The opening skirmish of orthodoxy vs. homosexualist took place tonight over the Rules of Procedure. Orthodox activists sought to "raise the bar" for all votes regarding sexuality matters to a 2/3 majority; while the homosexualists sought to keep the bar at Robert's Rules 50% plus one vote.
The following is a partial report on the proceedings from ELCA Communications officer Mim Woolbert through a Luthelink talk group "2005 CWA IN ORLANDO":
Adopting the rules and procedures:
Votes on rules of organization and procedure require two-thirds vote for
passage.
Votes to amend a rule require a majority for passage.
If a proposed rule is not adopted, the ELCA governing document indicate
that subject will be governed by Roberts Rules of Order.
Secretary Almen read the motion to adopt the rules, etc.
The chair invited anyone who wished to remove from en bloc any specific
rules they would like to have discussed, added or amended. A number of
people at microphones.
Task force recommendations
Hearings
Addendum to the rules of procedure - one particular paragraph
Amendment to change rule on process of adopting rules
Amendment to the rules in Section 10
Vote on the en bloc section of rules, excluding the above listed items
(needed 2/3 to adopt) passed 905 to 57.
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Question about how one abstains and have it recorded; there is no way to
register an abstention on the voting machine. (Tell the secretary's
deputy was the answer.)
Questions about referral to Reference and Counsel led Bishop Hanson to say
he intended to appoint an ad hoc committee to deal with any amendments or
proposals related to the three recommendations on the human sexuality
issues. He will announce members later.
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Proposed amendment to the rules
Require 2/3 vote to amend rules or to bring a substitute motion to
make
it consistent with adoption and avoid end runs. Opposition because the
present arrangement is according to Roberts Rules which has served well
for
a lolng time. One person proposed having a simple majority for both the
main motion and proposed amendments. Amendmet defeated 510-461.
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Section 10 - paragraph by paragraph
P.12, pp. 2 - deleting the language referring to predecessor body human
sexuality statements. Former LCA Bishop Crumley spoke against amendment
because he felt documents passed along by the predecessor bodies ought to
be kept until such time as the ELCA does a new thing to replace them.
Others spoke about retaining historical documents without giving them
status as ruling documents. Amendment failed 363-618
Amend all the paragraphs to insert "or amendment or substitute motion" to
require 2/3 to pass related to task force reports. Same arguments as
above
although this amendment would apply only to the amendments to resolutions
related to the task force. Amendment adopted - 505-478
Now paragraph 2 is amended, now voting on the paragraph as amended:
566-411, the rule fails. That paragraph has not been adopted.
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Much confusion regarding loss of that paragraph. If the other suggested
rules for the human sexuality discussion also fail, Roberts Rules would
prevail.
Miriam L. Woolbert
ELCA Department for Communication
from the 2005 Churchwide Assembly in Orlando