WORLD CHURCH

• DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS (Return)
  
  A committee is composed of officers of the church, the field, the union, or the General Conference and, as necessary or desired, addition­al church members who are recruited as advisors.
  
  The number of members on a committee is according to the need and size of the membership they serve. The committee members have specif­ic duties and functions.
  
  The president and his committee, each in its own area, carry the responsibility for the success of the work. It is a sacred responsibility of each committee member to support, strengthen, and counsel the presi­dent according to the Holy Scriptures and the testimonies as well as the established guidelines of the church. Committee members who are also elected officers should faithfully and conscientiously perform their duties, carry out the resolutions and work in harmony with the plans made by the organization, inform the president of all their activities, and seek his counsel. They should submit their reports, even when they are not asked to do so.
  
  Committee members who have not been elected to a specific office or function act primarily as advisors at the meetings called by the president; all committee members have the right to vote.
  
  By their election, all committee members are obligated before God and the church to attend all meetings scheduled by the president which have been properly called, either orally or in writing. Valid reasons for not attending a committee meeting are, for example, illness, political con­ditions, or catastrophe.
  
  The committee members have the right to attend all spiritual and administrative meetings in their own jurisdiction, where they have the right to speak and vote; for example, church committee members in their church, etc.
  
  Field committee members have the right to attend and give advice to the churches; union committee members, to the field; and division com­mittee members, to the unions. Officers and Committee members of the General Conference may, everywhere and in all subordinate levels, not only give advice but, in emergency, intervene and avert dangers to the work, when it appears necessary. Their counsel and voice must be respected.
  
  When an officer of a higher level is visiting, the president and his committee should invite him to participate in their discussions.