3450–3480

B. Special Worker

3450. Function. A special worker is a lay person with a sense of divine leading to serve the Church as a director of music, director of spiritual formation or Christian education, youth director, song evangelist, children’s worker, spouse in ministry, lay evangelist, social worker or in some other special capacity, and who has been authorized to carry on such work by a district conference.

3460. Licensed Special Worker. A Wesleyan Church member who meets the leadership qualifications (260–268; 558) may be granted a special worker’s license by the district conference (1180:27e) provided that the candidate has been recommended for such license by the local church conference, or by the local board of administration if so delegated (655:7; 782:19); that the candidate promises to pursue the course of study for the particular field of service (3210:5); and that the candidate has been recommended for such license by the district board of ministerial development after careful examination concerning Christian experience, gifts, calling, and experience in the particular field of service (1390:5). The license shall be issued and signed by the district superintendent and district secretary (6360; 1310:23; 1332:4). The license may be renewed annually by continued qualification as above, if the candidate completes two courses in the course of study as attested by the Ministerial Study Course Agency, and if service is satisfactory, including the proper filing of reports. If a licensed special worker fails to file the annual service report (1402), unless such failure is due to illness, injury, or a similar emergency, the license shall not be renewed (1390:8). The licensed special worker shall be amenable to the district (1233:37) and the license may be revoked between sessions of the district conference by judicial process (Gen. Bd. Policy on Ch. Disc. 5200:3; 5206). A person from another denomination holding a district license as a special worker or its equivalent may be received into The Wesleyan Church subject to the regulations which govern the reception of a minister (3104).

3470. Commissioned Special Worker. A licensed special worker may be commissioned by the district conference provided that the worker has completed the course of study (3210:5) or its equivalent (3170:3) as certified by the Ministerial Study Course Agency (6410); has served satisfactorily under a district special worker’s license for at least two years; and has been recommended for commissioning by the district board of ministerial development after careful examination concerning Christian experience, gifts, calling, and experience in the particular field of service (1390:5). The commissioning shall include the affirmative vote of the district conference (1180:27e), a solemn act of consecration as set forth in 5855 (1405; 3091), and the issuance of a commission signed by the General Superintendent, the district superintendent, and the district secretary (6380; 1310:23; 1332:4; 1935). The commission shall be continuous until such time as the worker ceases to be active in the particular field of service and files the commission with the district superintendent, or unless deprived of the commission by judicial process (Gen. Bd. Policy on Ch. Disc. 5200:3; 5206). A commissioned special worker who fails to file the annual service report (1402) for two successive years, shall be notified by the district board of ministerial development and requested to report at the next session of the district conference. A commissioned special worker who then fails to report, shall be declared withdrawn from the district, and the special worker’s name shall be so entered upon the minutes of the district conference (1390:9). A person from another denomination holding a commission as a special worker or its equivalent may be received into The Wesleyan Church subject to the regulations which govern the reception of an ordained minister (1233:34; 1390:3; 3104).

3480. General Regulations for Special Workers. A licensed or commissioned special worker shall be a local church member who meets the leadership qualifications (260–268; 558). A commissioned special worker’s membership must be in a local church within the district that authorizes the service, and shall serve under the direction of the pastor, or upon the call of local churches, or under a district or general agency, as the case may be. The special worker shall be a nonvoting member of the district conference (1090:5), and shall report annually to the district conference (1390:7). The special worker may be granted a letter of transfer or standing (6440–6460). The license or commission of a special worker may only be restored in keeping with the provisions of Gen. Bd. Policy on Ch. Disc. 5230–5248. See also the General Board Policy on Ministerial Restoration 2002–2022.