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General Synod 35 will consider three sets of proposed amendments to the United Church of Christ (UCC) Constitution and Bylaws this summer. Among these are changes regarding the terms for Directors and Members serving on various boards within the church's structure.
The UCC Bylaws currently outline the terms for Directors on the United Church of Christ’s Board of Directors, Members on the General Synod Nominating Committee, and Directors on the United Church Fund’s Board. Following a decision by GS 34 to change the frequency of General Synods from every two years to every three years, concerns arose about existing term lengths. The UCCB committed to revisiting this issue for General Synod 35.
Presently, under UCC Bylaws, a Director or Member serves three terms at General Synod, totaling nine years. Some believe this duration is excessive and may deter participation. A Task Force evaluated alternatives and recommended reducing these terms from nine years to six years, or two General Synod terms instead of three. This adjustment aims to address raised concerns while maintaining diversity within leadership.
For the United Church Funds’ Board, appointed by the UCC Board of Directors, current bylaws link Director terms with General Synod durations. However, upon request from their board, a proposal was made to fix these terms at six years independently from General Synod schedules.
Julia Gaughan, Chair of UCCB, can be contacted at gaughanj@ucc.org for more information or discussion about these proposals. Interested parties can also attend upcoming webinars scheduled for May 20 and June 3.
