Delegates to district conference: Function and general regulations

315

(7) Be represented in the voting membership of its district conference, if not under discipline.

317. The General Conference shall organize the work at large into districts, which shall operate under its jurisdiction and promote the interests of the denomination, and whose voting membership shall include the following: All ordained ministers on the appointed, retired, reserve, and educational leave lists; licensed ministers elected to ordained minister’s status; all commissioned and licensed ministers serving as pastors of Wesleyan churches; all commissioned and licensed ministers serving as assistant pastors of Wesleyan churches; members of the district board of administration who are not members by some other right; and lay delegates elected as provided in The Discipline. In addition the district conference shall include such nonvoting members as The Discipline shall provide. The principle of equal representation of the ministry and the laity in the district conference shall be maintained. 1086. Laity. The lay members of the district conference with voting rights are those elected as delegates by the churches or circuits of that district (315:7; 317; 1100–1109) and the lay members of the district board of administration (317). The total number of lay members with voting rights shall be determined as set forth in 1100:1 while maintaining the principle of equal representation of the ministry and the laity. Each established church or circuit is entitled to a minimum of one lay delegate as its constitutional right (315:7; 503), and, according to its number of members, to additional lay delegates allotted by the district board of administration (1100:1-5). A developing church which is judged to be qualified may be allotted one lay delegate (510:5; 1100:2; 1103).