Bishop B. Michael Watson announces today that he is calling a special Annual Conference session at 10 a.m, Saturday, October 25, 2014 at the Classic Center in Athens, Georgia. The purpose of the session will be to receive a report from the Conference Board of Trustees regarding offers for the Simpsonwood property. Members who must attend are defined in 2012 Book of Discipline paragraph 602 (clergy) and 602.5 (lay). Members should expect to hear and act on a motion for a closed session of Annual Conference in order to hear and discuss the report of the Board of Trustees, followed by an open session of the Annual Conference to consider and to take action on the resolution presented by the Board of Trustees.
From 2012 Book of Discipline
¶ 602. Composition and Character - 1. The clergy membership of Annual Conference (¶ 370) shall consist of deacons and elders in full connection (¶ 333), provisional members (¶ 327), associate members, affiliated members (¶¶ 344.4, 586.4), and local pastors under full-time and part-time appointment to a pastoral charge (¶ 317). (See also ¶ 32)
¶ 602.5 The lay member or alternate, whoever was last seated in the Annual Conference, shall be seated in a special session of the Annual Conference when convened, provided that no local charge shall be deprived of its lay member due to death, serious illness or cessation of membership. Under such circumstances, another lay member may be elected by the charge conference. (See ¶ 32.)