Rev Janos Apostol; Rev Vernon Baugh; Dr Ashby E Bladen; Rev Dr Norman Goodall; Rev Dr JJ Mends-Cole; Rev Dr R Stuart Louden, vice-chairman; and Dr William P Thompson, chairman.

Your committee benefited greatly in its work from a hearing on the new constitution which was attended by a large number of delegates, many of whom made specific suggestions which they supported with persuasive arguments. The committee has considered each of the suggestions in detail and makes the following report.

Your committee finds itself in agreement with the premise which guided the work of the drafters of the new constitution and by-laws, namely that these documents should be characterized by brevity and conciseness providing a broad frame within which the new World Alliance of Reformed Churches (Presbyterian and Congregational) may exercise considerable flexibility in formulating and implementing its programme. The committee shares the conviction of the drafters that during this formative period, it is essential that creative innovation be not stifled by unduly limiting strictures in the basic documents. Indeed, this is a time for trust and confidence among fellow Christians as we move forward together.

The committee on nominations has proposed that the by-laws, section 7 (i) and (g) be amended to provide that the expenses of the officers, members of the executive committee, and members of the staff in attending meetings of the executive committee be met from the funds of the Alliance. In advancing this suggestion, the committee on nominations indicated their concern that they must be free to nominate delegates from younger churches for service on the executive committee without limitations occasioned by financial considerations.

A delegate proposed at the hearing that this principle be broadened so that the expenses of all delegates to meetings of the general council be met from the funds of the Alliance. Your committee has conferred regarding the financial implications of these proposals with the committee on finance. It appears that the second proposal for financing the expenses of all general council delegates by the Alliance would be quite unrealistic in view of the demonstrated support of the Alliance by the member churches in the past. Even the more modest suggestion of the nominating committee would more than double the funds needed for each meeting of the executive committee and is subject to the same criticism.

The committee on finance has informed your committee and the committee on nominations that it will include in the proposed budget for 1971 a sum sufficient to pay the actual expenses of a substantial number of members of the executive committee to its meeting. This would appear to provide adequately for the concern of the committee on nominations and to free them from financial considerations in their important work.

Your committee does recommend one change in the by-laws, section 7 (i) as a result of the consideration given to the proposal of the committee on nominations. We understand that in the near future the Alliance will need to seek a new general treasurer. Provision should be made that the expenses of the general treasurer in attending meetings of the general council and of the executive committee should be met from the funds of the Alliance. This would require only a modest addition to the budget. The Alliance should no longer expect its treasurer to pay these expenses from his personal resources.

The department of women's work has proposed that:

at least one third of the delegations to the general council and of the membership of the executive committee and of each department be women,
at least one member of the executive committee be a woman who has an interest in the women's programme of the member churches and who will carry responsibility for the special concerns of women in the member churches,
provision be made for a channel to continue relationships among women of the member churches, and
the number of advisers permitted the department of cooperation and witness be increased from 5 to 10.

The first of these proposals is similar to several suggestions made by delegates regarding provision of quotas to achieve a better balance in the delegations of the member churches. Your committee feels generally that such requirements should not be imposed. The member churches should be encouraged to send balanced delegations, but the Alliance should do nothing which would appear to abridge in any way the autonomy of each member church in choosing its own delegates in accordance with its own procedure.

With particular reference to participation of women as stated in proposals 1 and 2, your committee feels that to incorporate such provisions in the constitution and by-laws would be retrogression. Through years of effort women have achieved identical status with men in most of the member churches. To single them out for special treatment at this time would be a reversion to the separate and, in many instances, inferior role which was formerly assigned to women in society and in the churches. Your committee therefore is not favorably inclined to formalize these suggestions in the constitution and by-laws.

Your committee is, however, very sympathetic with the purpose of the first two proposals and suggests that these concerns be communicated to the committee on nominations.

With reference to the third proposal, that provision be made for continued relationships among women of the member churches, your committee records the understanding previously expressed informally that the new department of cooperation and witness will provide facilities for the continuation of the work formerly carried on by the department of women's work and included as function ( i) of the department of cooperation and witness in the draft by-laws, section 4c (2). The by-laws, section 5, would, of course, permit the formation of a committee whose sole responsibility might be the implementation of this function. The committee on constitution anticipates that some appropriate structure will be established within the new department.

The fourth proposal for an increase in the number of advisors permitted the department of cooperation and witness would permit greater flexibility in the new structure. This benefit could well be extended to all departments. Your committee therefore recommends that the by-laws, section 4 (b), be amended to increase the number of advisors from 5 to 10.

A delegate from Switzerland made three recommendations on behalf of the entire Swiss delegation. The first of these recommendations concerned eligibility for nomination to the executive committee. Article V, section I (a) of the constitution provides in part: "The general council shall elect an executive committee from the delegates to that general council..." It is the opinion of your committee that under this section, any delegate appointed by a member church to the general council is eligible to be elected by that general council to the executive committee, whether or not the delegate is in attendance at the meeting of the general council.

The second and third recommendations of the Swiss delegation relate to the issues of future general councils, their frequency and size. These issues were raised in the reports of the general secretary of the former World Alliance of Reformed Churches and of the minister-secretary of the International Congregational council. After extensive discussion, these matters were referred to the committee on constitution by the plenary meeting of the general council on last Friday.

Your committee makes the following observations:

The essential nature of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches can be realized only as representatives of the member churches meet together and exchange insights and experiences. It seems to your committee therefore that it will be necessary for the Alliance to meet in general council from time to time if the organization is to continue to exist.
Article IV, section I of the constitution provides in part: "The general council shall meet ordinarily once in five years. The executive committee may convene the general council on its own initiative and shall do so at the request of one third of the member churches. The time, place and programme may be determined by the general council or in the interim by the executive committee." The word 'ordinarily' gives considerable latitude in the scheduling of meetings of the general council. The delegates will note that the interval between the Frankfurt general council and this meeting is six years. As in the past the executive committee will undoubtedly consider the situation prevailing in the world and the dates of other worldwideehurch assemblies in fixing the dates for the next general council. Moreover, practical considerations of the availability of a suitable place for the meeting and of the necessary finances will influence the decision. Should the member churches feel that the scheduling of the next general council is too long delayed, one third of the member churches may request the executive committee to call such a meeting and it is obliged to comply. Your committee believes that the provisions of the constitution regarding the frequency of meetings are adequate.
Your committee has given careful thought to the size of the next general council. The schedule included in the by-laws, section 2a (1) would provide a council of approximately 480 delegates on the basis of the number of congregations of the present member churches. Your committee believes this to be larger than absolutely necessary for the conduct of the business of the Alliance. Mter considering a number of possibilities, your committee recommends that a new schedule which would reduce the number of delegates by approximately 100 be approved. The proposed schedule is set out below.

The committee on cooperation and witness has examined the list of functions for the new department of cooperation and witness contained in the draft by-laws, section 4c (2) and found them repetitious and unduly long. That committee has proposed a clear and concise list which your committee recomm7nds for adoption. The revised list is set out below.

Several delegates raised crucial issues regarding the future programme of the Alliance and the assignment of priorities among programme elements. Your committee believes that all of the concerns expressed can be implemented within the provisions of the constitution and by-laws without further change. It is anticipated that the issues mentioned will be considered in the deliberations of other committees or of the plenary sessions of the general council.

In the light of the foregoing, the committee on the new constitution recommends:

that the schedule in the by-laws, section 2a (I) be deleted and the following substituted:

Churches with up to	300 congregations	2 delegates
Churches with	301 to 500	3
	501 to 1000	4
	1001 to 2000	5
	2001 to 3000	6
	3001 to 4000	7
	4001 to 5000	8
	5001 to 6000	9
	6001 to 8000	10
	8001 or more	11

that the by-laws, section 4c (2) be deleted and the following substituted:

(2) The department of cooperation and witness

The function of this department shall be:

to study what the member churches should be doing in response to specific conditions and events in the church and in society;
to help these churches to be more responsive to the real needs of people in church and world;
to make possible a fuller expression of the many and varied skills and gifts possessed by men and women of all ages in the witness of all member churches and of the Alliance;
to make the Alliance significant to its total membership as well as to the outside world through:

Information gathering and disseminating.
Encouragement, evaluation and collaboration among member churches in implementing resolutions of general councils.
The coordination of the department's work with other interchurch bodies, new churches and secular institutions.
A special services fund for specific needs not provided for by interchurch aid.

that the by-laws, section 7 (I) be amended by inserting after the words 'general secretary' the following: 'the general treasurer'.
that the by-laws, as amended, be adopted.