Calling a Congregational Meeting/Annual Meeting in special circumstances (COVID 19)
The United Church of Canada
24 March 2020
When notice cannot be given in regular Sunday worship it because of the suspension of worship due to COVID 19, it must be either personally delivered to each member, mailed, emailed or delivered to each Member at their usual place of abode or at the email on file.
There must be at least eight days’ notice of the meeting.
Since the scope of the agenda cannot always be determined in advance of the meeting, where feasible, it would be wise always to give at least eight days’ notice of a meeting, and to give notice by delivery methods listed above to each Member. Furthermore, when the time period for giving or receiving notice is seven days or less, then in calculating such time period, a day shall not include Saturdays, Sundays, statutory holidays, and the period between December 25th and January 1st.
If the congregational meeting is for the purpose of discussing the pastoral relationship, a Regional Council Liaison is required for the purpose of quorum.
It is also important for congregations to record in their minutes how notice of the meeting was given and the rationale for that. E.g. “notice of the meeting was given via email to all members for whom we have email addresses, which is 90% of the congregation’s membership”. That will answer any questions that could be raised later about the legitimacy of the meeting.
