Guidelines for Petition Submission

1996 United Methodist General Conference

Contents

• Guidelines for Writing Petitions
• Guidelines for Submitting Petitions

Guidelines for Writing Petitions

Petitions to General Conference usually cover a wide range of topics, from proposals to restructure the entire denomination to mandating a new work area for local churches Your petition should address a particular area of concern about church law; suggest changes in the church's structure; or create, delete or modify a statement on a social, economic, moral or theological issue.

When preparing a petition for General conference, it is best to:

• type (double spaced) or print petitions

• use as few words as possible to make your point

• refer to a dictionary, church directory, the United Methodist Book of Discipline, and/or the Book of Resolutions to ensure accuracy

• when suggesting changes in the Discipline, clearly indicate portions to be added or deleted. Use boldface for additions and strike-outs for deletions, or double underline for additions and single underline for deletions, etc.

• understand that sending the same petition in quantity is wasted effort and money, although all will be counted and kept on file

• submit petitions to:
  
  Odell Thompson, Petitions Secretary
  1740 Sixth Street
  Beloit, WI 53511
  (608) 362-8444.

• If the petition has been submitted incorrectly (a signature is missing or more than one paragraph is affected), the secretary will return for correction.

Guidelines for Submitting Petitions

1. three copies of each petition must be sent to the petitions secretary

2. only one paragraph of the Discipline or one issue may be addressed in a single petition

3. petitions must be signed by the person submitting them, and should include the signer's address, local church, or United Methodist board or agency relationship

All petitions must be postmarked by a national postal service by December 17, 1995, or delivered to the petitions secretary no later than January 16, 1996.

General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn