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[Artiste]

The Pacific Union Conference is meeting in Woodland Hills this Sunday.

When they previously voted in a measure to ordain ministers without regard to gender, apparently they also needed to change their bylaws in order to do this.

According to one WO proponent, "If the delegates at special session vote to authorize the union to ordain without regard to gender, that vote will mean that official union policy is catching up with union practice, and that the variety of local conference policies are officially affirmed by the union."

But the special session vote will only add two words to take the place of the one previous word there.

"All the policies, purposes and procedures of this Union shall be in harmony with the working policies and procedures of the North American Division and the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists."

Vote is to change to:

"In general, the policies, purposes and procedures of this Union will be in harmony with the working policies and procedures of the North American Division and the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists."

[Artiste]

Those two words can potentially make a huge difference in what can be allowed in the union.

As has been pointed out elsewhere, changing the practice of women's ordination could be only the beginning.

In contradistinction, the CUC vote was narrowly confined to the issue of WO.

[Artiste]

There are special prayer sessions being held for the Loma Linda University Church before the vote, I think.

[Murcielago]

Unlike the landslide CUC vote, I expect that the PUC vote will be be a very close one either way, and I wouldnt venture a guess on it.

[Daryl Fawcett]

In most cases it requires a 2/3 majority vote to amend certain, if not any part, of the by-laws of a conference, a union, etc.

Unlike the landslide CUC vote, I expect that the PUC vote will be be a very close one either way, and I wouldnt venture a guess on it.

[Artiste]

Yes, I do think they said there would need be a two-thirds vote to carry it.

[Murcielago]

I understand there are two separate items to be voted on here. 1-changing the by laws. 2-authorizing ordination without regard to gender. I understand that the first item requires a 2/3 majority vote, while the second item requires a simple 51% majority. Can anyone shed further light on this?

[Daryl Fawcett]

I assume they would first need to successfully pass their by-laws changes before they could even consider the other item.

I understand there are two separate items to be voted on here. 1-changing the by laws. 2-authorizing ordination without regard to gender. I understand that the first item requires a 2/3 majority vote, while the second item requires a simple 51% majority. Can anyone shed further light on this?

[Artiste]

They've done more than consider it already!

The Pacific Union Conference Executive Committee voted WO in on May 9, 2012.

From the Spectrum article, "Pacific Union Conference Calls Special Constituency Meeting to Authorize Equality in Ordination, May 9, 2012":

At their March meeting, the Pacific Union executive committee voted to table until May 9 a motion that would immediately approve the ordination of ministers without regard to gender. They also set up an Ordination Study Committee to outline the steps necessary to make gender-neutral ordinations a reality as soon as possible.

Today at the La Sierra University Alumni Center, that committee delivered their report to the full executive committee. The committee replaced the original motion with a new one and voted overwhelmingly to call a special constituency meeting, tentatively scheduled for August 19.

And, after eight whereas's having to do with not ignoring Spirit-filled women and the like:

The Pacific Union Conference Executive Committee will approve or disapprove candidates for ordination without regard to gender, effective when the Union Bylaws are amended.

So that action was taken by the Executive Committee on May 9, pending the August 19 vote.

[Artiste]

It would be nice if all the women pastors I've heard or observed were actually Spirit-filled...

[AVoiceInTheWilderness]

Those two words can potentially make a huge difference in what can be allowed in the union.

As has been pointed out elsewhere, changing the practice of women's ordination could be only the beginning.

In contradistinction, the CUC vote was narrowly confined to the issue of WO.

In their full implication, the change of these words is as important as the difference between love and sin, light and dark, saved or lost. Think about it. "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." James 2:10. There can be no half-hardheartedness. There is no such thing as half-loyalty. To stray on one point is to betray one's entire purpose. We are either united or we are not. Unit can only take place when believers are of one mind and one accord, agreed in truth and practice. "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" Amos 3:3.

None would dare tell JEHOVAH that they will be obey Him in most things but in some they will choose to do as they please. And if we wouldn't do this to God, then how dare we do this to His remnant church and corporately choose to say "We shall do as we will" on these certain points, casting away all the light given to us a people, and primarily the Sanctuary Message. Woe unto the conferences, unions, and bodies of believers who dare do this at this hour for they are openly rebelling against the King of the Universe.

[Artiste]

Here is yesterday's update and explanation from Spectrum:

On August 19, delegates from the Pacific Union Conference will convene in Woodland Hills, California to vote on changes to the Pacific Union Conference Bylaws.* If approved, the proposed changes will enable the union to enact a previously-approved measure to ordain ministers without regard to gender when a local conference requests such approval. The Pacific Union Conference stands to be the second union in the North American Division to authorize ordination without regard to gender, following the Columbia Union Conference. Outside of the North American Division, the North German Union Conference voted in April of this year "to ordain female pastors as their male colleagues."

[SDAminister]

It would be nice if all the women pastors I've heard or observed were actually Spirit-filled...

Careful now..... Heh-heh.

[Dedication]

If the General Conference votes that it is OK to keep Sunday as the Seventh day Sabbath, I would not obey.

[Dedication]

It would be nice if all the women pastors I've heard or observed were actually Spirit-filled...

Careful now..... Heh-heh.

Spirit filled isn't gender selective -- it is character selective.
it would be nice if ALL pastors were truly filled with the Holy Spirit.