I. Common Committee Agendas

1. Following introductions, the committee passed comments to other committees as follows:

A. Reports of the Officers (GEN 1), Moderator (GEN 2), General Secretary (GEN 3) to Policy Reference Committee III.

B. "From Harare to Porto Alegre" (GEN 7) and the Pre-Assembly Programme Evaluation (GEN 8) to the Programme Committee.

C. Moving to Consensus (GEN 4, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4) to Policy Reference Committee III.

II. Report of the Assembly Planning Committee (GEN 5 and appendices)

1. The committee noted that the Assembly budget forecast (GEN 5 Appendix 5) has a very tight balance and was glad to learn that fund raising was continuing, particularly with the view to making the Assembly as inclusive as possible. 2. The committee reflected on the proposed Assembly Programme and Timetable and recommends that the Central Committee

A. endorse the continuing development of Mutirão;

1) the strong case for a pre-assembly event for Indigenous Peoples;

2) whether adequate free time was provided for participants;

3) whether arrangements for non-core participants were sufficient inclusive and what parallel provision would be made when core-participants are engaged in Bible study and Ecumenical Conversations.

4) the methodology of Bible studies and the desirability for distinctive Latin American perspectives and approaches being taken into account;

5) whether the programme provided sufficiently for Latin American issues;

6) the possibility of adjusting the timing of the Latin American and thematic plenaries and of regional and confessional meetings;

7) two particular matters relating to arrangements for evening prayers

a) the possibility of Lutherans being given one of the evening common prayer, and

b) the plan to hold a Roman Catholic evening common prayer in the Cathedral of Porto Alegre on Saturday evening in the light of the session for Confessional Meetings proposed for that afternoon.

8) the need for consistency in relation to nomenclature (naming) of common prayer/worship, for example, if the Assembly timetable, etc. seeks to always reflect "prayer", the Assembly Worship Committee should be renamed;

9) the importance of certain media issues

a) the appointment of a local communications co-ordinator;

b) the desirability of churches themselves encouraging (and perhaps financially assisting) the attendance of national media representatives;

c) the need for clear identification of accredited media representatives.

III. Report on the Assembly Business Agenda (GEN 5.1)

1. Committees: The committee recommends, in relation to the Message Committee, that the Executive Committee consider the particular task and working style required of that committee and the possibility of restricting the committee's size accordingly.

2. Assembly Moderator: The committee recommends that the Executive Committee ensure that provision is made for the appointment and definition of role and duties of the Assembly moderator (this appears not to be covered at present).

3. Election procedures:

A. Nomination of Central Committee - In the proposals for the revision of the Manual for Conduct of Meetings, in addition to the principles specified for the guidance of the work of the Nomination Committee, the committee suggests that account should be taken of the need for fair and adequate representation of Indigenous Peoples.

B. Election of President - The Committee recommends that it should be the General Secretary (not the 'staff') who will seek advice concerning nominations for Presidents.

IV. Report on Assembly Nominations (GEN 5.2)

1. Delegate nominations (85%): The committee recommends that the Central Committee:

A. confirm the delegations nominated by member churches to date (appendix 1);

B. set a deadline of 1 June 2005, following a reminder letter, for churches that have not yet indicated their intention to attend the Assembly;

C. authorize the Officers and the Executive Committee to confirm forthcoming member church nominations at their meetings in June 2005 (Officers), September 2005 (Executive) and December 2005 (Officers).

2. Delegate nominations (15%): The committee recommends that the Central Committee confirm the following criteria for allocating 15% category nominations:

A. size of churches (as required by the constitution);

B. nominations already made;

C. the percentages used to construct seat allocation continue to guided the allocation of the 15% category (i.e. confessional and regional percentages);

D. priority for redressing imbalances be - youth, women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities; special skills.

3. Delegate nominations (15%): For the 109 seats to be filled within the 15% category, the committee recommends that the Central Committee:

A. nominate and confirm 85 persons at this time (appendix 2).

B. authorize the Officers and the Executive Committee to nominate and confirm the remaining 24 delegates, based on proposals from member churches and according to the criteria agreed, at their meetings in June 2005 (Officers), September 2005 (Executive) and December 2005 (Officers).

4. Indigenous Peoples representation: The committee further recommends that the Central Committee set a target of 4% delegates identified as Indigenous Peoples.

For information

Non-orthodox 15% category nominations

The committee was asked to nominate up to 66 of the 82 non-orthodox 15% seats. The committee identified 65 persons for nomination at this time. The following numbers and percentages may be helpful.

Orthodox 15% category nominations

The committee was asked to nominate up to 22 of the 27 Orthodox 15% seats. The committee identified 20 persons for nomination at this time. The following numbers and percentages may be helpful.

Africa

15

Youth

51 (78%)

Asia

14

Caribbean

1

Women

48 (73%)

Europe

14

Men

Latin America

6

Middle East

1

Lay

52 (80%)

North America

11

Ordaine

13 (20%)

Pacific

3

Total

65

Indigenous

3 (5%)

Orthodox 15% category nominations

The committee was asked to nominate up to 22 of the 27 Orthodox 15% seats. The committee identified 20 persons for nomination at this time. The following numbers and percentages may be helpful.

Oriental Orthodox

8

Youth

10 (50%)

Women

12 (60%)

Lay

18 (90%)

Eastern Orthodox

12

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Men

8 (40%)

Ordaine

2 (10%)

TOTAL

20

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