2016 Wesleyan Discipline:C. Local Church Conference Organization and Procedure

C. Organization and Procedure

1. Officers

635. Chair. The district superintendent, or a representative appointed by the district superintendent, shall preside over the local church conference whenever present. In their absence, the pastor shall preside, except over sessions dealing with the securing or retaining of a pastor. The vice-chair of the local board of administration (2016 Wesleyan Discipline: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 (2016 Wesleyan Discipline: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, whether annually or quarterly, 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), spiritual formation director, Sunday school superintendent, director of women’s ministry, coordinator of Wesleyan Kids for Missions, director of adult ministries, director of Wesleyan Youth, director of children’s ministries, and any others the local church conference shall order.

(3) Receiving the reports of the various treasurers (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline: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 (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:315:3-4).

(8) Electing of officers, trustees and delegates.

(9) Miscellaneous business.