1. In each annual conference there shall be a Commission on Communication or other structure to provide for the communication ministries and maintain the connectional relationships. It shall include persons with skills in communications nominated for membership in a manner determined by the conference, in accordance with ¶ 707.4.
The commission shall be a service agency to meet the communication, publication, multimedia, public and media relations, interpretation and promotional needs of the annual conference. It shall be responsible for providing resources and services to conference agencies, districts and local churches in the field of communication. The Commission may be placed in the annual conference structure as determined by the annual conference and shall have a consultative relationship with all agencies and bodies within the conference structure.
2.a) The commission shall include a least seven voting members. The following shall be ex- officio members of the commission in addition to the number set by the annual conference; (1) the conference director of communications (without vote); (2) any member of the General Commission on Communication or the General Board of Publication who resides within the bounds of the conference, with vote, unless voting membership is in conflict with another provision of the Book of Discipline, in which case his/her membership shall be without vote; (3) the presiding bishop, without vote; (4) a district superintendent, chosen by the cabinet, without vote; (5) the conference treasurer/director of administrative services, without vote; and (6) the conference council director, without vote.
b) Two or more conferences may decide to have a single Commission on Communication, in which case each annual conference shall be represented as stated in the preceding paragraph and each shall elect an equal number of voting members.
3. The responsibilities of the Commission on Communication or other structure may include:
a) To consult and cooperate with the conference Council on Finance and Administration in providing district superintendents, pastors, and appropriate officers of the local churches and charge conferences with interpretive aids or materials to assist in gaining understanding and support of the conference budget and other approved causes.
b) To interpret and promote the programs and benevolences of the general Church, the Jurisdictional or Central Conference, and the annual conference to the local churches in consultation with other general church and conference agencies.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
Petition Text: 21624-CO-700-D
1996 United Methodist General Conference