Guidelines for Meetings and Hearings

The Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance

Guidelines for Invited Guests, Witnesses, and Visitors

We welcome you to the Committee meetings and Hearings of the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance (JSCPBF). We are thankful for your presence and participation with us.  We hope you will give us the benefit of your knowledge and experience.

In order that JSCPBF may perform the tasks assigned to it by the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies these guidelines will assist you in knowing when and how to give your testimony, counsel and advice.  These guidelines will also help us  by ensuring that input from guests, witnesses, and visitors is obtained in a form and manner that will best serve the General Convention while also offering those who wish to speak the freedom to express their views as time and good order permit.

The Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance will sponsor three open hearings. 

The first hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, July 4 from 12:30 – 1:30 PM the exact location of the hearing will be announced).  The topic of this hearing will be a discussion on the Five Marks of Mission. 

The second hearing is scheduled for Friday, July 6 from 7:30 – 9:00 PM (the exact location of the hearing will be announced).  The topic of this hearing will be the Funding of the Budget.

 The third hearing is scheduled for Saturday, July 7 from 7:30 -- 9:00 PM (the exact location of the hearing will be announced). The topic of this hearing will be the Expense (Program) side of the budget

Each witness will be given two minutes unless with advance notice, it becomes necessary to reduce this time in order to hear from more witnesses at a specific hearing. Time limits will be strictly enforced and follow-up testimony is not permissible. Witnesses must address the Chair, confining their remarks to the matter under discussion   

In order to make the most efficient use of time and to allow for maximum participation, we will apply the following rules:  The Chair will determine the order of testimony, most likely – first to sign, first to testify, however, there may be others whom the Chair or Committee particularly wants to hear from so the Chair will reserve the right to take persons out of order.  

Those witnesses desiring or invited to testify before the Committee must register with the Legislative Aide by signing the Witness Registration Form before the hearing begins. Witnesses will indicate where they are from and what their status (role) is at the General Convention. They will also identify the specific matter they wish to address. Witness who are testifying on the same topic and representing the same position are encouraged to consult with each other and coordinate  your testimony, this will allow the maximum number of witnesses to appear before the committee.

Agenda of JSCPBF Meetings

The meetings of the committee will open with prayer and guests and visitors are invited to participate.  The committee will meet in the Convention center and the primary meeting rooms designated for this purpose is room 205.   In order to complete the work of  gathering information and testimony and the preparation of a draft budget for approval by both houses of  the General Convention JSCPBF works in sections:  Canonical (which includes Corporate); Funding, Program and Presentation.  There are breakout rooms adjacent to the main meeting room designated for this purpose.  Visitors are welcome to observe both the section meetings and the plenary meetings but may speak in Committee or Subcommittee meetings only if invited by the Chair. Please note that meeting space in breakout rooms is limited.

If a visitor has a question regarding any matter to come before the Committee or the Committee’s procedures, the visitor should contact the Secretary, the Vice Chair, or the Chair and seek a response.  Such question normally cannot be entertained during Committee meetings so they should be asked either before or after meetings