Untitled Document

MINUTES OF THE

TRIENNIAL DELEGATE ASSEMBLY

THE FELLOWSHIP

July 2, 1994

The Triennial Delegate Assembly (TDA) of The Fellowship was held on Saturday, June 2, 1994. The meeting was called to order at 9:00 A.M. in the Chapel at Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.A. pursuant to a call issued on May 2, 1994.

The President, Stephen Dreier, presided and the Secretary, Lucile Faw, recorded the minutes of the meeting.

After welcoming remarks and thanks to all in attendance, the Chairman introduced Berkeley Elliott, who treated all to an entertaining history of the TDA and the roots of the Oklahoma City experiences in early TDA's. A somewhat uninhibited delegation, the Oklahomans helped "loosen up" procedures for those who came later.

After a brief explanation of the process of the TDA for the benefit of Delegates, Alternates and visitors, Chairman Dreier called for the report of the Credentials Committee, which was presented by its chairman David Elders recommending the seating of the following Delegates and Alternates:

SOCIETY DELEGATES ALTERNATE DELEGATES

The First Society David Kulieke John Hales

First Society of Los Angeles Robert Burns Cheryl Smiley

Society of Glenview Josh Snider (none)

First Society of Oklahoma Tom Allen Harry McMullan

Orvonton Society of Chicago Scott Forsythe Joe Liszka

Fort Wayne Society Irene Sprunger Meredith Sprunger

Evergreen Society of Washington Alice Clark Janice Clark Heinberg

First Society of Houston Glenn Bell James Jarnagin

Golden Gate Circle for Students

of The Urantia Book Larry Geis Dolores Nice

Connecticut Fellowship for Readers

of The Urantia Book Gary Deinstadt Marty Greenhut

Dallas Society Ann Garner Kay Vail (absent)*

Rocky Mountain Spiritual

Fellowship Steve McIntosh Paula Thompson

Northern Light Society of Alaska (none) (none)

Pilot Light Society of Seattle Anthony Finstad Francyl Gawryn (absent)

Heart of America Society Virginia Brown Priscilla Coonce (absent)*

Society of Greater New York for

Readers of The Urantia Book Dale Sztejnberg Cheryl Reed

Ontario Fellowship for Readers

of The Urantia Book James Harris Cynthia Hopper (absent)

Grand Canyon Society For Readers

of The Urantia Book Bruce Wenger Richard Johnson

*The Credentials Chairman excluded all absent persons from seating.

Dave Elders reported receiving a request from the officers of the Dallas Society to seat a substitute Alternate, to wit: David Glass for their elected Alternate Kay Vail, who could not attend. Although he was not elected by the society, the Credentials Committee recommendation was that the assembly vote to seat the Alternate based on the request having come from the society officers. Heart of America Society Delegate Virginia Brown requested the seating of Ken Reveill in place of the absent Priscilla Coonce. There was discussion regarding constitutionality of the proposals and the reasons for the absences. In the case of Dallas, the officers took the responsibility to determine an Alternate when there was no time to call a formal meeting. This was not the case with Kansas City. In both instances, the Delegates were present, and the Alternates would not have to function in an official capacity. The Chairman called for a vote on each of the requests and both substitute Alternates were unanimously approved by the Delegates.

The Chairman declared the Delegates and Alternates, with the addition of David Glass and Ken Reveill, seated.

Stephen Dreier declared the Nominations Committee and the Resolutions Committee function as committees of the whole, and asked Harry McMullan to chair the committee meetings pending the Delegates election of a permanent chairman.

The meeting was recessed at 10:35 A.M., to conduct the business of the Nomination and Resolutions Committees in closed session.

* * * * * * *

Harry McMullan led a discussion of some procedures to agree to in the conduct of the committee meetings. The Delegates agreed that:

C Alternates could participate in the discussions of the meeting, but could not vote.

C Alternates and Delegates could be considered for position as chairs of the Nominations and Resolutions Committees.

C Election of Councilors would be the first order of business, then resolutions.

Harry McMullan was elected chairman of the Nominations Committee and the Resolution Committee.

Mr. McMullan reminded the committee of the need to maintain confidentiality on the sensitive matters to be discussed, especially as pertains to the election of Councilors. Following this the committee proceeded to discuss at length the twenty-two candidates whose names had been submitted and then voted by secret ballot until a majority determined the list of nominees to be presented in formal session.

* * * * * * *

The Triennial Delegate Assembly reconvened in formal session at 5:10 P.M.

Mr. Dreier called the meeting to order and requested the report of the Nominations Committee. The report was made indicating that it was the wish of the Delegates to elect, by resolution, the 15 candidates nominated in the closed session.

A motion was made and seconded to place the following names in nomination and to elect same for the following terms on the General Council:

9-Year Terms

Sara Blackstock

Lila Dogim

Ann Garner

John Hay

Richard Johnson

Marilynn Kulieke

Joseph Liszka

Dan Massey

Steve McIntosh

Mo Siegel

Paula Thompson

Steven Zendt

6-Year Term

David Kantor

3-Year Term

Robert Burns

Michael Challis

Carried (17,0,0).

Note: All vote counts are shown in parentheses as (yes, no, abstentions).

The Secretary was requested to send a letter to each of the non-elected candidates thanking them for their offer of service.

The Chair, Stephen Dreier, then recessed the meeting to informal session to allow the Resolutions Committee to meet to discuss the resolutions which had been submitted to the TDA.

* * * * * * *

A motion was made and seconded that old resolution(s) from the 1991 TDA be acted upon before 1994 resolutions were discussed.

Discussion. Each Triennial Delegate Assembly is independent of any previously held assembly. Therefore the business before this assembly should come first, and if there is time, other business can be taken up.

Motion defeated (6,10,0).

Then the assembly recessed for dinner to return at 5:45 P.M.

The Chair, Harry McMullan called the meeting back to order at 6:42 P.M.

The Chair asked for a vote on the question of whether to open the meeting to observers. The vote of those present was 6 for, 6 against. The Chair declared the meeting open.

What follows is the record of resolutions, votes, and relevant discussion.

The Delegates agreed:

C To allow Alternate Delegates to amend and make resolutions, although only Delegates would be allowed to vote.

C To number each resolution and, where appropriate, to deal with some as a group.

C All vote counts on resolutions recorded in the committee session be considered as the vote counts in formal session.

The resolutions were grouped as follows:

Those regarding the Foundation: numbers 9, 12 and 13.

Those on Area Coordinators: numbers 5, 8, 10.

Discussion then followed on time limits and procedures. The Assembly set 11:00 P.M. for adjournment. A time limit of 20 minutes on single resolutions and 30 minutes on groups of resolutions was fixed.

Resolution # 1

BE IT RESOLVED that the resolution before the General Council and Executive Committee to amend The Fellowship's Constitution to allow each Society to elect one General Councilor be expeditiously passed, executed, and supported; provided, however, that in order to elect a General Councilor a Society must have at least 10 active members.

A request for reading of the original General Council motion was granted and read from the minutes of the Council meeting of February 4-6, 1994: "...that the General Council direct the Executive Committee to initiate procedures to amend constitution to allow each society to elect one General Councilor for a 3 year term..."

Discussion: One objection expressed was that the original request from the last TDA was not a mandate to have direct society representation; another stated that the motion that finally got voted on in the General Council in February was changed enough from the original item and Councilors did not get a chance to consult with their societies. One society re-considered direct representation and decided against it. Some Delegates wanted to discuss any such proposal with their own society. We do not have to consider that not adopting this amendment to the Constitution is a waste of all the time spent, we do not have to rush in to take some action; this proposal has come this far and we could pass it to send a message to the General Council that we take this seriously and want it re-considered. One expressed concern that by removing power from the central organization and placing it with the societies the society would become more focused on political conderns rather than the spiritual and fellowship matters.

Motion defeated (8, 9, 0).

Resolution #2

RESOLVED that biographical data for council candidates include age, marital status, children and ages, and to exclude or clarify the clause "subject to financial ability."

The Chair ruled the resolution be withdrawn for lack of a motion.

Resolution #3

BE IT RESOLVED that in order to enable newly elected General Councilors to attend their first General Council meeting, the Triennial Delegate Assembly be held one month prior to the corresponding General Council meeting.

Discussion: The expense of two trips would be prohibitive for some. It was suggest that: seated Councilors serve through the meeting after the TDA; or that they begin serving at the mid-year meeting; or ammend the Constitution to allow seated General Councilors to serve and meet before the TDA, and those elected would begin their term at the next General Council meeting. It was pointed out that the General Council elects its officers after the new General Councilors are elected.

The Chair suggested and it was agreed that this resolution be tabled and brought back after a new written form is submitted for review.

Resolution #3 (As it was brought back to the floor later in the meeting.)

BE IT RESOLVED that a constitutional change be made to have the TDA held and election of General Councilors six months prior to the new Councilors' taking their seats on the General Council, and that this TDA will be immediately following the mid-winter General Council meeting.

Discussion: Being elected at a TDA with only a few days to get to the General Council meeting would make it impossible to get discount air fares. The General Council needs to put forth some effort to achieve the desired result of all new Councilors being able to attend without financial hardship.

Motion defeated (5, 9,3).

Resolution #4

BE IT RESOLVED that The Fellowship for Readers of The Urantia Book establish a fund expressly for the purpose of assisting General Councilors with the costs of attending General Council meetings when they do not have the means to do so themselves.

Discussion: Proposers would like to formalize this fund rather than have a few privately go to the officers or staff and request funds. We can't just throw it open as a program, we would have to set up criteria, or requests would drain the treasury. Societies should fund their General Councilors because of the benefits to them. Some already do this.

The proposer withdrew the resolution.

Resolution #5 (See resolution #10 which is related.)

WHEREAS The Fellowship avows support of the group process; and

WHEREAS the society is the formal level of the organization, without which The Fellowship could not exist; and

WHEREAS the central organization of The Fellowship has often endorsed the importance of local activities, of the need for support of those in the field doing the crucial work of extending the teachings of The Urantia Book; and

WHEREAS that central organization has described its role as becoming increasingly one of backup, coordination, and support and less one of direct control as groups emerge and become societies in an area; and

WHEREAS the representatives at the Society Conclave of June, 1989, unanimously voted that an Area Coordinator in a society area should report to that society and work as a member of the society not with the society; and

WHEREAS a society is a formally chartered, organized, group-functioning unit of The Fellowship, while Area Coordinators are individuals without a constitutional mandate;

BE IT RESOLVED: That there no longer be Area Coordinators in areas where there are societies; and that instead societies be encouraged to actively develop within their areas outreach and extension methods which include designating committees or individuals functioning as an area coordinator would but as a part of the activities of that society, and that The Fellowship give its support to that area through that group function called a society, not through its own free agent.

Discussion (This also applies to resolutions #5 and #10 in their original forms). The Fellowship should relate to societies directly and not through Area Coordinators; many societies elect their Area Coordinator; Domestic Extension has trouble getting reports from individuals and relating to a committee would be that much more difficult; their society opposed this last TDA and it got only one vote--haven't changed their position. Area Coordinator Chair now contacts society President and tries to work with them. The Area Coordinator program is a coordinated effort with their society rather than an impingement on their society autonomy. An Area Coordinator in some areas of societies leads to passivity on the part of the society which should be out developing their area outreach; opposed to this resolution because the Area Coordinator is not really the cause of passivity. Opposed because the Area Coordinator program is a star amnog the Fellowship's programs. What's not working now? How does it interfere with the society? The Fellowship is not opposed to society outreach. One Area Coordinator was under the impression that his duties were nurturing of study groups and keeping communication among readers who are isolated. Many are also members of societies. One reason societies were unhappy was that they didn't know they could elect their own Area Coordinator, but there are only two societies in California and great distances between which the societies could not handle. When the Area Coordinator program was started, society boundaries were predicated upon zip codes. Reporting to a central organization is not an accurate description--they are just reporting to Area Coordinator Chairman on activity; so that these activity figures get a picture of activity throughout the movement for the benefit of all. Suggest that we go back to societies with this idea.

Motion defeated (4,13, 0).

Resolutions #5 and #10 (As combined and re-submitted later in the meeting.)

BE IT RESOLVED that The Fellowship give its support to areas through that group function called a society and that societies be encouraged to actively develop within their areas outreach and extension methods which include designated annually elected individuals functioning as an Area Coordinator who would function as a part of the activities of that society; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Domestic Extension Committee inform the societies that the Area Coordinators representing an area supported by an existing society can be elected by that society, as the terms of the current Area Coordinators expire.

Discussion: We need communication with the societies by the Domestic Extension Committee, but not any amendment. Attempts have been made to contact societies which refuse to respond.

Motion carried (10,6,1).

Resolution #6A

WHEREAS We believe that The Fellowship organization has reached a level of maturity which will enable it to begin to operate in a more focused, disciplined, and results-oriented manner, and

WHEREAS consistent with this notion, goal setting and planning should become an inherent part of The Fellowship management process;

BE IT RESOLVED that The Fellowship President and each Fellowship Committee Chairperson, shall be required to develop a "statement of objectives", outlining their specific goal(s) and plan(s) for the area of their purview, and deliver same to the Executive Committee within three months of their appointment. Furthermore, each shall be required to update this "statement of objectives" at least annually thereafter. The Executive Committee, acting as the Repository for all such plans, will publish them, on an annual basis, for the benefit of the Fellowship membership.

Discussion. Objection--a lot of time wasted, when reports are already required at the end of the year, creates a heavy bureaucracy; in favor-- because officers and committee chairs would have to establish outlines at the beginning of their term for focus of actions. The Constitution has guidelines for each office, we don't need to spend a lot of time on this that could be spent on committee work. The Strategic Plan and all the time spent on it was given as an example. It's a problem of communication between the organization of The Fellowship and organizations of societies.

Motion defeated (3,13,1).

Resolution #6B

The Fellowship will establish a function which will facilitate the process of dissemination. This will include such activities as: the idea repository, technique assessments, referrals, reference guides, etc.

Discussion. All these activities are on going.

Withdrawn.

Resolution # 7

WHEREAS it is our purpose to support the General Council of The Fellowship in its decision-making process, therefore

BE IT RESOLVED that the meetings of the Executive Committee be open to General Council members as observers.

Discussion: One is for it if the Executive Committee could go into Executive session when they desire. One delegate stated that this is the first motion he could support. It's a good idea, in practice, but may be difficult to achieve; it would be difficult for Councilors to remain silent and participation would be impossible. It might help to reinstate the Executive Committee Newsletter to report acts of the Executive Committee. Meetings of the Executive Committee need to be small in order to function. The governing body of the society or organization must make important decisions among informed people. Probably this is only practical at the two meetings simultaneous with the General Council meetings. The question is: is a committee small enough to be effective in function? The Executive Committee could be considered too large, and the General Council could be seen as not large enough.

Motion carried (13,2,2).

Resolution #8

WHEREAS the Area Coordinator work is generally done by couples (but only one person receives credit and

WHEREAS Jesus sent out his own representatives two by two:

BE IT RESOLVED that two persons be appointed or elected for the Area Coordinator position.

Failed for lack of a second.

Resolution # 9

While acknowledging the existence of substantive differences between Urantia Foundation and The Fellowship, continuing efforts be made to increase opportunities for dialogue between The Fellowship and its supporters and Urantia Foundation and its supporters on matters where cooperation can occur, so that a basis for improved relations among all readers of The Urantia Book may better be established.

Withdrawn in order to be rewritten with Resolutions #12 and #13.

Resolution #10 (See Resolution #5 for discussion of this resolution.)

WHEREAS it is desirable for societies to be supported in their work, and

WHEREAS it is desirable for societies and Area Coordinators to work together; therefore

BE IT RESOLVED that all Area Coordinators representing an area supported by an existing society should be elected by that society annually.

Withdrawn by presenter to be re-written with resolution #5.

Resolution #11

Action be taken to establish a budget for The Fellowship meeting time; and money to assure that at least 50% of these valuable resources are clearly and directly applies to fulfill the purpose of The Fellowship as defined in Article II of the Constitution. Care should be taken to make sure that no more than 50% of resources are spent on administrative concerns.

Removed from the floor by proposer to be re-written.

Resolution #11 (As it was brought back to the floor later in the meeting.)

Action be taken to assure that at least 50% of the time spent at Fellowship meetings be clearly and directly applied to pursue the purpose of The Fellowship as defined in Article II of the Constitution. Take any steps necessary to make sure that no more the 50% of meeting time be spent on administrative concerns.

Failed for lack of a second.

Resolution # 12 (Reflects the rewriting of resolution #s 9 and 13.)

WHEREAS many Urantia Book students desire harmonious relationships between the organizations devoted to the spread of the Fifth Epochal Revelation,

BE IT RESOLVED that The Fellowship extend and reaffirm an invitation to Foundation Trustees and affiliates to attend Fellowship functions, and request that Foundation and Fellowship sponsored events be scheduled non-concurrently whenever possible, and that each leader--at Fellowship or Society level--recognize his or her responsibility to the revelators and planetary overseers, to foster and promote unity and cooperation among all sincere believers in the teaching of The Urantia Book.

Motion carried (14,2,1).

Resolution #13

WHEREAS an unfortunate schism exists between The Fellowship and Urantia Foundation in this, our fourth decade since publication of The Urantia Book, consisting of mistrust between the partisans of both organizations, and

WHEREAS both new and long time readers are confused and mystified by this continuing division among adherents of a book purporting to be an epochal revelation; and potential critics of the book and movement will more quickly dismiss us as behaving in a manner typical of cults and fringe religions; and for many other reasons,

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that each leader--at Fellowship or Society level--recognize his or her responsibility to the revelators and planetary overseers, to foster and promote unity and cooperation almong all sincere believers in the teaching of The Urantia Book, by pledging special attention to the following:

C Seeking avenues of social and spiritual interaction between individuals and groups of the Fellowship and Foundation.

C Reducing the level of negative rhetoric about Foundation personnel and policies.

C Recognizing the Foundation's concerns about (a) preserving the integrity of the text of The Urantia Book, (b) protecting the word Urantia and concentric circles from inappropriate use, (c) financial support.

C Seeking to establish contact with Foundation leaders to address reader concerns about prices and distribution of books, translations and secondary publications.

Withdrawn because part of it is included in resolution #12.

Resolution #14

WHEREAS the scope of The Fellowship is truly world-wide, and must embrace all nations and cultures equally, and;

WHEREAS just the very perception of The Fellowship as an "American" institution could greatly hinder its growth in countries outside the United States of America,

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the General Council of the Fellowship merge, restructure, and/or rename the Domestic Extension and International Fellowship Committees to accurately reflect the Fellowship's global purpose and commitment.

Withdrawn. Topic is being discussed under the Council business of organizational restructering.

Resolution #15

BE IT RESOLVED that the General Council appoint an ad hoc committee to study and report on possible actions for The Fellowship to take if the copyright of The Urantia Book enters the Public Domain.

Discussion: This would undo any good will achieved by Resolution #12.

Motion defeated (2,14,1).

* * * * * * *

The assembly reconvened in formal session. Stephen Dreier, Chair, asked for the report of the Resolutions Committee. The resolutions were read along with the vote tallies.

A motion was made and seconded to ratify all votes taken on the resolutions presented in committee session.

Motion carried (17,0,0).

A motion was made and seconded that the minutes of the 1994 Triennial Delegate Assembly be distributed to all Delegates within 30 days, for their approval.

Motion carried unanimously.

A motion was made and seconded that Delegates accept the written reports of the officers and committee chairs as satisfying the constitutional requirement. Approved unanimously.

The Chair adjourned the meeting at 10:07 P.M.

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED ____________________________________.

Lucile Faw, Secretary

APPROVED: ________________________________________

Stephen Dreier, President