Expert: Delton Krueger - 11/17/2009

Question
The Lay Leader is an ex officio member of all committees. Robert's Rules of Order clarifies that the term denotes only how one becomes a member of a group, not what one's rights are. While many ex officio members abstain from voting, unless by-laws constrain their rights, they are afforded the same rights as other members, including debate, making formal motions, and voting. Does the UMC Book of Discipline deny the Lay Leader, as an ex officio member of several committees, any of the rights afforded the other members of such committees?

Answer
George:
Para 251.c of the 2008 Book of Discipline says that the Lay Leader is a member of the Charge Conference , the committee on finance, the comittee on nominations and leadership development, and the Pastor Parish (Staff Parish) Relations Committee. The lay leader is not ex-officio on all committees unless a local church chooses to establish its own rules. I see no rule preventing the lay leader from taking an active role in the bodies noted in the first sentence above. Sorry for the tardy reply.
Delton Krueger
Ordained Elder - Minnesota Annual Conference