2016 Wesleyan Discipline:District Superintendent: Qualifications and tenure

1303. Qualifications and Tenure. A district superintendent shall exhibit the desire to live a holy life and demonstrate the same in practice; shall live in full accord with the vision and values of The Wesleyan Church; have passion and compassion for the lost and the least; and exhibit vision and administrative leadership. The regulations for a district superintendent are (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1255-1272):

(1) Election. The district superintendent shall be elected by the district conference, by ballot and by majority vote, from among the ordained ministers of The Wesleyan Church (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1180:31; cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1935:31). If the district superintendent who is elected is from outside the membership of the electing district, the district superintendent shall immediately arrange for the transfer of local and district membership.

(2) Term of Office. The initial election of a district superintendent shall be for a term of two years. Reelection thereafter shall be for a term of four years or an extended period (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1262). The initial term of a newly elected district superintendent begins at the rise of the district conference. However, when mutually agreed upon or deemed in the best interests of the district, the district board of administration may delay the beginning of the term of the newly elected district superintendent and provide an appropriate transition period before ending the term of the outgoing district superintendent. The salary of a district superintendent should be continued for one month beyond the date for the termination of service, unless the salary is removed by the district board of administration.

(3) Reelection. Unless a district superintendent whose term is expiring shall give notice to the General Superintendent and district board of administration no less than 90 days prior to district conference, the district superintendent shall be considered available. The General Superintendent shall lead the district board of administration in a formal evaluation of the district superintendent’s job performance in relation to established missional goals and objectives (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1935:29-30) prior to any vote on reelection to office. If necessary, by a majority vote the district board of administration may request procedural intervention by the General Superintendent to declare that reelection by a “yes/no” vote shall not occur but that the nomination process in Discipline 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1303:8 must be followed. When an incumbent district superintendent does not receive a majority vote on the initial “yes/no” ballot for reelection, the provision of 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1303:8 for the special committee on nominations shall become effective.

(4) Term of Reelection. One of the following alternative procedures shall be followed:

(a) A vote for a four-year renewal of the call shall be taken. If the vote on a four-year renewal of the call is favorable, the district board of administration, after consulting with the district superintendent and upon approval of the General Superintendent, may then recommend to the district conference that a ballot vote be taken to renew the call for an extended period.

(b) Or, prior to the vote on renewing the call, the district board of administration, after consultation with the district superintendent and upon approval of the General Superintendent, shall recommend to the district conference a specific call for four years or an extended call.

(5) Special Regulations for Extended Call. The General Superintendent shall review the call relationship with the district board of administration at least quadrennially. At the evaluation, the district board of administration shall either reaffirm by majority vote the extended call or shall, in consultation with the General Superintendent, announce a vote of the district conference for affirmation of continuing the call.

(6) Ex Officio Duties. The district superintendent is a ministerial member of the General Conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:325; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1503:1a), vice-chair of the district conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:350:3; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1120), chair of the district board of administration (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1203; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1221), chair of the district board of ministerial development unless electing to appoint another to serve (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1381), chair of the district board of evangelism and church growth unless electing to appoint another to serve (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1416), chair of the district building committee (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1345), chair of the district conference action committee when such is authorized (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1165), unless electing to appoint another to serve, chair of the district conference nominating committee when such is authorized (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1172), and an ex officio member of the district conventions of women’s ministry and Wesleyan Youth.

(7) Vacancy. Whenever the office of superintendent is vacated other than at district conference, or when other existing circumstances warrant, the district board of administration, in consultation with the General Superintendent, shall appoint an interim superintendent to serve until the next annual session of the district conference, or until a successor is elected or the district board of administration declares the period of service ended. An interim district superintendent shall be granted full authority to carry out the duties assigned to a district superintendent by The Discipline.

(8) Special District Committee for Nominations. Whenever a vacancy has resulted in the appointment of an acting superintendent, or whenever a district superintendent shall announce unavailability for continued service, a special district committee for nominations shall be formed with the General Superintendent as chair, comprised of the members of the district board of administration, or by persons they choose. The special district committee for nominations shall screen and select persons believed to have the qualities needed for the office of district superintendent and present one or more nominees to the district conference session. The district conference shall elect in accordance with 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1303:1, and shall not be limited to the persons nominated by the special committee on nominations.