Emergency Assembly
An Emergency Assembly has been held electronically and agreed that in exceptional circumstances where it is impractical to hold a General Assembly which participants can attend in person, the Council of Assembly can determine that a General Assembly be held by electronic means. To give regulatory effect to this decision, the Emergency Assembly agreed that Book of Order section 14.29 is to be amended by the addition of a new clause providing for holding a General Assembly by electronic means. Book of Order section 14 is subject to the special legislative procedure, which means that the amendment to 14.29 cannot be finally adopted until presbyteries (including Te Aka Puaho) and church councils have considered and voted on it, and the next General Assembly has considered the proposal for a second time. Voting papers have been sent to presbyteries and parish councils and must be returned by 30 July 2021.
Summons to an Emergency Assembly
On 13 April 2021, as instructed by the Council of Assembly, the Rev Wayne Matheson Assembly Executive Secretary and Clerk of the Assembly, contacted all presbyteries regarding an Emergency Assembly:
The Council of Assembly has instructed the Clerk of the Assembly to summons an Emergency Assembly. [Refer Book of Order 14.31 (1)]
The Emergency Assembly will be held on Wednesday 12 May 2021 commencing at 10am, by electronic means, using Zoom. [Refer Book of Order 14.31 (9)]
The sole purpose of the Emergency Assembly is to discuss amendments to the Book of Order to enable both the General Assembly and Special Assemblies to be conducted electronically in exceptional circumstances.
The primary recommendation before the Emergency Assembly will be:
“That General Assembly agree that in exceptional circumstances where it is impractical to hold a General Assembly which participants can attend in person, the Council of Assembly may determine that a General Assembly be held by electronic means.”
Download the complete memo "Summons to an Emergency Assembly and Assembly commissioners" for full information.