Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and state mandates, the Potomac Conference Corporation’s Third Quinquennial Constituency Meeting will be held as an online event on March 14, 2021.
Important operational procedures for online meeting:
To speak to a motion:
You must use the “Raise Hand” feature in ZOOM. You will be recognized and place in a queue. When it is your turn to speak you will be asked to unmute. Please state your first name, last name and church you represent. For employees please state your first name, last name and position. You are allowed two minutes to speak. If translation is needed a total of four minutes is granted. How to raise hand may vary depending on your version of Zoom, so please be aware of the different ways you may have to access this important feature.
If you are raising a “Point of Order:”
You must use the “Raise Hand” feature in ZOOM AND click on the “Chat” icon and type “Point of Order.” This will take you to the top of the queue to speak. For definition of a “ Point of Order” please refer to the General Conference Rules of Order (beginning on page 9) as provided in the electronic delegate materials.
If you are seeking to “Move a Question on the Previous Motion:”
You must use the “Raise Hand” feature in ZOOM AND click on the “Chat” icon and type “Move a Question on the Previous Motion.” This will take you to the top of the queue to speak. For definition of a “Question on the Previous Motion” please refer to the General Conference Rules of Order (beginning on page 9) as provided in the electronic delegate materials.
If you are experiencing technical difficulties or have not received the ZOOM link, please call 540-886-0771.
How to Register and Use Zoom
Watch the video below for details on how to register as well as important tips for how to use ZOOM features for this meeting!
Delegate Materials
Please download each of these files for easy access. This can be done by opening the link and then clicking the download icon in the upper right corner.
- Book 1 – General Information (updated 3.4.21)
- Book 2 – Officer and Departmental Reports
- Nominating Committee Recommendations
. - Financial Statements – Statements need to be downloaded and opened in a PDF Reader to view.
Special Instructions to Speak with Nominating Committee
In the event you would need to leave and re-enter the meeting to speak with the nominating committee, instructions are listed below. Para hablar con la Comisión de Nombramientos, por favor, use la información a continuación para conectarse al “Zoom Meeting:”
Welcome
Dear Constituency Meeting Delegate,
Thank you for your willingness to serve as a delegate to the Third Quinquennial Constituency Meeting of the Potomac Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists to be held via ZOOM on March 14, 2021 at 10:00 am. Registration will begin at 8:00 a.m. A ZOOM link will be sent via email several days before the constituency meeting.
The following material contains all the items our Constitution and Bylaws requires you to have prior to the meeting. Please review this material carefully. It has been divided into sections for easy reference. If you have trouble accessing any of the items, please contact us immediately at (540) 886-0771, ext. 207, or email us at DeniseH@pcsda.org. We will be happy to assist you.
In closing, it is important that you download this material for easy access for both the Delegate Orientation meeting and the Constituency Meeting by means of your laptop, iPad, cell phone or printed version (if you have chosen this option).
Thank you again for being an important part of this event. Please join me in praying for the leading of the Holy Spirit as we reflect on the blessings over the past five years and sense God’s leading in the years to come. I look forward meeting with you virtually at the Delegate Orientation Meeting nearest you and on March 14.
| January 26, 2021 7:00 pm | Delegate Orientation Meeting-Northern VA |
| January 27, 2021 7:00 pm | Delegate Orientation Meeting-Metro DC Hispanic |
| January 28, 2021 7:00 pm | Delegate Orientation Meeting-DC Maryland |
| January 30, 2021 7:00 pm | Delegate Orientation Meeting-VA So-Central |
| January 31, 2021 7:00 pm | Delegate Orientation Meeting-VA Valley, VA Southwest |
| February 9, 2021 7:00 pm | Delegate Orientation Meeting-VA Capital |
| February 10, 2021 7:00 pm | Delegate Orientation Meeting-VA Tidewater |
Thankful for Your Service,
Jose L. Vazquez
Vice President for Administration
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Constituency Session?
A Constituency Session is a gathering of elected representatives for a particular constituency, to address church business. This is a part of the organization of the Seventh-day Adventist church. As a worldwide community of believers, our church is organized on various levels, with each level having a defined membership, also known as a constituency. The constituency-based levels are as follows
- the local church
- the local conference
- the union conference
- the General Conference
The Constituency Session of the Potomac Conference Corporation brings together delegates (voting members) who represent each of the local churches that make up the territory of the Potomac Conference Corporation. Employees of the Potomac Conference Corporation and members of various standing committees are also delegates (voting members) at the Constituency Session.
What Happens?
The delegates at the Constituency Session are expected to vote to elect officers, grant credentials and licenses, adopt or change the bylaws, appoint members to serve on various boards, organize or dissolve churches, and transact other business as required. One of the most important aspects is the election of the Executive Committee, whose duty is to represent the constituency between sessions.
Who Attends?
Each church within the Potomac Conference Corporation sends delegates to the Constituency Session. These delegates must be members of the church which they represent. The number of delegates from each church depends upon the total membership of the church as reported at the end of the fourth quarter of the previous year. If you are unsure of who the delegates are from your church, you may contact your pastor for a list of names that were voted by your church. All credentialed employees of the Potomac Conference Corporation and the members of the following Conference committees serve as delegates.
- Executive Committee
- Articles & Bylaws Committee
The officers of the Columbia Union Conference, and a small number of special delegates voted by the Executive Committee, also serve as delegates. Typically, the number of lay member delegates to employee delegates is 2 to 1.
How Often is There a Constituency Session?
The Bylaws of the Potomac Conference Corporation define the regular intervals of these meetings, with provisions for situations where special constituency meetings may be called. The bylaws as it now stands, calls for meetings to be held at intervals of five years, called a quinquennium.
Delegate Orientation Meeting Recordings
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