2016 Wesleyan Discipline:Ministerial Appointments: Educator

1240:I:A:

4. Denominational Service.

a. Ordained ministers elected by the General Conference or General Board as general officials (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1800; cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3320).

b. Ordained ministers employed at the World Headquarters, or those elected or employed by the board of directors of a general subsidiary corporation other than an educational institution, for full-time General Church service in a ministerial capacity as set forth in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3320.

c. Ordained ministers appointed by the General Board for service in a ministerial capacity as missionaries or workers under the Church Multiplication and Discipleship Division or Global Partners Division as set forth in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3300.

d. Ordained ministers employed to serve in a ministerial capacity on the administrative staff or faculty of a general educational institution of The Wesleyan Church (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:2365) or one of the seminaries approved by the Wesleyan Seminary Foundation (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:2382).

e. Ordained ministers traveling and teaching in local churches and districts without a specific or pastoral assignment as itinerant Bible teachers (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3310:3).

3310. Ordained, commissioned or licensed ministers may serve as educators in educational institutions, or itinerant Bible teaching ministers to local churches and districts, and be appointed as follows:

(1) When an ordained, commissioned or licensed minister has been employed to serve in a ministerial capacity on the administrative staff or faculty of one of the general educational institutions of The Wesleyan Church, or of one of the seminaries approved by The Wesleyan Seminary Foundation, the district conference shall list the minister as if it had made the appointment. An ordained minister so serving shall be placed upon the appointed list (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1240:I:A:4d) and shall be a voting member of the district conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1083:1). A commissioned or licensed minister so serving shall be a nonvoting member of the district conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1090:3).

(2) An ordained, commissioned or licensed minister may be employed in a ministerial capacity in spiritual formation or a special Christian education program of a local Wesleyan church, subject to review by the district board of administration and appointment by the district conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1180:26; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1233:10). An ordained minister so appointed shall be placed upon the appointed list (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1240:I:A:2c) and shall be a voting member of the district conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1083:1). A commissioned or licensed minister so serving shall be a nonvoting member of the district conference and shall be listed under “Other Appointments” (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1090:3; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1240:II:B; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1240:III:B).

(3) When an ordained, commissioned or licensed minister devotes time to traveling and teaching in local churches and districts without a specific or pastoral assignment, the minister shall be recognized as an itinerant Bible teacher subject to recommendation and appointment by the district conference of which the minister is a member. An ordained minister so appointed shall be placed on the appointed list (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1240:I:A:4e), and shall be a voting member of the district conference. A commissioned or licensed minister so appointed shall be a non-voting member of the district conference and shall be listed under “Other Appointments” (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1240:II:B or 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1240:III:B) as is appropriate.

3335. An ordained minister employed in a ministerial capacity as an officer in a church-related organization serving The Wesleyan Church, or approved upon careful evaluation of the district conference to serve with an educational institution, evangelistic or missionary organization not directly related to The Wesleyan Church, shall be appointed to interchurch service and shall be listed by the district as an appointed ordained minister (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1240:I:A:6) and shall be a voting member of the district conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1083:1). A commissioned or licensed minister so appointed shall be a nonvoting member of the district conference and shall be listed under “Other Appointments” (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1240:II:B; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1240:III:B). Ministers serving in this category shall sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), available from the district superintendent, also signed by the district superintendent and the supervisor of the district/judicatory of the ministry with which the minister is serving. The MOU will clarify reporting and accountability responsibilities of this service as well as defining the length of service expected in this appointment. Service extending beyond five years of initial appointment in this capacity must be approved by the district board of administration.