Jerusalem Council FAQs

1.  Questions have been received about how to determine 2005 Senate representation based on membership in constituent Ministers Councils.

Some Councils have worked hard to increase 2004 membership. Some are at work to increase 2005 membership.

To satisfy everyone, the decision is that each Council may choose either year's roster to qualify for Senate representation.

If you choose 2004 membership as the basis of Senate representation, then everyone will know how many Senators you will have at Senate 05 by the end of 04 when all rosters and dues are in. 

2.  Questions have also been received about whether Ministers Council membership is necessary for participants in Jerusalem Council events and for persons who write responses to the related queries posted on the website and designed to inform Senators. The answer is that regardless of membership status persons may participate because the goal is to hear from all interested colleagues in American Baptist ministry positions. Names must be signed to written responses to the queries but all such responses will be kept confidential and will be seen only by a professional evaluator, who will destroy the response sheets once input has been tabulated.

3.  Finally, questions have been received about how Senators can be bound by the will of their Councils as they vote on the bylaws amendment. Once the motion enters the parliamentary process it may well be amended before reaching a vote. The counsel to Councils is that Senators are elected by Councils because they are trusted by their peers to act responsibly. Because Senators will be informed by input from the Jerusalem Council events and the written queries, it behooves American Baptist ministerial leaders who wish to have their perspectives heard and honored to participate either in person at a Jerusalem Council or in writing through a response to the queries.