Referenda

In February 2009, UB members throughout our churches in the United States will vote on two proposed changes to the UB Constitution. If members vote in favor of the referenda, they must then be ratified by the National Conference to become official.

  1. Referenda 1 affects the qualifications for ministerial delegates to the US National Conference.

Referenda 2 removes outdated paragraphs regarding property.

The text of the referenda is given below. You can also:

 

Referenda 1

We used referenda in both 2001 and 2005 to change “Article I Personnel” of the Constitution to fit our changing structure. Knowing that structure and ministerial titles will no doubt change again in the future, it makes sense to put the criteria for ministerial delegates in the Discipline, where it can be changed without requiring a Constitutional referenda (the formula for lay representation is already contained in the Discipline).

11 Article I Personnel

Current Wording

1. All ecclesiastical power herein granted to make or repeal any rule of discipline is vested in a national conference, which shall consist of all conference licensed ministers in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA, and laypersons chosen by the congregations in which they are members, according to a formula provided in the Discipline.

Replace with the following (the only content change is in 1.a).
1. All ecclesiastical power herein granted to make or repeal any rule of discipline is vested in a national conference, which shall consist of:

a. Licensed ministers in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA, who meet the criteria set forth in the Discipline.

b. Laypersons chosen by the congregations in which they are members, according to a formula provided in the Discipline.

Referenda 2

Remove Paragraph 13.2, “Annual Conference Property,” and Paragraph 13.4, “Camp/Conference Center Property.” We no longer have annual conferences as part of our structure, nor do we have any camps or conference centers.

2. Annual Conference Property

The right, title, interest, and claim of any conference property, legacies, bequests, or donations of any kind, obtained by purchase or otherwise, by any person or persons, for the use and benefit of the said annual conference of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA, is hereby fully recognized and held to be the property of the annual conference.

4. Camp/Conference Center Property

The right, title, interest, and claim of all property, whether consisting in lots of ground, buildings and other improvements, legacies, bequests, or donations of any kind, obtained by purchase or otherwise, by any person or persons, for the use and benefit of the Camp/Conference Center, is hereby fully recognized and held to be the property of the aforesaid as long as they are self incorporated.