This year’s Southwest Conference Annual Meeting (AM) will not take place April 24-26, 2020, as a result of health threats posed by COVID-19. The 2020 Annual Meeting date has been changed. The new date for the SWC 2020 Annual Meeting is October 2-4, 2020. Here are answers to some of the questions you may have in light of this decision.
When and where will we gather instead?
Provided that restrictions imposed on travel and large, in-person gatherings have been lifted, the Southwest Conference 2020 Annual Meeting will be held at Good Shepherd UCC, Friday–Sunday, October 2-4.
Do the Bylaws allow us to move the date of Annual Meeting?
Yes. The SWC Bylaws provide that our Annual Meetings “will normally occur at about twelve (12)-month intervals.” [Article III, F(1)(a)] This is not a normal year.
What if I already registered and paid?
Registrations already completed will be valid for the new date of the meeting. There is no need to re-register. Fees already paid for the Annual Meeting will be applied to the October event. Registration fees will not be returned at this time. If our 2020 Annual Meeting is canceled entirely, refunds will be processed when that decision is made.
What if I cannot attend in October?
Anyone who has already registered and paid but who is unable to attend the October gathering will receive a refund after the October event. Churches that have registered and paid for their delegates may change the names of those delegates by contacting Wende Gonzales at wgonzales@uccswc.org There is no need to re-register or pay again when changing the person filling a delegate registration already made.
What about my hotel reservation?
Hotel reservations were made independently. SWC staff cannot assist with cancelations or with obtaining refunds for pre-paid hotel rooms. This memo provides proof of event cancelation if required by the hotel. The SWC apologizes for any inconvenience you suffer because of this date change. We hope the hotels will allow you to change the dates of your reservations.
What about conducting the Annual Meeting’s business?
The Executive Board is committed to the uninterrupted ability of our standing committees and Conference staff to fulfill their responsibilities, and to ensuring that you have a voice in the business of the conference. The Southwest Conference Bylaws [Article V, B(1)] provide that “The EB shall have the policy-making responsibilities of SWC between the meetings of the Conference.” All business necessary for the continued operation of the Southwest Conference will continue to be conducted by the Executive Board until the next Annual Meeting convenes. When the next Annual Meeting convenes, items routinely approved by the delegates rather than the Executive Board (budget, elections, resolutions) will be presented to them for action.
What about elections?
The Southwest Conference Bylaws [Article III, G(3)] provide that
All standing committees shall be responsible for filling vacancies on their committee between Annual Meetings. Such interim appointments must be confirmed by the Executive Board. Appointments by the committee are valid only until the next Annual Meeting when such vacancy shall be filled by election.
All terms expiring at the end of April are anticipated vacancies and will be handled as vacancies under the provisions of the Bylaws. The various committees including the Nominating Committee have selected nominees for these anticipated vacancies and a slate for election was prepared. These nominees will be approved by the Executive Board at its meeting on April 2, 2020, to fill the vacancies for which they have been nominated; their temporary terms will commence May 1, 2020. In compliance with the Bylaws these nominees will be presented for election by the Annual Meeting when it next convenes. At that time the Bylaws requirement for “an opportunity for nominations from the floor” will be honored. [Article III, G(7)]
What about reports, minutes, financial statements and other materials?
Reports from officers, staff, committees, and partners along with the minutes from the previous year’s Annual Meeting, the nominations slate, and the proposed FY’20-21 Budget will be available in early April. Look for them online at the Annual Meeting webpage and in The Loop.
What about the Theme and Schedule?
This year’s theme – Stories That Transform – generated a great deal of excitement and energy. So the theme of our gathering won’t change. We will have many transformational stories to hear, share, and celebrate when next we meet. The schedule for our October gathering will be reviewed. Every effort will be made to honor our commitment to try a schedule that includes Sunday worship, while also honoring the distances that people travel to return home. Staff will be confirming the availability of our presenters, guests, and vendors. The Ecclesiastical Council can’t wait until October and so it will be held sooner. We anticipate the hallmarks of this year’s schedule – the Be the Church Café and our storytelling times on Saturday – will be part of October’s gathering.
Why not hold Annual Meeting virtually?
None of us know what circumstances we will face between now and the original dates of our gathering. The first priority of the SWC staff is to provide leadership and resources during the expanding crisis of COVID-19. The first priority of SWC congregations and clergy is to continue ministry in these unprecedented times. We need to fulfill our first priorities. People and systems are capable of only so much innovation at any one time. We are all operating at that threshold already. Creating a virtual Annual Meeting exceeds our capacity at this moment.
Could we vote on business by email?
The Southwest Conference Bylaws make no provisions for electronic voting. Under the Arizona Corporation Commission rules, [1] decisions made by electronic voting must be unanimous and every eligible voter must cast a ballot. ACC also provides that any eligible voter can request discussion which then requires a conversation and stops the electronic voting process. For those reasons, electronic voting is not feasible. Because the Bylaws do not prohibit it, SWC standing committees do use electronic voting and follow the Arizona Corporation Commission rules when doing so.
What about future Annual Meetings?
The SWC Bylaws provide that our Annual Meetings “will normally occur at about twelve (12) month intervals.” [Article III, F(1)(a)] The words ‘normally’ and ‘about’ afford the Executive Board and the delegates flexibility when scheduling the 2021 gathering. Your input is important. Would you prefer to gather in the spring of 2021 about 6 months after this year’s AM, or maintaining an autumn AM date eliminating holding the gathering during the Lent/Easter season? This decision could impact when terms of office begin/expire in the first year of the change. This decision could also impact the cycle of other SWC gatherings like the clergy retreat and MCVC meetings. Staff capacity to organize and support major gatherings will be a factor in any changes to the SWC master calendar. The Executive Board will be discerning the minds and will of the Conference about this and share that discernment at the next Annual Meeting.
What happens if we can’t meet in October?
We all hope the COVID-19 pandemic will be behind us by then. Over the next couple of months, the Executive Board and the SWC staff will develop a contingency plan if it’s not. Other SWC events will be impacted too. We are committed to keeping you informed.
While we are at it, what about DUCC (camp)?
We all hope that DUCC Camp can proceed as scheduled. Right now, we aren’t sure what we will decide about DUCC Camp. The likelihood of revised school schedules to make up days lost during the pandemic will impact our decisions. Emmanuel Pines assured us of their flexibility regarding our contractual obligations to them, and of their commitment to open the facility only if public health officials deem it is safe to hold programs. We are committed to keeping you informed, and if at all possible, to holding a quality camp experience for youth and staff.
What if we didn’t answer your question?
We’ve tried to answer questions we thought you’d ask. If we left something out, please email your query to a SWC staff member. They will do their best to reply quickly.
[1} 1 Although we span three states, the SWC is incorporated in Arizona.