Overture
Postmark Deadlines
Tips
on Writing Overtures and
Seeing them Through the GA
Overtures
are an effective way for the lower governing bodies to communicate
with the whole church in matters that concern us all. The process
may seem cumbersome, but the outcome can be significant positive change.
Renewal partners are available to help with resources to support the
overtures, and to help to negotiate the process.
An overture
is a statement that asks the General Assembly (G.A.) to take some
action. Most overtures begin as the work of an individual or a group
of people. These individuals draft the overture and ask their sessions
to approve the overture and send it on to their presbytery for its
approval. If the presbytery approves the overture through a vote of
its commissioners, it is sent on to the G.A. Ordinarily, overtures
(and commissioner resolutions) comprise less than 10% of the business
at any G.A. The bulk of business is brought by means of reports from
church committees and entities.
These
overture drafts are a joint renewal effort to address primary areas
of need for correction and reform
You are
invited to look through these drafts to see if your own concerns are
expressed here. If you find a topic or topics of interest and need
assistance with supporting data or effective arguments, there are
renewal resources available to help. Call the Coalition Office for
assistance in contact information (703-680-4571).
The Office
of the General Assembly uses a format that begins with a statement
of resolve (what you are asking the G.A. to do) followed by a statement
of rationale. The examples in this collection use that format.
It is
prudent to follow up a positive vote in your presbytery by checking
with the Office of the G.A. to be sure the overture has been received
before the deadline.
A
Word about Concurrences
If your presbytery sends up an overture that is close in intent and
wording to an overture from another presbytery, the Office of the
G.A. will ask if your presbytery wishes to concur or withdraw. We
encourage you to concur. If you know a similar overture already exists,
you may choose to use the wording of its resolve and write a separate
rationale statement. In that way your overture will be business before
the G.A., your written rationale will be additional argument in support
of the action you are seeking, and you will be permitted to have an
overture advocate speak to the overture before the committee at G.A.
It can be advantageous to show that more than a single presbytery
has the same concern. An overture from a presbytery always represents
the majority of the sessions of a presbytery.
There
are rules that apply to writing and submitting overtures
Pertinent rules regarding overtures are in the Standing Rules of the
Manual of the General Assembly (Last GA’s Rules can be found
at http://www.pcusa.org/ga217/delegates/manual06.pdf
). You also need to know the process your own presbytery follows on
overtures. Presbyteries vary in these matters. Knowing the rules and
the process, and being well prepared to defend the overture, are all
essential to the success of an overture.
Meeting
the deadline is crucial. The Standing Rules of the G.A. have
strict deadlines for overtures. The deadlines for the 218th
GA are at the end of this article. Overtures may be mailed, faxed
or emailed to the Office of the General Assembly (OGA) on or before
the deadline. Be sure to verify with OGA that your overture
has been received by that office.
Overtures
not received by their respective deadlines are not forwarded to the
G.A. They are returned to the presbytery, and you will have to start
again. Biennial Assemblies mean a much longer delay if your overture
doesn’t make the deadline. You also may be facing the necessity
of another vote by your presbytery if the deadline isn’t met.
As a
practical timetable, try to get your overture to your session as early
as possible since the session may choose to spend some time studying
or revising your proposal. Be aware of the meeting schedule for your
presbytery and its committees so your overture can be brought before
the presbytery in a timely manner. Sometimes both sessions and presbyteries
will want first and second readings.
Consultation
is required. The Standing Rules of the G.A. require consultation:
“Presbyteries or synods submitting overtures with a recommendations(s)
that affects the work or budget of a General Assembly entity(ies)
shall submit evidence that the affected entity(ies) has (have) been
consulted. If such evidence is not submitted, the Stated Clerk shall
recommend that the overture be received and referred to a future session
of the General Assembly so that consultation may take place.”
We recommend that when your overture is sent to the Stated Clerk,
you attach a request that it be distributed to any entity whose budget
or work might be affected by it, inviting them to consult with the
presbytery regarding any comments or concerns that they have. Make
yourself available for that consultation.
Organizing
support for the overture is important
At each level (session, presbytery, and G.A.) it is possible for the
governing body to adopt, not adopt, take no action, or amend the overture.
When your session considers the overture, be sure that you or informed
session members can explain and support everything in it. Often, a
presbytery committee will review the overtures and make recommendations
to the presbytery. Make an effort to have a well prepared member of
session at that meeting to answer questions and argue for a positive
recommendation from the committee to the presbytery. It is important
to know the wording of the motion that will be used to bring the overture
before the presbytery (e.g. will it be a motion to “adopt”
the overture? a motion to “not adopt”?) so that you can
help supporters of the overture to speak effectively to the motion
on the floor during the debate and you are clear about the meaning
of a “yes” or “no” vote.
One of
the tactical points often neglected is the importance of mobilizing
support for the overture at the presbytery meeting where the overture
will be debated and the vote taken. It’s important to “get
out the vote” by communicating with sessions you expect to be
supportive: explain to them why you think this overture is necessary
and answer any questions they have. Answering their questions may
help you know what points need to be addressed when the overture comes
to the floor of the presbytery for debate. Urge other sessions to
be sure to have their commissioners at the meeting where the overture
will be debated and the vote taken. It’s important to put some
effort into preparing commissioners to defend the overture effectively
in floor debate at the meeting. Plan a meeting for sympathetic presbytery
commissioners at which you can discuss both the points to be made
in debate and the use of the presbytery’s process. Commissioners
from several churches should be prepared and ready to speak in favor
of the overture. Please take the time to acquaint other supportive
churches in your presbytery with the overture. Their support at the
presbytery meeting can be crucial.
Identify
an effective overture advocate to go to G.A.
When the overture is adopted, don’t consider your work done
until a good overture advocate is named. The presbytery has the privilege
of naming someone to advocate for the overture at G.A. You will want
to be prepared for that in advance. The overture will gain a better
defense at G.A. if the advocate is not a commissioner. Those who serve
as both commissioner and as overture advocate can expect to give only
partial attention to each of those responsibilities. Find an overture
advocate who will devote full time to being a resource to the G.A.
committee considering the overture. Rules pertaining to overture advocates
are in the Manual of the General Assembly.
Renewal
partners want to help you with resources to support the overtures
and in using the process. Help also is available to overture advocates
once the overture is adopted and on its way to GA.
Postmark
deadlines
for
overtures to the 218th GA, San Jose, CA
120
day deadline:
February 22, 2006
(overtures requesting amendment to or
interpretation of the Book of Order)
60 day deadline:
April 22, 2006
(overtures having financial implications
for current or future budgets)
45 day deadline:
May 7, 2006
(all other overtures)
According
to the rules, overtures not received by the applicable
deadline will be returned to the originating governing body.
