The recent General Conference session an important action was taken pertaining to the pastor's relationship to the various auxiliary organizations of the church.
"The over-all responsibilities of the pastor or district leader in the church program require that he take an active and personal interest in the various activities carried on by the church serving as a close counselor to the committees of all auxiliary organizations. In case of emergency, or where circumstances require such action, the pastor may call a meeting of any committee or organization of the church to conduct necessary business in the interest of the church."
In view of this action the pastor need not be given specifically stated membership in the home missionary council, the Sabbath school council, or the MV executive committee, though his counsel is sought and he is kept informed of plans being formed.
In order to clarify the responsibility of the church board, this paragraph was added to the section in the Church Manual describing the work of the church board: "The church board is responsible for coordinating all the missionary activities of the church, but where deemed necessary, it may appoint a standing home missionary council representative of all the missionary departments of the church, for the correlation of their soul-winning activities."
To keep abreast of new organizational developments in the church, pastors will study the scope of activities of the new home missionary council and implement this General Conference session action as soon as possible.
In the new concept of organization, the church missionary committee which formerly coordinated all the missionary activities of the church is now to be designated the home missionary council. As you scan the following action on the home missionary council, being incorporated into the revised Church Manual, you will note that (1) the membership of the council is limited to the church officers directly involved in carrying forward home missionary projects, (2) this council serves as the governing committee of the church welfare center, (3) it disperses the home missionary funds of the church received through home missionary offerings, (4) it plans for and conducts the weekly and monthly home missionary services as called for in the church calendar.
"The Home Missionary Organization.—The missionary organization of the church embraces the entire church membership. Its purpose is to provide and assign to each member a definite line of home missionary service as sponsored by the Home Missionary Department. Its activities are directed by the home missionary council of the church.
"Home Missionary Council.—The home missionary council shall consist of the following: home missionary leader, chairman; an elder, church missionary secretary, treasurer, Dorcas Welfare leader, Dorcas Welfare secretary, men's organization leader, director of the Health and 'Welfare Center, medical secretary, and press secretary.
"The duties of this council shall consist of the following:
"1. To arrange for the home missionary meetings of the church, to study its field of missionary activity in order to counsel with the church board concerning the home missionary program of the church, and to enlist every church member in some definite line of service.
"2. To direct the laymen in the following specific areas of missionary service and to lead them into the campaigns sponsored by the Home Missionary Department:
"a Literature distribution and circulation of missionary periodicals.
"b Bible course enrollments.
"c Health and Welfare service (medical missionary work).
"d Bible evangelism including Bible Bible evangelism crusades (Bible studies, cottage meetings, community Bible schools, lay preaching, street or plaza meetings).
"e Ingathering.
"3. To train members in missionary techniques by:
"a Conducting classes in how to give Bible studies and classes in other lines of home missionary work.
"b Giving practical demonstrations in how to do this work.
"c Leading the members in active missionary service.
"4. To encourage reporting through the missionary secretary and band leaders.
"5. To supervise the welfare activities of the church and serve in collaboration with the church board as the governing committee of the church's welfare center.
"6. To cooperate with the conference home missionary secretary in carrying out the plans of the conference.
"7. To disburse the home missionary funds of the church received through home missionary offerings.
"8. To plan for and conduct the weekly and monthly missionary services as called for in the church calendar."
