Specially called meetings - are other motions allowed?

[Guest Tim Grove]

Our church congregation decided to call a special meeting for the purpose of considering and voting on a specific motion. (We were voting to change our bylaws, had heard the proposed changes at the previous regular meeting, and were calling this meeting to consider the motion after the required 30 day notice period.)

After the motion on the floor was debated and voted on, a member asked to bring a different motion to the assembly. The moderator of the meeting explained that the meeting had been called to deal with the original motion only, and no other business was to be brought before the assembly. The meeting was adjourned. Was the moderator out of order in disallowing the new motion, or not?

No agenda was present or adopted by the assembly - only the knowledge and statements beforehand that the meeting was a specially called meeting to discuss and vote on the original motion.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

[Chris Harrison]

Only items of business that were included in the call of the Special Meeting can be validly conducted (RONR p. 93). If this member's motion wasn't included in the call of the meeting then the Moderator was correct in not allowing the motion. I assume that your bylaws specifically provide for the calling of a Special Meeting?