2016 Wesleyan Discipline:Local Church Conference: Duties and powers

655. The local church conference has duties and powers:

(1) To 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 (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:567; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:315:1). Such authority may be withdrawn from the local board of administration at any annual session of the local church conference.

(2) To call a pastor or renew the call (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:315:2; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:692; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:705; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:718; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:720; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:735), or to vote on the termination of a renewed call as set forth in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:722:2.

(3) To authorize a nominating committee, which shall be chaired by the pastor, to which the local board of administration shall elect two members who meet the leadership qualifications (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:260-268; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:558) from its membership, and to which the local church conference may, at its option, elect up to four additional members who meet the leadership qualifications who are not members of the local board of administration (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:820-823).

(4) To elect the church officers (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:315:5), which shall consist of the lay leader (if any, cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:833), the spiritual formation director (if any 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:880:5), the local church secretary (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:830), the local church treasurer (if any, cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:842), the Sunday school superintendent (if any, cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:889), the trustees (designating annually at least one trustee to serve as a member of the local board of administration (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:850), members- at-large of the local board of administration (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:752), and lay delegates to the district conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:315:5, 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:7).

(5) To receive reports from the pastor(s), church officers, lay ministers and other persons, boards, and committees as desired, and as listed in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:650:2-5.

(6) To 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 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:655:4 (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:782:25).

(7) To license lay ministers (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:315:3), and to renew or revoke such license (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:782:20; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3410; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3420; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3440:2). This power may be delegated to the local board of administration.

(8) To recommend suitable members to the district conference for district licenses as ministerial students, licensed ministers, or special workers (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:315:3). This power may be delegated to the local board of administration.

(9) To adopt petitions or resolutions to the district conference, including memorials proposed for recommendation to the General Conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1150-1156).

(10) To adopt financial policies, which policies shall be administered by the local board of administration (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:782:30).

(11) To authorize the enlargement or decrease of the employed staff (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:782:17).

(12) To adopt an annual budget (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:782:31), and to authorize all expenditures not provided for in the annual budget; or to delegate to the local board of administration (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:782:31) full authority over the annual budget.

(13) To authorize the purchase or sale of property, the erection or major remodeling of buildings (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1345:2), 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 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4700-4720.

(14) To corroborate by majority vote, if not under discipline, the action of the district board of administration to discontinue the local church (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1233:30).

(15) To petition the district board of administration for the incorporation of the local church when it is deemed necessary as set forth in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline: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 (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1233:33).

(16) To authorize, subject to the approval of the district board of administration, the establishment and operation of a mission (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:537; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:782:6; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1233:30), a branch Sunday school, or a developing church, in order to share the benefits of the gospel with others.

(17) To delegate such responsibilities as it shall choose to the local board of administration.

(18) To 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 (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:315:8; see also 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:General Board Policy on Church Discipline).

(19) To 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 (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:782:36; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1233:35). A local church conference shall not formalize post-secondary education in terms of an institute or of junior college or college-level programs, without prior approval of the district conference and the General Board. (Cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1180:24; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1655:36.)

(20) To 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 (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1233:35).