2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1440–1463

A. District Spiritual Formation Leadership Team

1440. Function. The district board of administration shall serve as or shall establish a district spiritual formation leadership team, which shall endeavor to develop, supervise, correlate, and promote a comprehensive district program of spiritual formation, viewing it as a total process, dealing with the whole person, aiming at a fully coordinated discipleship program in harmony with the objectives for spiritual formation as set forth in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:2305 (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1233:22).

1443. Membership. If a separate district spiritual formation leadership team is established, it shall have as its chair a person elected by the district board of administration. General regulations governing other members of this board are set forth in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1275-1292. Additional members shall be chosen in one of the following ways:

(1) Supervision Option. The district board of administration shall elect two or more ordained ministers and an equal number of lay members to serve with the chair as the district spiritual formation leadership team.

(2) Coordination Option. The district spiritual formation leadership team shall consist of the chair elected by the district board of administration (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1233:22), the district director of spiritual formation (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1460), the district director of adult ministries (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1494), the district director of youth ministries (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1492), the district director of children’s ministries (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1489), the district director of Sunday schools (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1483), the district director of leadership training (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1486), the district president of Wesleyan Youth (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1492), the district director of women’s ministries, the district coordinator of Wesleyan Kids for Missions, the district educational director (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1496), and such members-at-large as the district board of administration shall elect.

1446. Organization. The district board of administration shall elect a chair of the district spiritual formation leadership team. The board shall otherwise organize itself, elect its own officers, and may elect an executive committee for ad interim business (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1440).

1449. Sessions. The district spiritual formation leadership team shall meet soon after the close of the district conference to make plans for the year and shall meet for regular sessions as it shall determine, provided that not less than two sessions shall be held each year. Special sessions may be called by the chair as deemed necessary.

1452. Amenability. The district spiritual formation leadership team shall be an advisory and coordinating body, and shall be amenable to the district board of administration. All plans of the team shall be approved by the district board of administration (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1233:22) or, in the interim of its sessions, by the district superintendent (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1310:8), before their implementation.

1455. Duties. The duties and powers of the district spiritual formation leadership team are:

(1) To develop, supervise, and coordinate the work of spiritual formation within the district; to review and coordinate plans of each director and agency, including the district director of spiritual formation, the district director of adult ministries, the district director of youth ministries, the district director of children’s ministries, the district Sunday school director, the district director of leadership training, the district educational director, and others that may be appointed for spiritual formation activities in the district, which shall subsequently be submitted to the district board of administration for approval (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1452).

(2) To receive reports from the various district directors and secretaries of the leadership team and to advise them concerning their work, assisting each district agency to maintain an effective program for its particular age division of spiritual formation.

(3) To advise and assist the district directors in implementing the plans and programs of the general divisions which they represent within the district.

(4) To be responsible for the planning and supervision of the summer camps for children and youth; to submit detailed plans for such camps to the district board of administration for their approval; and to carry out the approved plans.

(5) To promote the interests of the educational institutions of The Wesleyan Church, particularly the general educational institutions in the area of which the district is a part, and to see that they are represented in the various youth camps and conventions as deemed appropriate.

(6) To present recommendations to the district board of administration and to the district conference for the growth of the work through the various ministries of spiritual formation, and for the financial plans and other interests of the work under their care.

(7) To define the duties of the district director of spiritual formation in addition to what is set forth in The Discipline and to supervise the activities of the district director of spiritual formation.

(8) To perform such other duties related to spiritual formation as are assigned by the district conference or the district board of administration.

B. District Director of Spiritual Formation

1460. The district conference may elect or employ or may authorize the district board of administration to elect or employ a district director of spiritual formation (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1180:35e or see 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1483 if a district Sunday school director is desired instead). The term of office, amenability, and other regulations as a district departmental officer are set forth in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1275-1292, except that when the district director of spiritual formation is elected or employed by the district board of administration that board shall have authority to determine the term of office.

1463. The duties of a district director of spiritual formation shall be (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1460):

(1) To promptly report the election or employment to the Executive Director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship, and the Executive Director of Education and Clergy Development, and to cooperate with them in implementing and promoting the policies and programs of the general divisions within the district.

(2) To serve as the executive secretary of the district board of spiritual formation, if so appointed by the district board of administration (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1440-1443), helping to coordinate the total program of spiritual formation within the district, and serving as a resource person in advising and assisting the various discipleship leaders in their particular phase of the work.

(3) To assume, as assigned by the district conference, the duties of the district director of adult ministries, the district director of youth ministries, the district director of children’s ministries, the district director of leadership training, the district educational director, and the promotional duties of the district WY director/president.

(4) To visit the churches of the district in such order and manner as the district superintendent shall approve, assisting pastors, Sunday school superintendents, children’s ministries directors, WY presidents, adult ministry directors, and other discipleship leaders.

(5) To serve as director of the summer camping program to the extent recommended by the district spiritual formation leadership team and approved by the district board of administration (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1455:4).

(6) To promote the interests of the general educational institutions within the area, helping to recruit students and to promote the raising of funds.

(7) To submit an annual report of official activities to the district conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1180:13), including a financial report of expenses and a report of what has been accomplished by the district for spiritual formation, a copy of which shall be forwarded to the Executive Directors of Church Multiplication and Discipleship and Education and Clergy Development; and to submit other reports as may be requested (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1288).

(8) To keep a file of correspondence and other records, and to submit the same to the successor in office.

(9) To perform other duties in the interests of spiritual formation as may be assigned by the district conference, the district board of administration or the district spiritual formation leadership team.