Masses in churches in the archdiocese came to a brief halt Sunday for an unusual reason—parishioners took time to vote for nominees to serve on two councils and five boards established by the Synod.

At press time, returns from about half of the parishes in the archdiocese showed that 7,887 persons voted in the election.

The names of the nominees will be submitted to Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan who will name a board of noninvolved priests and laymen to help him select persons to served on the councils and boards. The finalists will be announced in about two weeks.

“The popular election of laymen by laymen can revolutionized the programming of the Archdiocese of Atlanta,” the archbishop said. “Form follows function in architecture, but in the structure of the Church the functions are more likely to follow the form. It is to have a form suited to 1967 that the Synod directed these changes.

As the years go on, each parish will get to know outstanding members of their parishes and the election of candidates will become easier. This year, there will probably be many candidates and the choice of laymen for service to seven councils and boards will be difficult.

To aid in this, it is planned to make the final choices from the winning candidates. A board of noninvolved priests and laymen will assist me in the selection,” Archbishop Hallinan said.

The two councils’ laymen will serve on are pastoral and administrative. The Pastoral Council is designated to insure the renewal programs of Vatican II. The Administrative Council will coordinate review and report on all budgets and major financial moves.

The boards are development, lay organizations, communications, education and social service. Members of the Development Board will plan long- and short-range expansion programs; the Board of Communications will be to publish the Bulletin and maintain an office of information, the Board of Education will supervise education at all levels; the Board of Social Services will supervise all welfare activities; the Board of Lay Organizations.

The councils and boards will consist of three elected laymen, a nun and two laymen selected by the archbishop. The priests and nuns will be elected by their Senates. The boards of education and social services will have a membership of 12 in the same proportion.

Chairmen of the organizations will be a laymen. A nonvoting priest to serve as secretary to the boards and councils will be appointed by the archbishop.

Two nuns from each convent will meet Sunday, Feb.. 5 at 3 p.m. at the Cathedral Center to discuss appointments.