It has been a long tradition of the Eastern PA Annual Conference to have spirited debate during sessions using resolutions. We will meet May 20-22 using Zoom, a platform in which debate can be challenging. Bishop Peggy Johnson urges Conference members to keep resolutions to a minimum or to not submit any at all and wait until we are in person again. 

Conference committees are encouraged to simply send in written reports about what is important for people to know and to do. A short video could also be submitted and viewed if time allows.  In this way we are sharing information and urging action but not engaging in tedious Parliamentary procedures in Zoom’s chat function.

This year’s session will include resolutions with legislative debate and amendments allowed. But the plan is to reduce the amount of session time given to debate and amendments by urging all members to read resolutions once they are published and respond promptly with any questions and suggested revisions to resolution authors.  

All resolutions are due to the Conference Secretary, the Rev. Jacqueline Hines, by March 5. Any revisions the authors make to their initial resolutions, in response to questions and suggestions, will be due to the Conference Secretary by April 2. Perfected resolutions will be published by April 13. The Conference Commission on Sessions made these and other decisions to ensure efficiency and fairness at its Jan. 12 meeting. Please read the statement and instructions for submitting Resolutions to AC2021 on our website and follow the instructions carefully. And please observe the two deadlines: March 5 for initial submissions and April 2 for revised submissions.