Basis for the Introduction of the Regulations
The normative reference for the development of these Regulations is the "General Provisions of the Advisory Council of the Heads of Protestant Churches in Russia," approved by the ACHPCR in 2005 and revised in 2024. The format for discussing and making joint decisions within the Advisory Council involves quarterly meetings of all ACHPCR members, which are governed by the Regulations, General Provisions, and Code of Conduct for ACHPCR members.
1. Duration and Frequency of Meetings
1.1. ACHPCR meetings are held quarterly, on a date agreed upon by all ACHPCR members.
1.2. Meeting duration – up to 3 hours, from 10 am to 1 pm. In exceptional cases, meetings may be extended by 1 hour.
2. Venues for ACHPCR Meetings
ACHPCR meetings are held in rotation, at the venue of the Union whose leader chairs the upcoming meeting.
The chairperson of the Advisory Council meeting is responsible for technical preparation and conducting the meeting.
3. Meeting Preparation
3.1. The agenda is compiled by the chairperson of the upcoming meeting based on suggestions from all ACHPCR members and then finalized after approval by the Co-chairs.
3.2. The agenda should not be overloaded. The total number of topics for discussion should not exceed 10, including approval the minutes of the previous meeting and miscellaneous agenda items. For each item on the agenda, a responsible presenter is appointed, who presents not only the issue but also a proposed resolution.
3.3. Individuals directly related to the topic under discussion may be invited to present information on specific items on the agenda. They attend only when the Advisory Council permits their presence during discussions. The final agenda and list of invitees are agreed upon by the Co-chairs of the Advisory Council. Information about this is sent to all ACHPCR members and invited persons.
3.4. The agenda and draft resolutions are attached to the package of the documents distributed to members no later than one week prior to the meeting. These documents include:
4. Conduct of the Meeting
4.1. Meetings are conducted in accordance with the rules outlined in the "General Provisions of the Advisory Council of the Heads of Protestant Churches in Russia," the Code of Conduct for ACHPCR members, and this Regulation.
4.2. All ACHPCR members—leaders of unions and associations—participate in the meeting. Substitution of members with their deputies is allowed only in exceptional circumstances, decided by the respective union. Valid reasons for absence from the ACHPCR meeting include force majeure situations. If one of the Co-chairs cannot attend the Advisory Council meeting, the matter of holding the meeting is resolved collectively depending on the circumstances. For example, if the absent member is the scheduled chairperson or the speaker on one of the primary agenda items, the meeting may need to be postponed. Meetings are canceled if two Co-chairs of the ACHPCR are missing.
4.3. Meetings begin and end with a common prayer.
4.4. The agenda structure should begin with the approval of the forthcoming meeting's agenda, followed by the approval of the previous meeting's protocol (with clear formulations of decisions on each discussed point). Next come substantive agenda items. Finally, the chairman proposes a preliminary agenda for the next meeting. The recommended structure for discussing agenda items includes:
a) Presentation of the problem essence – up to 5 minutes;
b) Discussion of the problem – up to 20 minutes;
c) Formulation of the resolution – up to 3 minutes.
5. Rules of Mutual Interaction, regulating the form and style of communication during discussions (see the Code of Conduct for ACHPCR members).
6. Chairman.
The Chairman conducts the meeting and ensures adherence to the General Provisions, Code of Conduct, and Regulations governing ACHPCR meetings. The Chairman pays special attention to ensuring that:
7. Secretary.
The Secretary is responsible for recording the minutes of each ACHPCR meeting, as well as:
The normative reference for the development of these Regulations is the "General Provisions of the Advisory Council of the Heads of Protestant Churches in Russia," approved by the ACHPCR in 2005 and revised in 2024. The format for discussing and making joint decisions within the Advisory Council involves quarterly meetings of all ACHPCR members, which are governed by the Regulations, General Provisions, and Code of Conduct for ACHPCR members.
1. Duration and Frequency of Meetings
1.1. ACHPCR meetings are held quarterly, on a date agreed upon by all ACHPCR members.
1.2. Meeting duration – up to 3 hours, from 10 am to 1 pm. In exceptional cases, meetings may be extended by 1 hour.
2. Venues for ACHPCR Meetings
ACHPCR meetings are held in rotation, at the venue of the Union whose leader chairs the upcoming meeting.
The chairperson of the Advisory Council meeting is responsible for technical preparation and conducting the meeting.
3. Meeting Preparation
3.1. The agenda is compiled by the chairperson of the upcoming meeting based on suggestions from all ACHPCR members and then finalized after approval by the Co-chairs.
3.2. The agenda should not be overloaded. The total number of topics for discussion should not exceed 10, including approval the minutes of the previous meeting and miscellaneous agenda items. For each item on the agenda, a responsible presenter is appointed, who presents not only the issue but also a proposed resolution.
3.3. Individuals directly related to the topic under discussion may be invited to present information on specific items on the agenda. They attend only when the Advisory Council permits their presence during discussions. The final agenda and list of invitees are agreed upon by the Co-chairs of the Advisory Council. Information about this is sent to all ACHPCR members and invited persons.
3.4. The agenda and draft resolutions are attached to the package of the documents distributed to members no later than one week prior to the meeting. These documents include:
- Current agenda, indicating speakers;
- List of invited persons;
- Materials on the discussion issues;
- Draft resolutions for all agenda items.
4. Conduct of the Meeting
4.1. Meetings are conducted in accordance with the rules outlined in the "General Provisions of the Advisory Council of the Heads of Protestant Churches in Russia," the Code of Conduct for ACHPCR members, and this Regulation.
4.2. All ACHPCR members—leaders of unions and associations—participate in the meeting. Substitution of members with their deputies is allowed only in exceptional circumstances, decided by the respective union. Valid reasons for absence from the ACHPCR meeting include force majeure situations. If one of the Co-chairs cannot attend the Advisory Council meeting, the matter of holding the meeting is resolved collectively depending on the circumstances. For example, if the absent member is the scheduled chairperson or the speaker on one of the primary agenda items, the meeting may need to be postponed. Meetings are canceled if two Co-chairs of the ACHPCR are missing.
4.3. Meetings begin and end with a common prayer.
4.4. The agenda structure should begin with the approval of the forthcoming meeting's agenda, followed by the approval of the previous meeting's protocol (with clear formulations of decisions on each discussed point). Next come substantive agenda items. Finally, the chairman proposes a preliminary agenda for the next meeting. The recommended structure for discussing agenda items includes:
a) Presentation of the problem essence – up to 5 minutes;
b) Discussion of the problem – up to 20 minutes;
c) Formulation of the resolution – up to 3 minutes.
5. Rules of Mutual Interaction, regulating the form and style of communication during discussions (see the Code of Conduct for ACHPCR members).
6. Chairman.
The Chairman conducts the meeting and ensures adherence to the General Provisions, Code of Conduct, and Regulations governing ACHPCR meetings. The Chairman pays special attention to ensuring that:
- the meeting stays within the approved agenda;
- unprepared agenda items issues are removed from the agenda;
- time limits for individual agenda items and the entire meeting are observed;
- equal opportunities for expressing opinions are provided to all participants;
- discussions proceed in a businesslike manner, while respecting the personal dignity of those present and absent.
7. Secretary.
The Secretary is responsible for recording the minutes of each ACHPCR meeting, as well as:
- Provides technical assistance to the Chairman in preparing the meeting.
- Prepares the text of the previous meeting's protocol for approval by the Advisory Council and subsequent signing by the Co-chairs.
- Works together with the Expert Council to prepare the text of the upcoming ACHPCR meeting agenda for approval by the Co-chairs at the meeting.