Moderator

The moderator shall be elected annually by the church for a period of one year. The pastor may be elected as moderator. In the absence of the moderator, the chairperson of vice-chairperson of the deacons shall preside; or, in the absence of both, the clerk shall call the church to order and a moderator pro-tem shall be elected. The moderator may appoint a parliamentarian for each meeting.

The current moderator is Chris Crepps.

In business meetings, the moderator shall seek to conduct all matters courteously and orderly using Roberts' Rules of Order, Revised as a guide. Following are the procedures to be followed concerning motions, resolutions, reports, etc:

1. In stating a motion, or when one is being made and acted upon, the moderator should stand.
2. The moderator shall call to order any member who in debate or otherwise violates any of these parliamentary procedures.
3. Any member may make a point of order when the moderator fails to observe or wrongly interprets these procedures.
4. Any member may appeal from the decision of the moderator. In this case, the moderator shall ask the church body whether to sustain or overrule the moderator.
5. A matter may not be discussed until a motion has been made and duly seconded; and, unless withdrawn by the one making the motion and the one seconding the motion, the motion must be voted upon. However, if a member wishes to explain the reason for the motion, a member may speak on a matter in preparation of making the motion. Further discussion may follow once the motion has been made and duly seconded.
6. When nominations are made on the floor, the moderator should call first for a vote on the nominee last named, then the nominee named next to last, and so on.
7. All reports from committees should be written and copies made available.
8. An amendment to a motion may change neither the meaning nor the purpose of the original motion. It is concerned with method, clarification, time, place, persons, etc. At times an amendment, or an amendment to an amendment, has the effect of changing the meaning and/or purpose of the original motion. In such cases, it is the duty of the moderator to rule that the adoption of such amendment, or amendments, would in effect deny the meaning and purpose of the original motion and consequently is out of order. In such an event, unless the ruling of the moderator is overruled by an appeal to the floor, a substitute motion would be in order.
9. If an amendment to a motion is accepted by the one making the original motion, no vote on the amendment is necessary. When, therefore, an amendment is accepted or voted upon, then the motion to adopt the original motion, following a free discussion, is in order.
10. During the discussion of a motion, a new motion dealing with another subject matter may not be presented. However, there are other motions which are always in order when a matter is under discussion. None of these motions can be made or acted upon while a member is speaking or a vote is being taken. These are:
    • "table" or "lay on the table"
    • "to reconsider"
    • "to postpone action"
    • "to commit to a committee"
    • "to call for the previous question"
    • "to adjourn"

Web Address: http://www.newhope-inchrist.org/officers/moderator.html
Last Revised: September 1, 2003