All petitions to the General Conference from individuals, local churches, and annual conferences will be processed through one of 10 standing legislative committees. The number of such committees will remain the same as 1996, but all petitions related to the Social Principles will be referred to a new Faith and Order Committee. Petitions that went to an Ordained and Diaconal Ministry Committee in 1996 will be referred to a committee of Higher Education and Ministry. Delegates to the 1996 conference recommended that plenary sessions of future conferences provide more opportunities to discern God's will. Responding to that desire, a Committee on Plan of Organization and Rules of Order of Order is recommending ways to stop deliberations for times for reflection and prayer.
Money continues to be a major concern for the commission.
The apportionments for the 1996 conference had not been increased over those allocated for the previous 1992 session, but reserve funds were spent to cover actual costs. The estimated cost for the 2000 conference is projected at least 4 percent higher than the 1996 conference. She estimates the cost of the 2004 conference will represent a 30 percent increase over 2000. Acting on a suggestion from Lackore, the commission appointed a committee to explore alternatives to the ways General Conference operates, including the possibilities of fewer delegates, meeting in the same city and increased cost-sharing with the delegates. The committee's report will be made at the October 1999 meeting of the commission, which then could take recommendations to the 2000 General Conference.