Chapter 3: District Board of Administration

A. Function

1200. The district board of administration carries out the will of the district conference, promotes the interests of The Wesleyan Church within the district, and serves as the chief governing body of the district in the interim of district conference sessions.

B. Membership

1203. Composition. The district board of administration is composed of the district superintendent, the assistant district superintendent(s) (1320), the district secretary, the district treasurer, and members-at-large:

(1) The district conference shall elect at least seven members-at-large to the district board of administration, making a total of not fewer than ten members elected so that at least four are lay members (1203:2).

(2) Whenever a district conference chooses to elect more than the minimum number of members-at-large to its district board of administration, due regard shall be given to elect a proportionate number of lay members.

1206. Regulations for a Member-at-Large. Each member-at-large of a district board of administration shall be a member who meets the leadership qualifications (260-268; 558) of a local Wesleyan church within the district of service, both at the time of election and throughout the tenure of membership. A ministerial member-at-large shall be chosen from among the ordained ministers of the district. The term of office shall be for one, two, or three years (1282), and the member-at-large shall serve until a successor is elected and qualified. Regulations governing the amenability of a member-at-large of the district board of administration and the declaring and filling of a vacancy in such office are the same as those for district officials set forth in 1265 and 1272 (1233:24a).

C. Sessions

1209. Organizing Sessions. The district board of administration shall meet immediately after the close of the district conference for an organizing session to:

(1) Care for any business delegated to it by the district conference which requires immediate attention.

(2) Appoint or employ a district treasurer (1335), when such has been authorized by the district conference (1180:30).

(3) Elect those officers and members whose terms expire at the time of the district board’s organizing session (1233:19).

(4) Make plans for the year and to care for any other business as deemed necessary.

1212. Regular Sessions. The district board of administration shall meet at such time and place as it shall determine, provided that it shall meet at least once each quarter.

1215. Special Sessions. The district board of administration may authorize special sessions as it deems necessary, or it may be called into special session by the district superintendent or in the event of an emergency, when the district superintendent is unable to act, by the assistant district superintendent (1320; 1323:2), or the General Superintendent, or the General Superintendent’s representative. A special session shall also be called when requested by the General Board or the General Superintendent. All members shall be notified at least one week in advance of a special session, except when all are able to meet on shorter notice.

1218. Evaluation Sessions. The General Superintendent shall, with the district board of administration, evaluate periodically the service of and financial provision for the district superintendent. The method and extent of such evaluation shall be determined by the General Superintendent with special attention focused on those responsibilities that are most likely to contribute to future outreach and growth to the glory of God.

D. Organization and Procedures

1221. Chair. The district superintendent shall preside as chair over the district board of administration. The designated assistant district superintendent, shall preside in the absence of the district superintendent or when requested to do so by the district superintendent (1320). If neither is present, the board shall elect from among its members a chair pro tem.

1224. Secretary. The district secretary is the secretary of the district board of administration by virtue of this office.

1227. Quorum. A majority of all members of the board shall constitute a quorum.

1230. Voting. A majority of those present and voting shall be sufficient except for those matters for which a larger majority is required by The Discipline or by legal or corporate requirements.

E. Duties and Powers

1233. The duties and powers of the district board of administration are to:

General Duties

(1) Serve as the chief governing body of the district in the interim of district conference sessions, caring for all the interests of The Wesleyan Church within the bounds of the district in accord with The Discipline.

(2) Promote the interests of the general divisions and educational institutions of The Wesleyan Church; to encourage their support and to receive their representatives.

(3) Be responsible within the district for the promotion of world missions and general evangelism and church growth.

Related to the District Conference

(4) Cooperate with the district superintendent in evaluating the health of the district; establishing policies, goals, and objectives for more effectively fulfilling the mission of the district; empowering the district superintendent to pursue the goals and objectives within the established policies and through the district’s pastors and members; and periodically receiving performance reports from the district superintendent.

(5) Carry out the plans and objectives of the district conference.

(6) Cooperate with the General Superintendent in establishing the date for the annual session of the district conference (1112).

(7) Call for a reconvened session of the district conference by a two-thirds majority vote of all members of the district board of administration, subject to the approval of the General Superintendent, and to call for a reconvened session when requested to do so by the General Board (1115) or the General Superintendent.

(8) Allot to each church or circuit of the district the number of lay delegates it shall elect to the district conference (1100).

(9) Submit resolutions directly to the district conference that will provide for a more efficient administration and advancement of the district work, and to submit proposed memorials to the General Conference (1557; 1180:3).

(10) Serve the district conference as a committee on pastoral relations and ministerial appointments, being responsible to:

(a) Review all pastoral agreements between churches and ministers of the district (690-722).

(b) Receive a report from the district board of ministerial development concerning matters related to district conference appointments and relations as set forth in 1390:10.

(c) Submit to the district conference a comprehensive report covering all the churches and ministers of the district: recommending any necessary changes in the boundaries of the pastoral charges or in the classification of churches (1180:22-23; 4720-4750); recommending the appointment of pastors for all churches for the coming year (510:1), including the approval, alteration, or veto of pastoral agreements already made by the churches and ministers (323:2), and the appointment of pastors or the delegation of responsibility for such appointment for churches otherwise without pastors (1180:24), and recommending the appointment and/or classification of all other ordained ministers (3075:5), commissioned or licensed ministers, special workers, and the licensing of ministerial students as set forth in 1180:24 and 1240 (3015:1).

(11) Carry out the following duties concerning the United Stewardship Fund (2000-2045): submit a recommendation to the district conference for the raising of the district obligation and the apportioning to each church of its share of the district obligation (2015; 1337:6); approve adjustments in United Stewardship Fund assessments due to building projects as set forth in 2005:2; administer the district plan for raising the district obligation and see that such obligation is paid in full (2015:3).

Duties Relating to District Officers, Committees, and Auxiliaries

(12) Have the general oversight of all district officials (1255) and organizations of the district; approve their plans and to coordinate their work; and see that the work is administered according to The Discipline and the directives of the district conference (1265-1272; 1285-1292; 1337:8; 1384).

(13) Incorporate the district, when so authorized by the district conference (1180:19), as provided for in 4100-4150]; serve as the board of directors of such corporation; have power on its own resolution to acquire, purchase, manage, sell, exchange, mortgage, deed in trust, pledge, rent, lease, and convey any property, real, personal, or mixed, as may be necessary or convenient for the purpose of the corporation; and exercise its corporate powers in accord with the provisions of The Discipline (4100-4150; 4500-4630; 4660; 4680; 4800-4880).

(14) Carry out, whenever the district is not incorporated, such duties, and exercise such authority over district property and other legal affairs as set forth in 4500-4630 and 4800-4880.

(15) Provide for the preservation and security of all district records and archives, directing the district superintendent (1310:13; 4760), the district secretary (1332:6-7), the secretary of the district board of ministerial development (1387), and any others, concerning the care of the records placed in their custody.

(16) Space reserved.

(17) Adopt an annual budget of income and expense for the district; set the salaries, allowances, and related matters for the district officials (1303:2); to promote the raising of district funds in keeping with the plans of the district conference (1180:15); to set aside a portion of all local church base income for church multiplication purposes and to hold the same in accounts only for reporting that district’s multiplication plans; to direct the district treasurer in the handling and disbursement of such funds (1337:3); to have the district treasurer bonded, and to set the amount of such bond, the expense for which shall be paid by the district.

(18) Employ an auditor and to assign the duties (1340), and direct an audit of the records and funds in the custody of the district treasurer, or any other treasurers of the district (1337:7).

(19) Elect or employ a district treasurer and to elect such district officers and members of the district boards or committees as required by The Discipline or delegated to it by the district conference (1180:30; 1233:34; 1245; 1340); to elect members of the district board of ministerial development in keeping with the requirements for that board; and to ratify the appointment of the chair if the district superintendent chooses not to serve (1378-1381).

(20) Take responsibility for developing, supervising, and promoting an aggressive program of district evangelism and church growth, and to cooperate in such endeavor with the General Superintendent.

(21) Space reserved.

(22) Elect four ordained ministers and three lay members as members of the district board of review, and to elect two ordained ministers and two lay members to serve as alternates and to fill vacancies (Gen. Bd. Policy on Ch. Disc. 5218).

(23) Request a ruling on a point of Church law or an interpretation of The Discipline from the General Superintendent and to appeal the same to the Board of Review (2064; Gen. Bd. Policy on Ch. Disc. 5445:1-2); and to request assistance from the General Board or its Executive Board, through the General Superintendent, when deemed necessary.

(24) Remove for cause or whenever the best interests of the Church and the district so require:

(a) Any of its own members, with the exception of the district superintendent (1307), by a two-thirds majority vote of all members, and to fill such vacancies for the unexpired term (1206; 1265; 1272).

(b) Any member of a board or other agency of the district by a majority vote and to fill such vacancies for the unexpired term (1292).

Related to Churches and Ministers

(25) Organize and supervise all pastoral charges of the district in accord with The Discipline and other district directives so that each one may be an effective unit of The Wesleyan Church; to guard carefully the spiritual life and general welfare of all the churches; to plan and conduct conventions, institutes, or seminars for pastors and other workers in the district, promoting such for the purpose of spiritual refreshment, leadership development, greater efficiency, and a more united effort within the district and the General Church.

(26) Authorize the establishment of a mission (537; 655:14), a developing church (510), an urban missional church (523), or a church (518), and to receive a report from the district superintendent on the effecting of such organizations (520:6); to reclassify an established church as a developing church when its number of members drops to thirty or fewer (518:7a); and to declare a church as discontinued or abandoned (1180:22; 4730). Any established church that is not under discipline may not be discontinued without a corroborating vote of the local church conference (655:12).

(27) Approve an annual district church multiplication plan including a report on multiplication projects of the prior year, as well as planned projects for multiplication in the coming year, and submit the same to the General Superintendent for review. Any use of funds for other than designated purposes must be approved by the General Superintendent.

(28) Receive the report of the district superintendent concerning the actions of the local advisory council of each developing church (510:3).

(29) Approve all pastoral agreements and make all ministerial appointments in the interim of district conference sessions, subject to the final approval of the district conference (715; 722:1, 3).

(30) Approve in writing the proposal of a local church conference for the acquisition, purchase, sale, mortgage, transfer or other disposal of real property in accord with the provisions in 4700-4790 (4000-4070); to advise a local board of administration when a local church has received an out-of-pattern contribution with value equal to or exceeding the total contributions of the preceding year (782:32); to authorize the incorporation of a local church in keeping with 4000 (655:13; 4010:6); to approve the name of a new church or name change or adaptation requested by a developing or established church.

(31) Supervise and coordinate the merger of two or more churches and to establish the procedures for such mergers. The plans for merger initiated by the local board or boards of administration must be submitted for approval to the district board of administration before presenting the proposals to the local church conference for consideration and vote.

(32) Approve the plans of a local board of administration for the establishment of a day care and/or day school, and after its establishment to approve any significant change in mission, facilities, or finances (655:17; 782:33-34).

(33) Take charge of any complaints or accusations against a local church or circuit within the district and to carry out disciplinary proceedings as deemed necessary in accord with the General Board Policy on Church Discipline (5300-5325; 5221); to intervene and protect the property rights of The Wesleyan Church and the district as set forth in 4010:6; 4770; 4840:6; to authorize the district superintendent to call for an affirmation of loyalty; to reorganize a local church as set forth in the General Board Policy on Church Discipline (5300-5325).

(34) Grant temporary recognition (1390:3) to ordained ministers, commissioned ministers, licensed ministers, and commissioned special workers or persons with equivalent standing, from other denominations, as being in process of transfer, subject to the action of the next district conference (1180:27a, d, e; 1310:26).

(35) Consider and pass on the proposed resignation by, or a proposed vote on, a pastor after the renewal of the call, when such is considered before the term of service expires or in the interim of quadrennial reviews (722:2); or to remove a pastor by a two-thirds majority vote of all members of the district board of administration in keeping with the provisions of 712; 722:3; 1310:20; and to appoint a supply pastor, if necessary, until another pastor has been obtained (715); or to remove a supply pastor by a majority vote if deemed necessary (3260:5); and to appoint an interim pastor or to remove an interim pastor by a majority vote (3261:2).

(36) Take charge of judicial proceedings, the ordering of investigations (Gen. Bd. Policy on Ch. Disc. 5012) or hearings, for any ordained minister, commissioned minister, licensed minister, ministerial student, commissioned or licensed special worker, or other worker under the jurisdiction of the district in accord with the provisions of the General Board Policy on Church Discipline (5200; 5203-5215).

(37) Represent the district, in the interim of district conference sessions, in judicial proceedings over matters of controversy between the district and other local, district, or general units or agencies (323:10; Gen. Bd. Policy on Ch. Disc. 5445:2, 4).

(38) To appoint the desired number of ordained ministers as a council of ordination (1405), except when the district conference shall designate the ordained ministers on the district board of ministerial development as the council of ordination (1180:34; 1390:6); and, in case of emergency, in the interim of district conference sessions, to elect to ordination a candidate recommended by the district board of ministerial development (3070:5).

F. The Listing of District Conference Relations and Appointments

1240. The ordained ministers, commissioned ministers, licensed ministers, ministerial students, commissioned special workers, licensed special workers, commissioned lay missionaries, and supply pastors of the district shall be listed in the following order as appointed by the district conference (1180:24; 1233:10). This listing shall be included in the district conference journal (1178) as an official district directory and shall be used for that portion of the district conference roll call.

1. Ordained Ministers

A. APPOINTED ORDAINED MINISTERS (3250-3390).

1. District Service.

The district superintendent and other ordained ministers in full-time service of the district in a ministerial capacity (3320; 1327; 1460).

2. Pastoral and Local Service.

a. Ordained ministers appointed as pastors, assistant pastors, or interim pastors within the district (3255).

b. Ordained ministers on loan to other districts of The Wesleyan Church for service as supply pastors (3100:2; 3260:1).

c. Ordained ministers appointed to serve in a local church spiritual formation or Christian education program (3310:2).

3. Evangelistic Service.

a. Associate general evangelists. Ordained ministers appointed as associate general evangelists (3270; 3280).

b. General evangelists. Ordained ministers appointed as general evangelists (3270; 3275; 3285:1).

c. Reserve evangelists. Ordained ministers appointed as reserve evangelists (3270; 3275; 3285:2).

4. Denominational Service.

a. Ordained ministers elected by the General Conference or General Board as general officials (1800; 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 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 3300.

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

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

5. Chaplains (3330).

Ordained ministers approved by the Committee on Chaplains and commissioned by the government as military chaplains, or employed as full-time professional institutional chaplains.

6. Interchurch Service (3335).

Ordained ministers employed in a ministerial capacity in interchurch service, serving with an educational, evangelistic, or missionary organization not directly related to The Wesleyan Church, provided such service is approved by the district conference.

7. Special Service (3345).

Ordained ministers serving in active ministry not otherwise provided for, if such service is approved by the district conference.

8. Affiliate Church Pastor (3346; 7010).

Ordained ministers appointed by the district conference to service on staff of an affiliate church.

B. RETIRED ORDAINED MINISTERS (3370)

Ordained ministers retired because of age or incapacitated by infirmity, provided they were either on the appointed list, on reserve, or on educational leave at the time of such incapacitation or retirement.

C. RESERVE ORDAINED MINISTERS (3360)

Ordained ministers available for but without appointment. An ordained minister who remains on reserve for two consecutive years shall be automatically transferred to the list of ordained ministers without appointment unless continued on reserve by vote of the district conference.

D. ORDAINED MINISTERS ON EDUCATIONAL LEAVE (3350:1)

Ordained ministers enrolled in a seminary or other graduate school for advanced training for church service.

E. ORDAINED MINISTERS WITHOUT APPOINTMENT (3380)

1. Ordained ministers not available for appointment.

2. Ordained ministers employed in other than a ministerial capacity by the General Church (3320), by a educational institution or one of the seminaries connected with the Wesleyan Seminary Foundation (3310), or in interchurch service (3335).

3. Ordained ministers not otherwise listed.

F. ORDAINED MINISTERS IN PROCESS OF DISTRICT TRANSFER

Ordained ministers receiving appointment by the district conference to 1240:1:A, B, C or D but whose processes of transfer between districts of The Wesleyan Church are not yet completed.

1. The receiving district shall list the ordained minister under the appropriate category of service, followed by the notation, “Pending Completion of District Transfer.” The minister shall be a nonvoting member of this district until completion of the transfer (1090:9).

2. The sending district shall list the ordained minister as having “Applied for District Transfer.” The ordained minister shall be a voting member of the sending district until completion of the district transfer (3100:1; 1083:5).

G. ORDAINED MINISTERS IN PROCESS OF DENOMINATIONAL TRANSFER (3104; 3390)

Ordained ministers from another denomination who have been granted recognition as ordained ministers in process of transfer (1180:29a; cf. 1390:3; 3104).

2. Commissioned Ministers

A. PASTORS (3255)

Commissioned ministers appointed as pastors or as full-time assistant pastors of Wesleyan churches in that district (317; 1083:3).

B. OTHER APPOINTMENTS.

Commissioned ministers appointed to service in a local church spiritual formation or Christian education program (3310:2) or in a ministerial capacity to district, denominational, or interchurch service (3250; 3300; 3320; 3335); itinerant Bible teachers (3310:3).

C. COMMISSIONED MINISTERS WITHOUT APPOINTMENT (3380).

1. Commissioned ministers not available for appointment.

2. Commissioned ministers employed in other than a ministerial capacity by the General Church (3320), by a general educational institution or one of the seminaries connected with the Wesleyan Seminary Foundation (3310) or in interchurch service (3335).

D. COMMISSIONED MINISTERS IN PROCESS OF DISTRICT TRANSFER.

Commissioned ministers receiving appointment by the district conference to 1240:2:A or B but whose processes of transfer from another district of The Wesleyan Church are not yet completed.

1. The receiving district shall list the commissioned minister under the appropriate category of service, followed by the notation, “Pending Completion of District Transfer.” The commissioned minister shall be a nonvoting member of this district until completion of the transfer (3100:1).

2. The sending district shall list the commissioned minister as having “Applied for District Transfer.” The commissioned minister shall remain a nonvoting member of the sending district until completion of the transfer (1083:3).

E. COMMISSIONED MINISTERS IN PROCESS OF DENOMINATIONAL TRANSFER.

Commissioned ministers or their equivalent from other denominations who have been granted recognition as commissioned ministers in process of transfer (3104).

F. RETIRED COMMISSIONED MINISTERS (3371)

Commissioned ministers retired because of age or incapacitated by infirmity, provided they were either on the appointed list, on reserve, or on educational leave at the time of such incapacitation or retirement.

3. Licensed Ministers

A. PASTORS (3255).

Licensed ministers appointed as pastors, associate pastors or assistant pastors of Wesleyan churches in that district (317; 1083:3).

B. OTHER APPOINTMENTS.

Licensed ministers appointed to service in a local church spiritual formation or Christian education program (3310:2) or in a ministerial capacity to district, denominational, or interchurch service (3250; 3300; 3320; 3335); itinerant Bible teachers (3310:3).

C. IN PROCESS OF DISTRICT TRANSFER.

Licensed ministers receiving appointment by the district conference to 1240:3:A or B but whose processes of transfer from another district of The Wesleyan Church are not yet completed.

1. The receiving district shall list the licensed minister under the appropriate category of service, followed by the notation, “Pending Completion of District Transfer.” The licensed minister shall be a nonvoting member of this district until completion of the transfer (3100:1).

2. The sending district shall list the licensed minister as “Applied for District Transfer.” Unless a licensed minister is an ordained minister-elect, said minister shall remain a nonvoting member of the sending district until completion of the district transfer (1083:2, 3).

D. IN PROCESS OF DENOMINATIONAL TRANSFER.

Licensed ministers or their equivalent from other denominations who have been granted recognition as licensed ministers in process of transfer (3104).

4. Ministerial Students

Those approved by the district conference to be licensed as ministerial students as set forth in 3015:1.

5. Lay Workers

A. COMMISSIONED SPECIAL WORKERS (3450; 3470)

List by specific category such as director of music, director of spiritual formation or Christian education, youth director, song evangelist, children’s worker, lay evangelist, social worker, or spouse in ministry.

B. COMMISSIONED SPECIAL WORKERS IN PROCESS OF TRANSFER (3450; 3470)

List by specific category (refer to 1240:5:A).

C. LICENSED SPECIAL WORKERS (3450; 3460)

List by specific category (refer to 1240:5:A).

G. Executive Committee

1245. A district board of administration may establish an executive committee consisting of the executive officers of the district board of administration (1255). Additional members may be elected upon the recommendation of the district superintendent. The executive committee may act for the district board of administration as that board shall authorize.