1. Things are done decently and in order.
2. Our polity does not allow for public slander.
3. Matters of doctrine cannot easily be discussed.
4. The standing orders normally require that notice is given before motions are put forward.
5. It is difficult to swing a surprise.
Once I would have considered #1, 3, 4 and 5 bad. Now they seem very good.
Assembly is coming folks. Just 10 short weeks away. Alert but not alarmed, Andrew says.
The odd surprise would be nice.
ReplyDeleteOnly if it's a nice surprise.
ReplyDeleteYep. On all those points. It is a good, good thing to have rules.
ReplyDeleteI'd agree it's good if assemblies are like this. Maybe there is more pressure, or perhaps scrutiny, on the assembly to stick to the rules most of the time. I'm not sure that it happens at a congregational level though.
ReplyDeleteFor example, over the past 25 years I've belonged to a number of presbyterian congregations in Victoria, and I've rarely seen an election (Board of Management or Session) held according to the rules of the PCV. And it's not as if the rules are that burdensome.