60th Regular Constituency Meeting

What is the Constituency Meeting?

Historically referred to as “the Session”, the meeting occurs when delegates from each local church, together with special delegates (including guests from the Australian Union Conference and the South Pacific Division), review the progress of the church and its mission in the North NSW Conference. Its operation is governed by the North NSW Conference Unincorporated Constitution.

How often?

Article 8 Section 1 of the Constitution provides that regular constituency meetings of the Conference shall be held quadrennially at such time and place as the Executive Committee shall determine.

Who chooses the delegates?

Each local church has an allocation based on membership: two delegates, plus an additional delegate for every forty members (or a major fraction thereof). The local church business meeting selects the delegates from those on the membership roll in good and regular standing. The church pastor is not an ex officio delegate.

What happens?

• Election of Conference Officers, Departmental Directors and Associates, and members of the Executive Committee, the Appointments Committee and the Constitution Committee.
• Presentation of reports on the operation of the North NSW Conference for the 2023–2026 period.
• Discussion of any matter recommended by the Executive Committee.
• Discussion of matters received from local churches and approved for discussion by the Executive Committee.
• Any required amendments to the North NSW Conference Unincorporated Constitution.

Will there be a virtual option?

No. The 2027 NNSW Constituency Meeting will be held as an in-person event. Delegates must register in person. Proxy voting is not permitted. The meeting cannot proceed until at least 60% of delegates have registered their attendance.

The path to electing officers

The Selection Committee meets on 18 April 2027, before the Constituency Meeting, to appoint a Nominating Committee and suggest names for the Constitution Committee. Representation is based on church membership: each local church elects one representative, and churches with 500 or more members choose one additional representative for each 500 members (or major fraction thereof).

Each church nominates its Selection Committee representative(s) from among the delegates it has already elected, and advises the Conference General Secretary. At the Constituency Meeting, the Nominating Committee puts forward recommendations for President, General Secretary and Chief Financial Officer, Departmental Directors and Associates, the Executive Committee, and a Standing Appointments Committee.

Does it matter?

The Constituency Meeting is the primary forum for the local church to influence the governance of the Conference. It can appoint or reject conference leaders, amend the constitution, and ask the hard questions. We hope you are able to contribute by attending.

Pr. Abel Iorgulescu, General Secretary