Memorandum Number 635

Review of Bishop's Decision of Law in the Wisconsin Annual Conference Concerning Legality of Disbursing Annual Conference Funds to the Wisconsin Chapter, Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights (WRCAR).

Digest

At the 1990 session of the Wisconsin Annual Conference Bishop David J. Lawson was asked for a ruling on two questions of law:

A. Is it lawful for the Wisconsin Annual Conference Board of Church and Society to expend Conference resources of any kind for the benefit of the Wisconsin chapter, Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights (WRCAR)?

B. Is it lawful for any Conference funds to be budgeted, or disbursed, or any other conference resources to be expended for the benefit of WRCAR?

Bishop Lawson ruled that "in light of the total context of Discipline paragraphs 71f and 71g, and in light of the written statement of purpose of RCAR, there is nothing to prevent the Wisconsin Annual Conference from considering and deciding its response to this issue."

The decision of Bishop Lawson is affirmed.