District Board of Administration Duties Related to Churches and Ministers

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).