Chapter 3: Local Church Conference

A. Composition and Function

625. The members of a local church, duly called and assembled together to do business, constitute the local church conference. It is the highest governing body of a local Wesleyan church, and exercises those powers granted to the local church by the Constitution (315), and other powers specifically granted to the local church conference by the General Conference as set forth in The Discipline (302; 500; 555).

B. Sessions

630. Regular Sessions. The local church conference shall meet annually within thirty days of the end of the district year (1180:17). It shall be announced from the pulpit at least two weeks in advance (625). Reports shall be made; the officers and local board of administration shall be elected (815; 823; 965; 1103); and such other business shall be transacted as necessary (650).

633. Special Session.

(1) General Business. The local church conference may be called into special session by the pastor, or in times of emergency by the district superintendent, for the transaction of any business, with announcement from the pulpit in two regular services, the first of which shall be given not less than one week before the appointed time. The requirements for special sessions dealing with legal or property matters are set forth in 4040 and 4700.

(2) Pastoral Vote. The vice-chair of the local board of administration (635; 773), when authorized to do so by the local board of administration, and having notified the district superintendent, may call a special session of the local church conference to conduct a pastoral vote, with announcement at least two weeks in advance of the appointed time. During negotiations for calling a new pastor, the announcement need be made only from the pulpit and in only one regular service in advance of the appointed time.

C. Organization and Procedure

1. Officers

635. Chair. The pastor shall preside over the local church conference except over sessions dealing with the securing or retaining of a pastor. The vice-chair of the local board of administration (773) shall preside over sessions dealing with the securing or retaining of a pastor, if the district superintendent, or a representative appointed by the district superintendent, is not present. The vice-chair may also preside, at the request of the pastor, over other sessions of the local church conference. In emergencies, when the pastor is absent or incapacitated, the vice-chair may preside over other sessions with the permission of the district superintendent.

638. Secretary. The local church secretary, elected annually by the local church conference, shall serve as secretary of the local church conference by virtue of this office (830:1).

2. Procedure

640. Quorum. Those members who assemble for a meeting of the local church conference when such has been duly called shall constitute a quorum.

643. Voting. A majority vote of those present and voting in the local church conference shall be sufficient in all items of business unless otherwise required by The Discipline or by local laws when dealing with legal matters.

645. Rules of Order. The business of the local church conference shall be conducted according to the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, except when formally suspended or otherwise ordered by The Discipline.

650. Order of Business. The local church conference, in all regular sessions, shall give special attention to the spiritual, numerical, and financial progress of the church, including the following items:

(1) Reading of minutes of last session, unless authority to approve the minutes has been delegated by the local church conference to the local board of administration.

(2) Receiving the reports of the pastor(s) and any others the local church conference shall order.

(3) Receiving the reports of the various treasurers (863).

(4) Receiving and acting upon the reports of boards and committees.

(5) Receiving the reports of the lay ministers.

(6) Granting or renewing of local licenses for lay ministers.

(7) Recommending suitable members to the district conference for district licenses as ministerial students and special workers (315:3-4).

(8) Electing of officers and delegates.

(9) Miscellaneous business.

D. Duties and Powers

655. The local church conference has duties and powers to:

(1) Approve by vote the reception of members and to expel or discontinue members unless it delegates full authority concerning membership to the local board of administration (567; 315:1). Such authority may be withdrawn from the local board of administration at any annual session of the local church conference.

(2) Call a pastor or renew the call (315:2; 692; 705; 720; 735), or to vote on the termination of a renewed call as set forth in 722:2.

(3) Elect the church officers (315:5), which shall consist of the local church secretary (830), the local church treasurer (if any, 842), members-at-large of the local board of administration (752), and lay delegates to the district conference (315:5, 7).

(4) Receive reports from the pastor(s), church officers, lay ministers and other persons, boards, and committees as desired, and as listed in 650:2–5.

(5) Remove, when such is in the best interests of the church, by a majority vote of those present and voting, any church officer, trustee, or delegate mentioned in 655:4 (782:23).

(6) License lay ministers (315:3), and to renew or revoke such license (782:18; 3410; 3420; 3440:2). This power may be delegated to the local board of administration.

(7) Recommend suitable members to the district conference for district licenses as ministerial students, licensed ministers, or special workers (315:3). This power may be delegated to the local board of administration.

(8) Adopt petitions or resolutions to the district conference, including memorials proposed for recommendation to the General Conference (1150–1156).

(9) Adopt financial policies, which policies shall be administered by the local board of administration (782:27).

(10) Delegate to the local board of administration (782:28) full authority over the annual budget.

(11) Authorize the purchase or sale of property, the erection or major remodeling of buildings, and all mortgages or other indebtedness which encumbers the property, subject to the prior approval of the district board of administration, according to the procedure set forth in 4700–4720.

(12) Corroborate by majority vote, if not under discipline, the action of the district board of administration to discontinue the local church (1233:26).

(13) Petition the district board of administration for the incorporation of the local church when it is deemed necessary as set forth in 4000, and to authorize the local board of administration to incorporate the church when such incorporation has been approved by the district board of administration (1233:30).

(14) Authorize, subject to the approval of the district board of administration, the establishment and operation of a mission (537; 782:6; 1233:26).

(15) Delegate such responsibilities as it shall choose to the local board of administration.

(16) Have recourse to a proper court of jurisdiction in any matters of controversy between itself and other local, or district, or general units or agencies of the denomination (315:8; General Board Policy on Church Discipline).

(17) Authorize the establishment of a day care and/or a day school of preschool, elementary, and secondary levels only, when such is desired, subject to approval by the district board of administration; and to delegate governance of the day care and/or day school to the local board of administration (782:33; 1233:32). District conference and General Board approval is required before a local church conference can formalize postsecondary education in terms of an institute or of junior college or college-level programs (1180:25; 1655:36).

(18) Authorize significant changes in mission, facilities, or finances of an established day care and/or day school, subject to approval by the district board of administration (1233:32).