989, Article 131.
[10] Synod Smithers 2007, Article 147.
[11] Synod Burlington-Ebenezer 2010, Article 174.
[12] Synod Abbotsford 1995, Article 110; Synod Carman 2013, Article 173.
[13] Synod Burlington-Ebenezer 2010, Article 174.