1003–1034

B. Developing District

1003. Purpose. New work, or other work which does not meet the requirements for an established district (1038), shall be provided for by establishing a developing district.

1006. Authorization. The establishment of a developing district may be authorized by the General Conference (1590:11), upon recommendation of the General Board, or, in the interim of General Conference sessions, by the General Board. The authorizing act shall define the boundaries and assign an official name to the developing district. Any proposed boundaries that will alter the bounds of an established district in the interim of General Conference sessions must have the approval of such a district and shall be effected as required in 1060-1065 (1655:34).

1009. Jurisdiction. A developing district shall be under the jurisdiction of the General Board (1655:34). The General Superintendent shall be responsible for developing the work as rapidly as possible, in harmony with the missionary objectives of The Wesleyan Church (2306), to the status of an established district (1038).

1012. Organization. The General Superintendent shall appoint the superintendent, other officers and assigned workers, and grant ordination, commissioning, and licensing.

1015. General Conference Representation. The developing district shall be represented in the General Conference by the superintendent of the developing district as a nonvoting member (1503:2).

C. Provisional District

1. Authorization

1020. Authorization. A provisional district is created by the General Conference, upon recommendation of the General Board (1590:11), or, in the interim of General Conference sessions, by the General Board. The authorizing act shall define the boundaries of the provisional district and assign to it an official name. Any proposed boundaries that will alter the existing bounds of an established district in the interim of General Conference sessions must have the approval of such district and shall be effected as required in 1060–1065 (cf. 1655:34).

1025. Requirements. The minimum requirements for a provisional district are:

(1) A minimum of five churches and 200 members.

(2) A sufficient number of ordained ministers for a district board of administration (1203).

(3) The holding of all property in trust for The Wesleyan Church as required in 4610, or steps taken to accomplish the same (4590-4630; 4650-4780; 4800-4820).

(4) A recommendation by the Executive Director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship for recognition as a provisional district.

2. Organization and Government

1028. Jurisdiction. A provisional district shall be under the jurisdiction of the Executive Director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship, who shall supervise the district in accord with The Discipline, the Policy of the General Board for the Church Multiplication and Discipleship Division, and any other directives of the General Board or its Executive Board (1655:27; 1785:2). The Executive Director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship shall be responsible for the developing of a provisional district to meet the requirements of an established district as soon as possible (1036; 4105).

1030. Organization. A provisional district shall be organized in the same manner as an established district as set forth in The Discipline, insofar as possible, but with the following restrictions on its duties and powers:

(1) District Superintendent. The district superintendent of a provisional district shall be elected by the district conference (cf. 1180:31; 1303). The General Superintendent may, however, present one or more nominations, from which the district conference shall elect the district superintendent (1935:31). The provisional district superintendent shall confer with the Executive Director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship concerning the important plans of the district, including the location of property, the erection of buildings, and financial matters (cf. 1030:3). No property within a provisional district may be received, transferred, bought or sold without the written permission of the Executive Director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship.

(2) District Officers, Boards and Committees. A provisional district shall first be concerned with the election of its district officials (1255) and district board of administration (1203). Other district departmental officers, boards, and committees shall be established as qualified personnel are available. It shall be the goal of the officials of a provisional district, in cooperation with the Executive Director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship (1028), to meet the requirements for a complete district organization as soon as possible (1038).

(3) Amenability. The minutes of the provisional district conference and its district board of administration shall be reviewed by the Executive Director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship.

3. General Conference Representation

1032. The district superintendent and a lay delegate, elected by ballot and by majority vote, shall be the representatives of a provisional district to the General Conference (1503:1a; 1506).

4. Reclassification

1034. Whenever a provisional district falls below the minimum requirements in 1025, it may be reclassified as a developing district by the General Conference (1590:11), or, in the interim of its sessions, by the General Board (1655:25), upon recommendation of the General Superintendent.