2016 Wesleyan Discipline:Pastoral vote, voting: Renewal of call

718. Procedure for Renewal of Call. Whenever a pastor’s term of service is expiring, unless the pastor shall give notice otherwise to the vice-chair of the local board of administration (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:773) and the district superintendent, in writing and at least sixty days prior to the convening of the district conference, the pastor shall be considered as available, and a vote on the renewal of the pastoral call shall be taken in keeping with the regulations governing all pastoral voting (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:692).

(1) 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 local board of administration, after consulting with the pastor, may then recommend that a ballot vote be taken to renew the call for an extended period (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:720).

(b) Or, prior to the vote on renewing the call, the local board of administration, after consultation with the pastor, shall recommend to the local church conference a specific call for four years, or an extended call.

(2) A vote for a one or two-year renewal of the call may be authorized by the district superintendent upon the joint request of the pastor and the local board of administration when such is due to extenuating circumstances.

720. Special Regulations for Extended Call.

(1) When a pastor is serving for an extended period, the pastor may, when deemed advisable and when approval has been granted by the district superintendent, ask the local board of administration to conduct a vote by the local church conference on renewing the extended call. Such a vote shall be conducted in keeping with 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:692.

(2) When a pastor is serving for an extended period, the district superintendent shall review the pastoral agreement with the local board of administration at least quadrennially. The local board of administration by a majority vote shall either reaffirm the call or ask the local church conference to vote on renewing the call. Such a vote shall be conducted in keeping with 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:692.

722. Termination of Renewed Call. The service of a pastor whose call has been renewed may be terminated prior to the expiration of the term or in the interim of quadrennial reviews of an extended call (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:720:2) in one of three ways:

(1) The pastor may resign, provided that the termination of service is first approved by the district superintendent. Except as otherwise mutually agreed upon by the local board of administration and the district board of administration, notification of the pastor’s resignation shall be given at least sixty days in advance and the resignation shall become effective in sixty days or at the time set by the district for pastoral changes (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:700).

(2) If one-third of the members of the local board of administration so request the district superintendent in writing, the district superintendent or a representative appointed by the district superintendent shall call and preside over a special session of the local board of administration for the purpose of deciding on whether to call for a pastoral vote by the local church conference. If the local board of administration by majority vote calls for the taking of such a vote, and the district superintendent approves the taking of the same, it shall be taken in keeping with 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:692. If there is a majority vote of the local church conference in favor of retaining the pastor, and the pastor agrees to remain, the pastor shall be free to continue as if the vote had not been taken. If less than a majority are favorable to retaining the pastor, pastoral service shall terminate at the time set by the district for pastoral changes (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:700), or at a time mutually agreed upon by the pastor, the local board of administration and the district superintendent.

(3) The district board of administration may, by a majority vote, order the district superintendent to conduct a pastoral vote in keeping with 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:692. Or the district board of administration, upon the recommendation of the district superintendent (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1310:22), and for the sake of the pastoral charge involved, may remove the pastor by a two-thirds majority vote of all members (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1233:39), with the services of the pastor terminating in sixty days unless ordered otherwise by the district board of administration. If at any time the district board of administration shall deem it in the interests of the district as a whole that the pastor be free to serve elsewhere, it may by majority vote request the pastor to resign.