Delegates

• What is the attire for the meetings?

While there are no hard and fast rules of what you should wear to the session, business casual attire would be appropriate.

 

• Where should I park when I get there?

You will find plenty of parking in the Fresno Adventist Academy parking lot and around campus.

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• What is the registration process?

Check in will begin at the Fresno Adventist Academy Gymnasium starting at 8:00 a.m. You will receive your badge at that time, which will give you permission to enter the gym as a delegate and receive the Session materials, including a voting device. It is important to be on time, as there will be many others checking in as well, and business cannot commence until everyone is registered and quorum is met.

 

• Will delegates receive badges?

When you check in as a delegate in the courtyard, you will receive a name badge. It is required that you wear this badge throughout the Session. Only delegates wearing a badge will be granted access to the main floor, be able to vote, and be allowed to address issues. 

 

• Where are delegates seated during the Session?

Delegates will be seated on the main floor. It is important that, as a delegate, you always wear your name badge. Only then will you be granted access to the main floor.

 

• Are guests permitted to attend?

There will be limited room for guests; however, guests are welcome.

 

• What are the responsibilities of a delegate?

The Church Manual, on page 121, gives counsel of the duty of delegates: “Delegates to a conference session are not chosen to represent merely the church or conference. They should view the work as a whole, remembering their responsibility for the welfare of the worldwide work of the Church… Each delegate should be susceptible to the direction of the Holy Spirit and vote according to personal convictions.”

There is additional counsel given in the November 25, 1873, Review and Herald by Ellen G. White: “The importance of any meeting does not necessarily arise from the numbers of those present or the amount of discussion and speechmaking connected with it, but rather upon the weighty matters decided upon and the spirit of unison and love among those in attendance.”

We invite you to join us in praying for the session. Please pray with us for God’s Spirit to guide the planning and daily decisions that take place before our time together. We will also take time to pray together that day.

Keep checking for updates on this site, as we will continue to update the information regularly. It is designed to deliver all the information and materials related to that day: lists of delegates, new churches and companies to be accepted, the agenda for the Session and materials pertaining to it, reports from the Nominating Committee, departmental reports, financial summaries, suggested bylaws changes, and more. We encourage you to read through the content on this website in preparation for your participation.

You will be given an additional packet at registration with a few basic documents along with a voting device. The church will have limited internet access for your laptops and tablets, so you might find it helpful to print or download to your device materials that you want to reference during the meeting.

 

• What rules do we use for business engagement?

Presently, we use Robert’s Rules. Get to know Robert’s Rules of Order. They will guide our way of conducting business at the session. You will be given summary sheets to use during the meeting. We will also have a couple of parliamentarians to assist us during the session. You will receive additional instructions for the day from the parliamentarians at the beginning of the day. The purpose of the rules is to facilitate participation by the delegates in discussions, debates, and the decision-making process. Thus, the work of the session can proceed smoothly, expeditiously, and fairly.

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• What are the types of delegates?

Regular delegates are chosen by the local churches and companies of the Central California Conference. They are church members of the congregations they represent.

Delegates-At-Large are automatically delegates to the session based on employment or membership on various committees of the conference. These delegates include conference officers, conference departmental directors and associate directors, pastors hired by field budget (pastors who are locally hired are not delegates-at-large), school principals, and members of executive and bylaws committees. Delegates-at-large are also officers of the Pacific Union Conference, the North American Division, and the General Conference, as well as the Pacific Union Conference Vice Presidents. Not all employees, pastors, or educators are delegates-at-large. It depends on the credential that they hold. The Central California Conference Bylaws designate what credentials an employee must hold to be a delegate-at-large.