Questions &
Answers
Q: Who may submit
a name for
consideration?
A: Under the
terms of the
churchwide
constitution, two
categories of
participants
may submit a name
for consideration as
a nominee: voting
members-elect (i.e.,
delegates to the
2008 triennial
convention) and
units (Article XIV,
Section 4, Item 4).
Q: Who is
qualified to be a
nominee?
A: Each nominee
shall be a
participant in a
unit and a member of
the ELCA (Article
XIV, Section 3, Item
2). Each nominee
should also have the
requisite skills for
the particular
position for which
she is nominated.
Q: Who serves on
the nominating
committee?
A: The committee
consists of nine
women nominated
from the roll of the
triennial convention
voting members-elect
and then elected by
the churchwide
executive board. The
board will take this
vote at its October
2007 meeting.
Q: If a name is
submitted, will that
person automatically
become a nominee?
A: No. The
nominating committee
must submit a slate
of candidates that
contains two
nominations per
position. That’s a
total of 38 names.
Many more than 38
names may be
submitted to the
committee.
Q: How does the
nominating committee
select nominees?
A: The committee
considers the
biographical
information on each
submission. The
committee considers
geographical
location, variety of
ages, and diversity
of experience
(Article XIV,
Section 2, Item 2).
At least 10 percent
of the members of
the executive board
shall be persons of
color and/or persons
whose primary
language is other
than English
(Article XIV,
Section 3, Item 1).
The committee may
nominate no more
than one person from
a synodical women’s
organization
(Article XIV,
Section 4, Item 5).
Q: Are
nominations from the
floor permitted?
A: Yes, for
those positions for
which nominations
have been made by
the committee
(Article XIV,
Section 4, Item 7).
Q: Can members of
the nominating
committee be
nominated?
A: The answer is
a qualified "yes."
Members of the
nominating committee
cannot be nominated
by the committee;
they may, however,
be nominated from
the floor (Article
XIV, Section 4, Item
6).
Q: What is the
term of service?
A: The secretary
and treasurer are
each elected to one
three-year term,
with no reelection
to that particular office.
An officer may be
eligible for
election to another
office or to a term
as an executive
board member,
serving a total of
two consecutive
terms but no more
than seven
consecutive years
(Article XII,
Section 5, Item 1). The
terms begin at the
close of the
triennial convention
(Article XII,
Sections 3–5). Board
members are elected
to a three-year
term; they may be
reelected to the
board or to an
office, serving a
total of two
consecutive terms
but no more than
seven years
consecutively. The
terms begin at the
close of the
Triennial Convention
(Article XIII,
Sections 1–3).
Position
Descriptions
Please share
these descriptions
with women whom you
may be nominating so
they can review them
prior to accepting
your nomination.
Secretary
According to the
churchwide women’s
organization
constitution
(Article XII,
Section 3, Items
1–7), the secretary
shall:
Item 1. Be the
secretary of the
triennial
convention, the
executive board, and
the executive
committee;
Item 2. Be
responsible for
recording and
distributing minutes
of the triennial
convention, the
executive board, the
executive committee,
and the conference
of synodical
presidents;
Item 3. Give
notification of the
triennial convention
at least 90 days in
advance in the
official periodical
of this
organization;
Item 4. Keep a
correct register of
the roll of units,
presidents of the
units, and officers
and board members of
the synodical
women's
organization;
Item 5. Be the
secretary of the
corporation;
Item 6. Provide
for the gathering
and the preserving
of historical
records and
documents; and
Item 7. Perform
other duties as
requested by the
president or the
executive board.
The churchwide
executive board has
also listed the
following
qualifications for
the nominees for
secretary:
1.
Experience in, or
ability to learn,
word processing
software.
2.
Ability to take
detailed minutes
while participating
in executive board
and executive
committee
discussions.
3. Knowledge of
parliamentary
procedures and
Robert’s
Rules of Order.
4. Ability to
interpret and
uphold the
Constitution and
Bylaws of Women
of the ELCA.
Treasurer
According to the
churchwide women’s
organization
constitution
(Article XII,
Section 4, Items
1–3), the treasurer
shall:
Item 1. Provide
for financial record
keeping and, on
behalf of the
executive board, be
accountable for all
funds of the
churchwide women's
organization in
accordance with the
financial policies
of Women of the ELCA
and the ELCA;
Item 2. Interpret
the financial
condition of the
churchwide
organization to the
executive board; and
Item 3. Present a
complete report,
including an audit,
to the triennial
convention and an
interim report at
each executive board
and executive
committee meeting.
The churchwide
executive board has
also listed the
following
qualifications for
the nominees for
treasurer:
1.
Knowledge of
corporate financial
record keeping.
2. Experience
in budget
preparation and
interpretation.
3.
Knowledge of the
general fiscal
policies and
financial policy
statement in the
Constitution and
Bylaws of Women of
the ELCA (i.e.,
Article X, Sections
3–4).
4. The
ability to interpret
the organization’s
stewardship
principles.
5.
Communication
skills.
6. The ability
to interpret and
uphold the
Constitution and
Bylaws of Women
of the ELCA.
Executive board
member
According to the
churchwide women’s
organization
constitution
(Article XIII,
Section 5), the
executive board
shall:
Item 1. Provide
for long-range
planning for the
churchwide women's
organization and
coordinate its work
with other
churchwide units;
Item 2. Ensure
that programs are
implemented that
meet the priorities
of the churchwide
women's
organization;
Item 3. Set
policies required
for effective and
efficient
functioning;
Item 4. Transact
necessary business
and make decisions
between conventions;
Item 5. Promote
and encourage
participation in the
organization and in
fulfilling the
priorities for the
churchwide women's
organization;
Item 6. Promote
and interpret the
life and work of the
organization to
members, the church,
and the public;
Item 7. Set
financial policies,
recommend budgets,
manage assets, be
accountable for all
funds of the
churchwide
organization, and
interpret the
financial
commitments of the
organization;
Item 8. Develop
working arrangements
in areas of mutual
responsibility with
the ELCA publishing
house;
Item 9. Fill
vacancies on the
board until the next
regular triennial
convention;
Item 10.
Determine the fact
of the incapacity of
an officer or board
member to perform
her duties and
determine whether
she shall be removed
from her office in
accordance with the
policies and
procedures of the
executive board (for
removal of an
officer or board
member, a two-thirds
vote of the total
board shall be
required; a mail
vote shall not be
used to effect the
removal of an
officer or board
member);
Item 11. Under
the personnel and
financial policies
of the ELCA, elect
its executive
director, authorize
other staff
positions, establish
the salary structure
for staff, and
arrange for an
annual review of the
executive director;
Item 12. Set the
time and place for
the conference of
synodical
presidents;
Item 13.
Determine the number
of voting members
from each synodical
women's organization
to serve as
delegates to the
triennial
convention;
Item 14. Prepare
proposed agenda,
rules of procedure,
and program for each
triennial
convention;
Item 15. Report
its actions and work
to the triennial
convention;
Item 16. Act as
the constitution and
bylaws committee;
Item 17. Report
to the Churchwide
Assembly of the
ELCA; and
Item 18.
Establish ecumenical
and global
relationships with
other women's
organizations.
The churchwide
executive board has
also listed the
following
qualifications for
the nominees for
churchwide board:
1.
Believe the
churchwide women's
organization needs a
variety of gifts
from diverse
cultural heritages
and diverse walks of
life. As they answer
the call to serve on
the churchwide
executive board, be
able and willing to
share their own
special gifts with
the organization.
2. Believe they
are called "to
serve" and that in
"servanthood"
there is neither
hierarchy nor
personal gain of any
kind (power,
honorarium, pride,
and so forth).
3.
Believe that as
a board they are one
body in Christ and
shall speak with
"one voice" on all
decisions.
4.
Understand all
expenses involved in
board work are
covered by the
churchwide women's
organization.
5.
Understand there
will be at least two
four-day meetings
(including travel
time) per year, in
the spring and fall
(weekdays and
weekends) and
attendance at these
two meetings is
mandatory. Election
also requires they
attend the executive
board meeting on
Sunday afternoon
following the
triennial convention
and the executive
board orientation.
6.
Assume they may
be assigned
additional
committee work
between the
scheduled board
meetings, which
may be
accomplished
through
telephone
conference calls or
face-to-face
committee meetings
at a mutually
convenient location
if the churchwide
women's organization
budget permits.
7.
Understand they
will have an
opportunity to
represent the
churchwide women's
organization
president at various
synodical women's
organization
conventions, which
usually are on a
weekend and one to
three days in
duration.
8.
Understand they
are the link
between the woman
in the
congregation and
the churchwide
women's
organization
through their
participation at
synodical women’s
organization
conventions. At
synodical women’s
organization
conventions, they
may be asked to give
a keynote address,
offer a workshop,
install the new
synodical women's
organization board,
bring greetings from
the president and
churchwide women's
organization, and
act as a resource
person by answering
questions related to
the activities of
the churchwide
women's
organization.
9.
Realize they
work with all
aspects of the
churchwide women's
organization and
represent all women
of the organization,
not just their own
synod or region.
10.
Understand they may
be requested to
represent the
churchwide women's
organization at
events such as
consultations,
leadership
gatherings, and
ecumenical meetings,
to name a few.
11. Realize they
may travel alone
by airplane or by
car to attend
various board or
committee
meetings, other
events or
synodical women's
organization
conventions, and
that the travel
arrangements are
to be made through
the ELCA travel
desk. Exceptions
will be made to meet
special needs on a
case by case basis.
12.
Realize board
meetings, committee
meetings, and
synodical women’s
organization
conventions demand
considerable energy
and time commitment.
13.
Understand that board work
revolves around
projecting into
the future of the
organization
rather than
hands-on
experience. The
churchwide board
members will have a
"vision" for the
future of the
organization and an
"interest" in the
long-range planning
for its future.
14.
Realize the
magnitude of the
churchwide women's
organization budget
is large when
compared to
synodical women's
organization
budgets. They will
work with a
multi-million dollar
annual budget and
investments of
several million
dollars.
15.
Realize that, if
elected to the
churchwide board,
they will resign
immediately from any
synodical women's
organization
positions they may
hold (Constitution
and Bylaws of Women
of the ELCA, Article
XIV, Section 3, Item
7).
16.
Have opportunity for
community building
with other sisters
on the churchwide
board.
17. Trust in God
that their time
will be stretched
and their energy
will be
replenished as
they fulfill their
commitment to
serve on the
churchwide board.
