Question ...

Why was the Conference format of delegates and members chosen?

Response ...

This is a Conference of Branches.  Branches are the primary organization in church government and should take the lead in protecting the rights and privileges of their membership.  This Conference will give voice to the positions of those Restoration Branches which desire to participate by appointing delegates.  It is assumed that representative delegates thus appointed will speak for the respective branch.  In close questions, delegate votes from participating branches will direct.

However, following the precedent of the 1850s, participation with voice and vote has been extended to all members of the Church.  It would not be acceptable for those who are not members of participating Restoration Branches to out number and out vote those members from participating Branches.  To maintain this balance, the format has been heavily weighted to allow critical questions to be determined by the voice of the Branches.  Several other formats were proposed including an all delegate conference and a caucus conference.  But this proposed format was settled on as the most efficient and fairest representation of both branches and members-at-large.

A final safeguard to ensure that the voice of the Branch is heard has been provided in the proposed Rule of Order #12.  This rule identifies that nothing binds the participating Branch until that Branch in a business meeting agrees to be bound.  The rule also requires that the Branch notify the Conference officers of concerns or disagreements.  This will provide an opportunity for mistakes to be corrected in future conferences.

The Logistics Committee believes that these rules offer the greatest potential for common consent to be achieved by and within the Restoration Branches.  But these are proposed rules and may be amended by the Conference.

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