Released by: Rick Kajiura
Phone: +31-30-955-324 (June 29-July 8) or +301-680-6300
                  
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 5, 1995         
          
ADVENTISTS VOTE TO INCREASE WORLD REPRESENTATION ON
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
                   
Utrecht, The Netherlands... Delegates to the world congress of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church voted to reduce the number of members on
the Executive Committee of the Church while increasing representation
from the world field and non-clergy. The constitutional changes came
during the business session at the Seventh-day Adventist Church's 56th
World Congress being held in Utrecht, The Netherlands, June 29-July 8.
	The items voted returned to the session floor after being referred
back to the Constitution and Bylaws committee earlier this week. In an
attempt to ensure progress, the delegates voted to provide reasonable
time for discussion of items that had been referred to the Constitution
and Bylaws committee and then to vote on the issues without referring
them back to the committee.
	According to the changes, each division will have representation from
three non-clergy [laypersons] and one church pastor or frontline
mission worker for every 500,000 members. Under the original proposal,
there would be two laypersons for every 500,000 members. The
Seventh-day Adventist Church divides the world into 11 divisions for
administrative purposes.
	Initial proposals brought to the floor would have decreased the size
of the executive committee to 240 members. Under the new constitution,
the executive committee will include 260 members. In the past, the
executive committee has numbered more than 350 members.
	As a result of the reduced number of committee members, the Church
plans to make it possible to allow for each member of the committee to
be present for meetings. Because of the cost, many executive committee
members were not present for all meetings.
	In another change, divisions shall now appoint heads of departments,
associations, agencies, and services who shall serve under the
direction of their respective division presidents. They shall also
appoint associate and assistant directors/secretaries as may be needed
to serve in special capacities under the direction of their respective
directors/secretaries.
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