Mandate for the Proceedings of the Council with the Participation of Clergy and Lay Representatives 2017

The VI All-Diaspora Council of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, 10-14 January 2017

Mandate for the Proceedings of the Council with the participation of clergy and lay representatives

Composition of the Council:

  1. The VI All-Diaspora Council of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia with the participation of clergy and laity is charged with this mandate for its proceedings.

  2. The VI All-Diaspora Council will be convened at the Brotherhood of St. Minas at Mountain View during the period 10-14 January 2017.

  3. The VI All-Diaspora Council must be conducted on the basis of the Word of God and the Sacred Canons, bearing in mind the special status of the Church Abroad, and will have the goals of restoring canonical order and conciliarity in the life of the Church.

  4. The VI All-Diaspora Council is comprised of bishops, clergy and laity, and in accordance with the Regulations on Delegates to the Council, members are determined by virtue of their office, through election, or by nomination.

  5. The Council will be convened and presided over by the most senior by consecration Bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

  6. The agenda of VI All-Diaspora Council will be approved by the Episcopal Conference. Proposals for topics of discussion at the Council, with no less than 5 signatures, must be submitted to the Council Advisory Board for consideration.

The Council Advisory Board:

  1. The Council Advisory Board will be selected by the Episcopal Conference. The Board will consist of the Chairman of the Council, and the Chairman’s Assistants: one Bishop, two clergymen, and two laypeople.

  2. The Chairman’s Assistants will:
    a) Introduce speakers and announce the topic of the reports
    b) Monitor transcription of the proceedings
    c) Moderate the sessions, direct the debate, and if the need arises, admonish debaters, with a second warning resulting in a revocation of the right to speak.

  3. The Council Advisory Board will establish the order of the sessions, will, as necessary, make decisions of an administrative nature, and shall have the final authority in all questions.

Procedures for the sessions:

  1. Participants are individually allotted no more than 7 minutes for discussion of reports. (If the Council desires, and at the discretion of the Chairman, discussions can be extended beyond this limit.)

  2. In discussing the same report or question, each participant is given the opportunity to speak twice, with the second instance limited to 3 minutes.

  3. Those who are attending the Council as “observers” may present their views during the sessions but do not have voting rights.

  4. Those who are participating via Skype may present their views but do not have voting rights.

  5. At the discretion of the Chairman, the VI All-Diaspora Council may limit the number of speakers or reduce the length of the discussion period.

  6. The members of the VI All-Diaspora Council are obliged to observe Christian respect towards each other and, during the debates, should avoid sharp or insulting words and expressions.

  7. Council sessions will be conducted in the following order:
    a) Topic report
    b) Questions for the report presenter
    c) Debate
    d) Voting on the report and any resolutions

Voting Procedures:

  1. All questions at the VI All-Diaspora Council will be decided by simple majority vote.

  2. Each member of the VI All-Diaspora Council has one vote.

  3. A quorum will consist of half of the members attending the VI All-Diaspora Council.

  4. All voting will be conducted openly but at the request of no less than one third of the members of a session, voting may be conducted by secret ballot.

The Episcopal Conference:

  1. The Episcopal Conference will consist of all Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad who are members of the VI All-Diaspora Council.

  2. The Bishop most senior by consecration will serve as Chairman of the Episcopal Conference.

  3. All decisions of the VI All-Diaspora Council are subject to confirmation by the Episcopal Conference.

  4. Resolutions of the VI All-Diaspora Council that are not confirmed by the Episcopal Conference may be reintroduced for examination and further consideration by the All-Diaspora Council.

Commissions and the Secretariat:

  1. The Episcopal Conference will designate the following commissions:
    a) the Audit commission, whose responsibilities will include verification of credentials of the members participating in the VI All-Diaspora Council and tallying the votes.
    b) the Secretariat, whose responsibilities will include, at the direction of the Council, the preparation of drafts of resolutions, messages and other documents.

  2. The Episcopal Conference will designate a Senior Secretary and one assistant for the VI All-Diaspora Council.

  3. The secretaries will maintain the protocols of the VI All-Diaspora Council and upon the conclusion of the Council, will assemble all materials of the Council.