Ministry, The: District supervision of ministers

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(24) Receive and pass the recommendations of the district board of administration concerning the pastoral agreements, appointments, and district conference relations, as follows (1233:10):

(a) Approve the pastoral agreements entered into between the pastoral charges and the ministers, or to alter such an agreement, or to veto the action of the pastoral charge and appoint another pastor, provided that any such alteration or veto shall be for reasons as set forth in the Constitution, and shall be voted on as a separate action by the district conference (323:1-2; 697).

(b) Appoint a pastor to those pastoral charges not yet supplied at the time of the district conference or whenever requested to do so by a local church (708); or to delegate such appointment to the district board of administration, and to appoint an interim pastor (3261:2); or to employ a qualified person as a supply pastor when deemed necessary (3260).

(c) Appoint each minister to the proper category of service or other appointment (3250-3391), appointing each ordained minister not included on the appointed list (1240:1:A) to the proper district conference relation as retired, on reserve, on educational leave, without appointment (1240:1:B–E), or in process of transfer (3104); appointing each commissioned or licensed minister to the proper category of service (1240:2:A–B; 1240:3:A–B; 3255-3391) or in the process of transfer (3104); to license as ministerial students those persons so qualified (1240:4; 3015:1); and to appoint as commissioned or licensed special workers, designating their particular ministry (3450-3480), those who have been granted the proper commissions and licenses (1240:5:A–C) or to list them as in process of transfer (1240:5:B); and to appoint commissioned lay missionaries.

(25) Grant in concurrence with the General Board prior approval to a local church conference for post-secondary education in terms of an institute, junior college, or college-level programs (655:17; 1655:36).

(26) Elect to ordination or for commissioning as a minister a candidate the district conference deems qualified (3070), after receiving a report from the district board of ministerial development (1390:5) which shall be acted upon as a separate item of business.

(27) Grant a license, commission, recognition, or restoration, in keeping with the requirements of The Discipline, after receiving the report and recommendations from the district board of ministerial development (1390:5), as follows:

(a) A recognition as ordained minister in process of transfer to an ordained minister being received from another denomination (3104), and a recognition as an ordained minister of The Wesleyan Church in full standing when all requirements have been met (3104:4-5).

(b) A district ministerial license, the granting of which shall become effective when the person receives appointment as set forth in 3033:7 and 3040:3 (1180:24c; 1233:10).

(c) A recognition of a commissioned or licensed minister being received from another denomination as in process of transfer (3104) and a recognition of such commissioned or licensed ministers in full standing when all requirements are met (3104).

(d) A license as a ministerial student for those who are qualified (3015:1; 3350).

(e) A license or commission as special worker, designating the particular ministry (3450-3480), or a recognition of a commissioned special worker or the equivalent thereof in process of transfer from another denomination, and subsequent recognition as a commissioned special worker in full standing when all requirements have been met (3470).

(f) A commission as lay missionary (3490).

(g) Any other license or commission as shall be authorized by The Discipline.

(h) The restoration or reinstatement of ordination, commission, or license as set forth in 3120–3124; 3480; Gen. Bd. Policy on Ch. Disc. 5230-5248 (1390:4).

(28) Receive and pass on an annual service report, through the district board of ministerial development as set forth in 1390:7-9, from each ordained, commissioned, and licensed minister, ministerial student, and commissioned and licensed special worker; to receive an explanation from the district board of ministerial development relative to each person whose report has been found unsatisfactory, and to vote on the continuation of such person for appointment, which shall require a two-thirds vote of confidence for approval (1390:9).

(29) Elect, by ballot and by majority vote, an ordained minister to the office of district superintendent for a term of four years (1303:2, 4). Reelection thereafter shall also be for a term of four years or for an extended call (1303:2, 4).

(30) Elect, by ballot and by majority vote, a district secretary (1330; 1175:1) and members-at-large of the district board of administration (1203-1206).

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(25) Request any special reports from the pastors, ministers, and churches that will facilitate oversight of the district.

(26) Approve in writing the temporary service of an ordained minister in a district other than the one in which membership is held (3100:2); to grant a letter of transfer or standing to any ordained, licensed, or commissioned worker in good standing of the district (6440; 6460); to instruct the district secretary to enroll as a member of the district a minister who transfers from another district in the manner prescribed by The Discipline (313:6; 3100:1; 6440-6450), and to order the enrollment of a ministerial student or special worker so transferring (3015:3c, 5d; 3480; 6440-6450); to guide a minister or special worker from another denomination seeking recognition and membership in The Wesleyan Church (3104; 3470; 3117); and to provide oversight for the restoration of ministers (Gen. Bd. Policy on Ch. Disc. 5230).

(27) Report annually to the district conference concerning official duties and personal ministry (1180:12), and to submit other reports to the General Board, the General Superintendent and the district board of administration as required; to counsel with the General Superintendent at least once a year concerning the plans and objectives for the district, reporting to the General Superintendent on the activities of the district and progress toward its objectives during the past year.

(28) Receive any complaint or accusation against any person or local unit under the jurisdiction of the district (Gen. Bd. Policy on Ch. Disc. 5200:1-7; 5206; 5300-5320), and to give such complaint or accusation prompt and careful attention as required in the General Board Policy on Church Discipline (5206:2; 5300-5320), and to refer any matter requiring official investigation or judicial proceedings to the district board of administration for disposition (1233:33, 37]; Gen. Bd. Policy on Ch. Disc. 5212:2; 5320).

(29) Forward to the Executive Director of Communication and Administration the credentials of a minister when such have been surrendered or removed by judicial process (3100:4; Gen. Bd. Policy on Ch. Disc. 5212:2; 5230).

1390. Duties. The duties of the district board of ministerial development shall be to:

Related to Ordination, Commissions, Licenses and Ministerial Students

(1) Examine carefully each candidate for election by the district conference to ordination or election to a commissioned minister’s status, the granting of a district ministerial license, a license as a ministerial student, a commission or license as a special worker, a commission as a lay missionary, and any other commission or license as may be authorized by The Discipline. The examination shall include an interview with each candidate, making such investigation as is deemed necessary to affirm the individual’s:

(a) Personal experience of salvation and entire sanctification;

(b) Full commitment to the Articles of Religion, Guides and Helps to Holy Living, Elementary Principles, and polity of The Wesleyan Church and acceptance of its authority;

(c) Evidence of having the qualifications for the ministry to which the candidate feels called as set forth in The Discipline.

The examination shall result in recommendations to the district conference for those whom the district board of ministerial development judges to be qualified for said ministry (1381; 1390:5).

(2) Consider each person recommended by a local church conference (655:7) or circuit conference (528:2) or local board of administration (655:7) for the granting of a license as a ministerial student (1240:4; 3015:1) and to recommend to the district conference for such license those who are deemed worthy (1180:27b, c; 3350:2); to encourage all such ministerial students to enroll for ministerial training in an approved school of The Wesleyan Church (2365; 2382); to supervise and counsel them, keeping a record of their ministerial studies (1387:2) and cooperating with the director of the Ministerial Study Course Agency in supervising those enrolled in courses under the Agency (2388; 3170-3210).

(3) Consider and examine any person who desires to be received into the district from another denomination, and to be recognized as an ordained, commissioned or licensed minister, or commissioned special worker, and to recommend to the district conference for reception as in process of transfer, and subsequently for recognition as in full standing, only such a person as it deems properly qualified according to The Discipline (3104; 3470); and, in the interim of district conference sessions, to make such recommendation to the district board of administration (1233:33).

(4) Consider and examine any person applying for reinstatement or restoration of ordination, commission, or license and to recommend to the district conference only such a person as it deems properly qualified according to The Discipline (3120-3124; Gen. Bd. Policy on Ch. Disc. 5230-5248).

(5) Present to the district conference, as a separate report, a recommendation for the election of a candidate to ordination as an ordained minister (1180:28; 3070:5), or commission as a minister (3059), or the reinstatement or restoration of ministerial credentials (3120-3124; Gen. Bd. Policy on Ch. Disc. 5230-5248); and to present to the district conference a combined report of all other recommendations concerning the commissioning, licensing, and recognition of ministers and special workers, and the licensing of ministerial students (1180:27; 3015:1).

(6) Serve, with the exception of the lay members as a Council of Ordination (1405); and to perform such other duties as may be assigned by the district conference.

Related to the Annual Service Reports

(7) Receive, on behalf of the district conference, an annual service report (1402) from each ordained, commissioned, or licensed minister, ministerial student, and commissioned or licensed special worker; to review such reports and pass on each one as follows (1180:28):

(a) A report which shows that the work has been done according to The Discipline and that the annual statistical report (1352:1) has been properly submitted shall be marked as approved and returned to the person submitting it (1390:9).

(b) A report in which there are unsatisfactory answers, or which shows that the work has not been done according to The Discipline, or that the annual statistical report (1352:1) has not been properly submitted, shall be reviewed with the person submitting the report. If reasons for such irregularities are not satisfactory to the district board of ministerial development, the report shall be marked as unsatisfactory and returned to the person submitting it (1390:9).

(8) Investigate the reason for the failure to submit an annual service report on the part of those persons required to do so (1402; 3015:4), and to take appropriate action as set forth in 3040:1; 3059:4c; 3089:3; 3460; and 3470.

(9) Present a report (1381) to the district conference concerning the results of the examination of the annual service reports, listing all members of the district responsible to submit such reports as to whether their reports were approved, unsatisfactory, or not received. The district board of ministerial development shall report to the district conference concerning a person whose annual service report has been found unsatisfactory (1390:7b) and it shall require a two-thirds vote of confidence by the district conference to approve such a person for continued appointment.

Related to Appointments and District Conference Relations

(10) Submit reports to the district board of administration concerning the following matters related to district conference appointments and relations: the results of the examination of the annual service reports (1390:8-9); the availability for appointment, and any desired changes in appointment or district conference relations, as recorded on the annual service reports; those persons qualified for a district ministerial license, the granting of which shall become effective upon their appointment (1180:24c, 27b; 1233:10; 3033:7; 3040:3); those other persons qualified for a license, commission, reception from another district or denomination, or restoration (1180:24, 27; 1233:10).

Related to Ministerial Development

(11) Cooperate with the district superintendent (1310:24) and the district board of administration (1233:25) in providing opportunities for the personal and professional growth of ministers within the district. The activities of the district boards of ministerial development may include individual or group interviews, assessments, growth contracts, seminars, or other means of assisting ministers to achieve their full potential for ministry.

1402. Annual Service Reports. The district conference shall receive an annual service report from each ordained minister, commissioned minister, licensed minister, ministerial student, and commissioned or licensed special worker on forms authorized by the General Superintendent and made available by the Executive Director of Communication and Administration. Pastors or senior pastors shall submit the “Pastor’s Annual Service Report.” Assistant pastors shall submit the “Assistant Pastor’s Annual Service Report.” Other ordained ministers and commissioned or licensed ministers shall submit the “Minister’s Annual Service Report.” Special workers shall submit the “Lay Worker’s Annual Service Report.” Ministerial students shall submit the “Ministerial Student’s Annual Service Report.” All such reports shall be submitted to the district board of ministerial development, serving on behalf of the district conference, as directed by the district board of administration or the district superintendent (1390:7-9).