2020 has been a year of important decisions for BCC during its transition to an association model. The Assembly of Representatives held an online meeting on 31 December. Here, the third group of amendments to the Articles of Association was adopted, along with the 2021 budget.
By Johanne Reiersrud – Photo by Randi Fosse
On 31 December 2020, a meeting of BCC’s Assembly of Representatives was held. The meeting took place at Oslofjord Convention Center, where the Board, the church elders, and the administration were represented. Fifty-nine representatives from 41 member churches participated in the meeting via video link due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
2020: New organization and updated Articles of Association
Four meetings of the Assembly have been held in 2020; the first was held in April, and was followed by meetings in July, November, and finally on the 31st of December. During the year, several step-by-step updates of the Articles of Association were made, which otherwise were unchanged since 1998. The updates are the result of a long and thorough process starting in 2016.
During the meeting of the Assembly in April, the first group of the amendments were implemented. As part of a larger project to renew and update BCC’s organization, formal structures for the composition and role of the Assembly of Representatives were adopted.
At the annual general meeting in July, a decision was made on several amendments to the Articles, which entailed a transition to the new association model for the faith community. The role of the Assembly was strengthened when it was given the funding authority within the association. An administrative unit, the secretariat, was also established to manage the interests of the association and the Assembly between meetings, along with an election committee to propose candidates for boards and other positions in the association. BCC’s media activities were also separated into a foundation; bcc.media foundation that was granted membership in the larger association.
At the meeting of the Assembly in November, it was similarly decided to establish and financially support an independent mission organization in the association, to take care of mission work within the BCC association in an good way with financial support from the federation.
December: Improved membership and reporting system
At the Assembly meeting on 31 December, the background and proposals for the third step in the amendments to the articles of association were reviewed and adopted by a joint Assembly. The changes that affect the local congregations will be discussed at local annual meetings during 2021.
These are the latest decisions on amendments to the articles of association:
- Updated bylaw templates for Norwegian local congregations by BCC, where, among other things, the authority of the annual meeting is strengthened and given clear authority in budget issues and election of the board
- Membership regulations for BCC and the local congregations
- New membership and notification committee, which will process notifications within BCC and the local congregations and ensure an orderly and independent case processing in accordance with the membership regulations
- Some minor clarifications and explanatory changes in other articles
Budget for the BCC association adopted
Member of the secretariat Tore E. Aslaksen presented the proposed income budget for the BCC association. The organizations covered by the budget then presented their own organization plans for the Supervisory Board meeting.
The budget shows a total income of 214.3 MNOK and a result after depreciation of 41.9 MNOK. The association’s total investments are budgeted at 9.9 MNOK.
BCC’s cost budget is 143.4 million. This includes among other things administration, a service center for member churches, and the event department that plans all BCC’s international conventions. Included in this figure are grants to member organizations, and organizations that support BCC’s purposes with their work.
These are the organizations that receive grants:
- media foundation – 40.1 MNOK to be used in accordance with the submitted business plan
- The mission organization in the USA – 6 MNOK, to be used according to the submitted application
- Youth Activity Organization Worldwide – 3.6 MNOK for edification and bible teaching for young people on the A-team
- Stiftelsen Skjulte Skatters Forlag – 4 MNOK, which is earmarked for Helge Ankers Musikkinstitutt and the work to promote the church’s musical and cultural heritage
The Assembly of Representatives approved – with one dissenting vote – the BCC Federation’s overall budget as proposed in the prepared budget.
In total, there were four decision-making points and two informative points on the agenda. Two of the decisions were passed unanimously, and two passed with one dissenting vote.
Read also: Supervisory Board meeting 2020: BCC renews its organization structure