General Superintendent Responsibilities Related to Districts

Responsibilities Related to Districts

(27) To exercise general supervision over each district, provisional district and developing district, and the work of its superintendent; to schedule and conduct a minimum of one personal conference each year with each district superintendent, counseling the district superintendent regarding plans and objectives of the district for the year and receiving reports of activities and progress toward objectives during the past year (1310:30); and to meet periodically with each district board of administration to evaluate the service of and financial provision for the district superintendent (1218) and to evaluate the performance of the district board of administration.

(28) To arrange the dates for the district conferences, in consultation with district superintendents, so the General Superintendent may be present; to approve a reconvened session of a district conference (1115); and to appoint a general official as a General Church representative to a district conference whenever the General Superintendent is unable to attend (350:3).

(29) To work with district superintendents and district boards of administration to establish four-year missional goals, and to annually evaluate progress toward meeting those goals.

(30) To conduct a formal evaluation of district superintendents prior to any vote to reelect to office.

(31) To consult with a district board of administration prior to a search for a new district superintendent regarding its vision, the type of leadership necessary to accomplish the vision, and to recommend specific persons capable of accomplishing the vision as nominations for district superintendent to a district conference; to counsel a district board of administration in the appointment of an acting or interim district superintendent (1303:7); to chair the special nominating committee named to select nominees for the office of district superintendent (1303:8); and to have charge of the service of installation of a district superintendent (5930).

(32) To conduct new district superintendent orientations and in-service training; and create on-going mentor/coach relationships, and other judicatory training events, in conjunction with peer-to-peer district superintendents’ meetings.

(33) To recommend to the General Board the reclassification of a provisional district to the status of established district.

(34) To preside over the ordination of ministers (3070:6; 5750-5792), the commissioning of ministers (3059:1f; 5800), and lay workers (5850) or lay missionaries when present (1310:26; 1405), and to deliver the address or, if absent, to appoint a representative to preside over the ordination service and deliver the address; and to sign all credentials, certificates, and other forms incidental to this office. If the General Superintendent is unable to be present to preside over a district’s service of ordination or commissioning of ministers, first to be considered to represent the General Superintendent will be a former General Superintendent in good standing (cf. 1310:26, 1405, 3059, 3091, 5752).

(35) To receive recommendations from the Education and Clergy Development Division and respective districts, and give final approval regarding the transfer of any ordained, commissioned or licensed minister into a district (1915), in concurrence with the district superintendent of that district (313:6; 1310:21; cf. 3100:1), as well as the reception of a minister from another denomination (3104).

(36) To consult, when needed, with a district board of administration concerning the purchase, location, encumbrance, sale, transfer or other disposition of real property used for district purposes such as a district parsonage, headquarters or campground (cf. 4150; 4840:1); to receive from each district superintendent property conveyance reports on approved forms (1310:13); and to approve the purchase, conveyance or mortgage of any local or district property of a district placed under discipline (4870; 5066).

(37) To work with appointed representatives and the Executive Cabinet to recommend to the General Board any merger, division, or realignment of districts (1060).