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Document for use by women to facilitate Women’s Councils

This is a voluntary, provisional use document. Continued discussion and conversation will take place as seen fit.

1. Home fellowship (More discussion needed) (Scriptures.info T&C 157:57)
   1. Accused is allowed to identify his home fellowship, with the following caveats:   
      1. If there are questions, council members are allowed to make inquiries within the fellowship(s); the man can provide names for verification or clarification.
      1. If, for whatever reason, a home fellowship cannot be agreed upon, the council takes place in private at a General Conference.
      1. If there is no home fellowship, the council takes place in private at a General Conference.
      1. General Conferences are meetings/gatherings where all members of the community are invited to attend.

• Notification, witnesses, council and attendance
  • If the concerns are legal, dangerous, abusive, predatory, etc. then proper authorities should be notified.
  • Women must notify the accused of the specific charges before the council begins.
  • After the council members have been chosen, and before the council has been formally convened, i.e., the proceedings have started, the women must provide the man the names of the witnesses against him, with a minimum of two.  (Preserving the Restoration, pg. 510-511)
    • Every reasonable effort should be made for the ACCUSED to face the ACCUSER (this does not include issues that are more appropriately handled by law enforcement).
      • Options could include Zoom or written and signed.
    • Men are only allowed at the council if they are acting as a witness. (Disputed – women want husbands for protection)
    • After the council members have been chosen, and before the council is convened, disclose the names of the women on the council to the accused. (Disputed – harassment, undue influence, etc.)
    • To be fair, a council should include as many “neutral” women as possible as well as women in fellowship AND acquainted with daily walk. All council members should commit to deciding the matter on the basis of the testimony, and not based on their previous opinion or attitude.
    • Council members cannot/should not be anonymous to either the accused or the public. (Disputed)
    • Council members should not be removed or replaced except for in an emergency on the part of the council participant. (Disputed)
      • Councils can have alternates to address this issue.
        • If alternates participate in any of the council proceedings, they are council members and are included in the voting for unanimity.
  • Must provide reasonable time for arrangements to be made for the accused to prepare a defense and make arrangements to attend the council.
    • Make reasonable effort to allow for scheduling, taking into consideration all parties, including witnesses.
    • If the accused presents multiple unreasonable reasons/excuses for nonattendance, council members can vote a majority to proceed without him.
    • “Reasonable” can be decided among the council members before the council is convened.
  • The council is a private matter, and women participating by Zoom should take all precautions to ensure privacy – no spectating by others not directly involved.
    • Hold in-person councils for as many women/men as possible, as often as possible.

• Decision – retention or removal
  • Removal requires unanimity; there is no such thing as a “hung jury.”  (Scriptures.info T&C 157:57)
  • There could be a section on one of the existing websites where the outcome of the council could be announced. (More discussion needed)
    • This includes only the initials (minimal identifiable data), date and the outcome, i.e. removal.
      • This prevents fellowship hopping as anyone can check the website for this information.
      • If the issues are predatory, abusive, or other such egregious, dangerous issues, then the record can reflect something more specific including a reference to pending criminal charges if there are any; criminal records are public records.

• Petitioning for the return of a certificate (Scriptures.info T&C 157:57)
  • The man can petition for his certificate to be returned
  • Seven of the 12 can vote to reinstate.
    • What if the original 12 cannot be found? (More discussion needed)
      • Locate as many as possible and add women who are willing; the return of the certificate requires 7/12.

• Disputes
  • “If another dispute later arises from other women’s councils, and there is a need, call another conference of the women and resolve the dispute by the voice of the women’s conference, as often as need arises.”  June 20, 2024.
    • Plan on this being a repeated process, and that is a good thing. This forum is open to us indefinitely.

• Due Process (this includes much of what was stated above)
  • The accused can ask for an advocate or an assistant to support him in this process. Bill of Rights – Amendment VI
    • This could be someone the man chooses and is approved of by the council; it could be a council member who is assigned this task. (Disputed – should not be a council member)
  • Their job is to ensure the foregoing has been complied with:
    • The fellowship and daily walk concerns have been negotiated justly, and all parties are satisfied.
    • Two accusers have come forth with accusations.
      • The accusations have been presented to the accused.
        • Should this be formalized in written form? (More discussion needed)
        • Every reasonable effort should be made to have the accuser face the accused when making the accusations.
          • The council has discretion on how this is done, but should consult with all parties and make sure safety is a priority, esp. in considering minors.
            • It can be done through a Zoom, if safety is an issue.
    • The proposed council women’s names have been disclosed to the accused. (Disputed) Bill of Rights – Amendment VI
      • If a council member needs to be replaced, the accused is informed and provided the name of the new member. (Disputed)
    • Reasonable time has been given to schedule and appear – tbd by the vote of the council as per conversations with the accused, the needs of the fellowship and the severity of the council’s concerns. Bill of Rights – Amendment VI
      • This takes into account the accused knows the accusations and can plan for his witnesses within the context of the grievances against him.
    • The accused can call 2 or more witnesses to speak on his behalf.
      • The accused has discretion as to how these witnesses are used; all witnesses can be used as rebuttal witnesses, if desired.
    • Men are only to participate as witnesses (Disputed – council women may want husbands for protection).

• Fellowship and council autonomy (Bill of Rights – Amendment X)
  • Issues that arise in fellowships and councils that are in dispute can be voted on by the members involved directly. A majority rule can be implemented.

-Compiled by Stephanie Snuffer