There will be a polling of the congregation on Sunday, October 27th, at 4:00pm in the Barclay building. We will be asking the entire membership if Hebron Church should seek dismissal from the PCUSA and realign with another denomination.
Q: How is the voting happening?
A: Upon entering, members will receive a paper ballot. After the call to order, a motion will be made (“Should Hebron Church seek dismissal from the PCUSA and realign with another denomination?”), discussion ensues, and private marking of the ballot will occur. Collection of ballots and counting.
Q: What counts as an affirmative vote at the October 27th meeting?
A: In order to proceed, the PCUSA policy requires a majority of the (adjusted) membership to vote in favor of dismissal. This is NOT a majority of those attending the meeting, but a majority of the entire membership. Thus, failure to attend and vote is counted as a “no” vote; not voting is voting to remain in the PCUSA.
Q: How is the membership “adjusted”?
A: The PCUSA representative and Hebron’s leadership have agreed that those who are unable to attend the meeting will not be counted as part of the total membership. This includes shut-ins, those out of town, and/or others with legitimate reasons to miss the meeting. Therefore, we will take our total membership, subtract those who cannot attend, and an affirmative vote requires 51% of the remaining number.
Q: Can I vote if I am a non-member?
A: No. The terms of the process determined by the PCUSA allow only members to vote.
Q: Do I have to be present to vote?
A: Yes. Again, as part of the PCUSA’s procedure, no proxy or absentee ballots are accepted.
Q: Can I vote for my spouse or college-attending child?
A: No. Only those present during the meeting can cast a ballot.
Q: Am I welcome to attend the meeting if I am a non-member?
A: Of course, and we value your prayers.
Q: What do I do if I am out of town or otherwise unavailable for the meeting?
A: Contact Jerry or the church office (412-371-2307) so the membership rolls will account for your absence.
Q: How will members be identified?
A: When you enter, we will have a checklist of the adjusted membership rolls.
Q: Will childcare be available during the vote/meeting?
A: Yes. Free childcare will be available the entire time. While not required, it would help to let Dan Bender know of your needs (262-287-1583).
Q: Can my children remain with me during the vote?
A: Yes. With sensitivity to others, that should not be a problem.
Q: How long will the meeting be?
A: Of course, this is just a guess, but we hope to have the vote taken and tabulated within 60-90 minutes.
Q: Will there be discussion at this meeting?
A: Yes. The process requires time for the congregation to discuss pros and cons of the motion. We anticipate a limited time for this.
Q: Who will moderate the meeting?
A: According to the PCUSA’s procedure, the denominational representatives will moderate the meeting.
Q: Will the verdict be known at the end of the meeting?
A: Yes, God-willing. We plan on counting the votes and announcing the verdict at the close of the meeting.
Q: What happens if the vote passes? What if it fails?
A: If the vote passes, Hebron Church will enter negotiations with the PCUSA for terms of dismissal and realign with another denomination. If the vote fails, the formal process ends and Hebron remains a part of the PCUSA.
Q: How much will it cost Hebron to leave the denomination.
A: No discussions in this direction can occur until an affirmative congregational vote on 10/27. Only afterwards can negotiations begin with the PCUSA over terms of separation.
Q: When will the post-negotiation vote occur, which includes the terms of our dismissal?
A. If we vote to proceed to negotiations, there is no real timeframe. I would guess somewhere between three to six months.