THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

United Methodist Association of Communicators-Africa Region (UMAC-AR)
UMAC-AR SUB COMMITTEE REPORT TO PLENARY SESSION

June 25, 2006

INTRODUCTION

Grace and Peace! We feel greatly privileged to have been given the opportunity to come up with the initial document that is going to guide the United Methodist Association of Communicators-Africa Region (UMAC-AR). The committee met in three sessions to debate and discuss professional issues concerning the formation of the association. All disagreements were taken very positively, and the Lord helped us to always reach near consensus in the matters we discussed.

According to our mandate the following are our recommendations:
We looked at the following items:

1. Aims and objectives of the association
2. The Primary focus
3. Programs
4. Membership, election rules and expectations

A. AIMS:
The following are the recommended Aims:

1. To promote the efficiency and effectiveness of communication in The United Methodist Church in Africa
2. To promote the growth and interest of The UMC in Africa through communication
3. To develop initiatives that respond to key African communication needs

B. OBJECTIVES
The following are the recommended objectives.

a) Implement, monitor and evaluate programs and projects for The UMC Africa communicators
b) To promote the use of communication for positive change within the UMAC-Africa Region
c) To develop programs for the exchange of experiences among the Episcopal areas and African central conferences.
d) To develop networking programs with other associations of communication for the continued training and exchange of ideas for African communicators.
e) To lobby and advocate for training programs and funding for the UMAC-AR members

C. Primary Focus
Our primary focus is to develop networking and capacity building programmes for United Methodist Communicators in Africa.

D. Programs and Expectations
The following are recommended:

• To develop programmes that foster intercontinental use of resources, training and develop personnel that can be resourceful to Africa UMC Communicators
• To plan regional workshops aimed at equipping central conferences with qualified personnel to achieve effective communication
• To research, document and publish findings
• To work in public relations to promote programmes of the church such as youth, work, women and men’s ministries through:

-sharing information
-sharing of skills
-helping each other in communication

E. MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the association is recommended to be the following:

• Membership shall be by application and payment of membership fees which shall be determined from time to time by UMAC-AR
• Employees, volunteers and appointees in the ministry of Communications from any United Methodist local church, conference, or general agency are eligible for the UMAC-AR membership
• Members shall also include secular communication professionals who help to advance the objectives of UMAC-AR, these shall be UMC professing members with membership in their local churches
• Application for membership shall be accompanied by testimonial letters from the Episcopal office
• The starting membership fees for all the founding members is proposed to be at US$10
• It is recommended that each central conference in Africa gets a UMAC Board

F.ELECTION RULES
The following are recommended:

a. Election Rules
Posts/Offices of the Executive
The following was agreed upon:

i. The President
ii. The Vice President
iii. The Secretary General
iv. Assistant Secretary General (1)
v. Assistant Secretary General (2)
• NB: The three Secretary generals will be distributed in the three languages, English, French and Portuguese
Vi Finance Secretary
Vii Publicity and Advocacy Secretary

b. Criteria for One to be elected into Office

i. One must be a registered, paid up member of UMAC-AR
ii. The member should be a fulltime communications worker for his/her Episcopal area
iii. The person who is to be elected must have a clean record of conduct; must not have any criminal, immoral or human rights abuse record.

c. Term of Office

i. The term of office for all elected members shall be a two year term.
ii. A member can be re-elected for a second term only for one post.

d. The Electorate

i. All members present , registered and paid up shall have a right to vote
ii. No postal or absentee vote shall be accepted –one must be present in order to cast a vote
iii. All voting shall be by secret ballot

e. Election Conduct

The elections shall be conducted and supervised by United Methodist Communications (UMCOM) representatives, the area bishop where the meeting will be held or any of his/her assigned representatives.

CONCLUSION

There was a discussion on the representation in the executive in terms of languages. The committee agreed that members need not be divided by the foreign languages of French, English and Portuguese, we are all African Communicators of the United Methodist Church, that must unite us and we should view ourselves as one family and team.

For records and information dissemination the secretariat will have all the three languages represented. It was emphasized that we look at capability and commitment so that we have people who can make the association take off and work hard rather than be separated by the foreign language we happen to find ourselves speaking.

The following were members of the committee:
1. Ms Sara Mawerere Chairperson (Uganda)
2. Rev Lloyd Nyarota Secretary (Zimbabwe)
3. Rev Louis Loma Otshudi (DRC)
4. Mr John Kaumba Makalu (DRC)
5. Mr Philias Jusu (Sierra Leone)
6. Mr Isaac Broune (Cote d’Ivoire)
7. Mr Armindo Rosario Chaúque (Mozambique)