A number of proposed changes to St. John’s Bylaws, last updated in 2016, will be voted on at the Annual Parish Meeting (APM)—which will again be held virtually—on Sunday, April 23, 2023 at 12:00 pm.
The changes relate mainly to the process of conducting Vestry and Annual Parish Meetings (APMs), drawing on lessons learned during the pandemic as well as conforming to changes made to Diocesan canons.
Summary of proposed changes:
- Changes to Section 3 to permit APMs to be conducted in-person, virtually or hybrid (in-person and virtually). Change to Section 10 to permit electronic voting even at in-person meetings.
- Change to Section 11 to clarify that participating Vestry members arc the judge of the election whether they attend in-person or remotely.
- With respect to Sections 21 & 22, we discovered that the Bylaws only authorized special meetings of the Vestry to be conducted electronically. We are changing that to clarify that regular meetings can be conducted in-person, virtually or in a hybrid format.
- Changes to Section 21 primarily to make amended Section 22 less repetitive.
- Section 22 has been broadened to clarify that any meeting of the Vestry can be in-person, virtual or hybrid and specifies the standards for electronic communications.
- Section 22 also provides that, in the interest of transparency (Vestry meetings are open to all parishioners) and efficiency: (1) Information for parishioners to attend regular Vestry meetings electronically will be published in Crossroads; and (2) Information to attend special Vestry meetings (that are not wholly executive sessions) will be emailed to all parishioners with the requisite 3-day notice.
- Changes to Section 23 intended to clarify when unanimous written consents can be used. The language slightly broadens their use, but requires Vestry to include in the resolutions the rationale for using the unanimous written consent mechanism rather than passing the resolutions in an open meeting. Again, changes are intended to promote transparency into Vestry’s operations.
Marked-up copies of the proposed changes are posted in the Narthex, Chapel Entrance and West Avenue Lobby (Vestry Bulletin Board). Please contact the church office if you would like a copy emailed to you.
