Speaking from the Floor at General Assembly

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Speaking from the Floor at General Assembly

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• Choose carefully the few issues on which you wish
  to speak.
• When you do speak, remember you are addressing
  the Moderator, not your fellow commissioners.
• Identify yourself as you begin speaking.
• Be precise and support your views firmly.

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1. Choose carefully the few issues on which you
wish to speak.
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Remember there are literally hundreds of people
listening. If you speak more than once or twice
youre likely to be tuned out and your message
may be lost.
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2. When you do speak, remember you are addressing
the Moderator, not your fellow commissioners.
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Emotions and tensions can run high at the
Assembly. When you speak for or against
something, there is likely someone who disagrees
with you. Speaking directly to the Moderator
helps depersonalize disagreements among
commissioners on all sides of an issue.

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3. Identify yourself as you begin speaking.
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Before you begin speaking, identify yourself with
your name, presbytery, and role. Also identify
if you will be speaking for or against a
recommendation. For instance, My name is Jane
Smith, elder commissioner from the Presbytery of
San Jose and I am speaking against this
recommendation.
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Identifying yourself will assist the Moderator
and your fellow commissioners in following the
course of a debate.
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4. Be precise and support your views firmly.
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Be precise and support your views firmly, but try
not to involve yourselves in any discussion of
personalities. Also, never indicate that those
on the other side of an issue have an inferior
understanding of Christian discipleship.
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Finally, recap your remarks by saying in
conclusion, Moderator, I urge the commissioners
to vote for (or against) this recommendation.
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For more information, contactOffice of the
General Assembly888.728.7228 x2417E-mail to
gameetingservice_at_pcusa.orgwww.pcusa.org/ga218