GC Session Delegates Chosen at Columbia Union Executive Committee Meeting

During the Columbia Union Year-end meetings, the Columbia Union Executive committee voted the names of 28 members who will be asked to serve as delegates to the 2015 General Conference Session.

Story by Celeste Ryan Blyden

During the Columbia Union Year-end meetings, the Columbia Union Executive committee voted the names of 28 members who will be asked to serve as delegates to the Session that is convened every five years to elect officers of the world church and its 13 world divisions; make changes to the fundamental beliefs, constitution and bylaws; hear reports and updates from leaders in each region of the world church; and handle other business, such as the question of women’s ordination.

Each world division, union and conference is given a certain number of delegates based on membership. The Columbia Union, where membership stands at 141,000, gets 28 of the North American Division’s 237 slots.

The selection process, taking place in many unions around the world this month, is very complex and must be balanced according to conference, gender, race, age, role and position. Each of the three union officers and each of the union’s eight conference presidents are automatically selected. The remaining 17 slots must be allotted based on a formula that Rob Vandeman, executive secretary of the union, drew on a white board earlier this week.

Conference         Delegates *

Allegheny East        3
Allegheny West       2
Chesapeake             2
Mountain View        1
New Jersey              2
Ohio                            2
Pennsylvania           2
Potomac                   3

* Based on membership

Once invitees have agreed to serve as delegates to what’s expected to be an historic session, their names will be submitted to the North American Division Secretariat and shared publicly prior to the Session.

Who are the Columbia Union delegates? Click here to find out.

Pictured: Columbia Union Executive Committee Members from the Chesapeake Conference discuss who to select as delegates for the 2015 General Conference session.