2016 Wesleyan Discipline:District Board of Administration: Duties and powers

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

General Duties

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

(3) To be responsible within the district for the promotion of world missions and general evangelism and church growth (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1410).

Related to the District Conference

(4) To 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 regarding progress.

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

(6) To cooperate with the General Superintendent in establishing the date for the annual session of the district conference so that the General Superintendent may preside (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1112; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1935:28).

(7) To 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 (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1115) or its Executive Board or the General Superintendent.

(8) To allot to each church or circuit of the district the number of lay delegates it shall elect to the district conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1100).

(9) To submit resolutions directly to the district conference that will provide for a more efficient administration, better correlation and advancement of the district work, and to submit proposed memorials to the General Conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1557; cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1180:3).

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

(a) To review all pastoral agreements between churches and ministers of the district (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:690-722).

(b) To receive a report from the district board of ministerial development concerning matters related to district conference appointments and relations as set forth in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1390:10.

(c) To 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 (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1180:24-25; cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4720–4750); recommending the appointment of pastors for all churches for the coming year (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:510:1), including the approval, alteration or veto of pastoral agreements already made by the churches and ministers (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:323:2), and the appointment of pastors or the delegation of responsibility for such appointment for churches otherwise without pastors (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1180:26), and recommending the appointment and/or classification of all other ordained ministers (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3075:5), commissioned or licensed ministers, special workers and the licensing of ministerial students as set forth in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1180:26 and 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1240 (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3015:1).

(11) To carry out the following duties concerning the United Stewardship Fund (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:2000-2045): to 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 (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:2015; cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1337:6); to approve adjustments in United Stewardship Fund assessments due to building projects as set forth in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:2005:2; to administer the district plan for raising the district obligation and to see that such obligation is paid in full (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:2015:3).

Duties Relating to District Officers, Committees and Auxiliaries

(12) To have the general oversight of all district officials (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1255), district departmental officers (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1275), boards, leadership teams, committees, employees, auxiliary organizations of the district; to approve their plans and to coordinate their work; and to see that the work is administered according to The Discipline and the directives of the district conference. (Cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1265-1272; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1285-1292; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1337:8; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1384; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1410.)

(13) To divide the district into zones and determine the boundaries thereof, which shall be the same for all district organizations.

(14) To incorporate the district, when so authorized by the district conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1180:21), as provided for in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4100-4150; to serve as the board of directors of such corporation; and to 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 to exercise its corporate powers in accord with the provisions of The Discipline (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4100-4150; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4500-4630; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4660; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4680; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4800-4880).

(15) To carry out, whenever the district is not incorporated, such duties, and to exercise such authority over district property and other legal affairs as set forth in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4500-4630 and 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4800-4880.

(16) To provide for the preservation and security of all district records and archives, directing the district superintendent (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1310:13; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4760), the district secretary (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1332:6-7), the secretary of the district board of ministerial development (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1387), and any others, concerning the care of the records placed in their custody.

(17) Space reserved.

(18) To adopt an annual budget of income and expense for the district; to set the salaries, allowances, and related matters for the district officials (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1303:2) and district departmental officers; to promote the raising of district funds in keeping with the plans of the district conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1180:16); to direct the district treasurer in the handling and disbursement of such funds (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1337:3); and to have the district treasurer bonded and to set the amount of such bond, the expense for which shall be paid by the district.

(19) To employ an auditor when so authorized by the district conference and to assign the duties (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1340); to direct an audit of the records and funds in the custody of the district treasurer, the district treasurers of the auxiliary organizations or any other treasurers of the district, whenever such is deemed necessary (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1337:7).

(21) To serve as or to establish a separate district board of evangelism and church growth as set forth in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1413-1423, taking a special interest in and 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 and the Executive Director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship.

(22) To serve as or to establish a separate district spiritual formation leadership team as set forth in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1440-1443; to elect a chair and such members as may be decided upon (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1443); to approve its plans and to assign such duties as desired (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1452; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1455:9).

(23) To elect or employ, when so authorized by the district conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1180:37), a district director of spiritual formation (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1460) and to assign duties to such a director (1463:1–9).

(24) Space reserved

(25) To approve the time and place of the district conventions of women’s ministry and Wesleyan Youth, to recommend to the district conference the enlargement of the membership of the women’s ministry convention, to approve the nominations for the district director of women’s ministry and the district president of WY or to make other nominations as desired and to ratify the election of the other district officers, and to approve the plans of the district conventions and the executive committees of women’s ministry and WY.

(26) To 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 as set forth in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5218.

(27) To 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 (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:2064; cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5445:2); and to request assistance from the General Board or its Executive Board, through the General Superintendent, when deemed necessary.

(28) To 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 (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1307), by a two-thirds majority vote of all members, and to fill such vacancies for the unexpired term (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1206; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1265; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1272).

(b) Any departmental officer (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1275), member of a board, leadership team, committee or other agency of the district or the district officers of an auxiliary organization, by a majority vote and to fill such vacancies for the unexpired term (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1292).

Related to Churches and Ministers

(29) To 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.

(30) To authorize the establishment of a mission (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:537; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:655:15), a developing church (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:510), an urban missional church (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:523), and a church, (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:518) and to receive a report from the district superintendent on the effecting of such organizations (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:520:6); to reclassify an established church as a developing church when its number of members drops to 20 or fewer (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:518:5); and to declare a church as discontinued or abandoned (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1180:24; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4730). Any established church that is not under discipline may not be discontinued without a corroborating vote of the local church conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:655:14).

(31) To receive the report of the district superintendent concerning the actions of the local advisory council of each developing church (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:510:3).

(32) To 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 (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:715; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:722:1, 3).

(33) To 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 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4700-4780 (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4000-4070), after first receiving a written report and recommendation from the district building committee when such is required as set forth in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1345; to advise, or appoint an investment committee 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 (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:782:35); to authorize the incorporation of a local church in keeping with 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4000 (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:655:14; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4010:6); to approve the name of a new church or name change or adaptation requested by a developing or established church.

(34) To 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 consideration and approval to the district board of administration before presenting the proposals to the local church conference for consideration and vote.

(35) To 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 (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:655:19; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:782:36-37).

(36) To 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 (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5300-5325; cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5221); to intervene and protect the property rights of The Wesleyan Church and the district as set forth in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4010:6; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4770; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4840:6; and to authorize the district superintendent to call for an affirmation of loyalty and to reorganize a local church as set forth in The General Board Policy on Church Discipline (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5300-5325).

(37) To grant temporary recognition (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline: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 (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1180:29a, d, e; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1310:29).

(38) To appoint the desired number of ordained ministers as a council of ordination (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1405), except when the district conference shall designate the ordained ministers on the district board of ministerial development as the council of ordination (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1180:34; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline: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 (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3070:5).

(39) To 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 (2016 Wesleyan Discipline: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 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:712; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:722:3; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1310:22; and to appoint a supply pastor, if necessary, until another pastor has been obtained (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:715); or to remove a supply pastor by a majority vote if deemed necessary (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3260:5); and to appoint an interim pastor or to remove an interim pastor by a majority vote (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3261:2).

(40) To take charge of judicial proceedings, the ordering of investigation (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5012) or hearing, for any ordained minister, commissioned minister, licensed minister, ministerial student, commissioned or licensed special worker or other worker under the jurisdiction of the district (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5200), in accord with the provisions of the General Board Policy on Church Discipline (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5203-5215).

(41) To 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 (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:323:10; cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5445:2, 4).