Under charges: Discipline, consequences of being under: For local churches

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315

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

5066. Status of the Accused during Appeal. While the appeal is pending, the discipline shall be deferred, though if under discipline prior to hearing such discipline shall remain. Whenever the accused is a church or a district, it may continue to function but shall have the status of being under discipline and shall not be entitled to any representatives in a conference body and, in the case of a district, shall not have authority to buy, sell or transfer any real property, except with the approval of the General Superintendent. 5310. Whenever a settlement cannot be effected, a district judicial committee shall be appointed in keeping with 5209. An accusation and specifications against the local church shall be submitted to the district judicial committee which shall hear and determine the matter. Whenever the district judicial committee finds the local church guilty as charged, the district board of administration (Disc. 1233:36) shall suspend the local church from all its rights and privileges as set forth in the Constitution (Disc. 315) and The Discipline. The suspension shall end when the local church, through its officials, shall make a written apology acknowledging its guilt and pledging loyalty to the district and the denomination, and when, in the opinion of the district board of administration, the offense has ceased. Whenever a local church does not offer such a written apology and assurance, and if it continues to offend, it shall be reorganized (5320). An appeal (5062–5068) may be taken by the local church concerning the verdict and/or discipline to the district board of review (5221). 5320. Whenever a local church, through its pastor and/or local officials or board of administration, shall refuse to answer the citations of the district board of administration to appear for a settlement (5305:2), or the citation of the district judicial committee to appear for the hearing of the matter, or whenever a local church that has been placed under discipline refuses to offer a written apology and assurance as set forth in 5310 and does not exercise the right of appeal, the district board of administration shall authorize the district superintendent and any two of its other board members to reorganize the local church. The district superintendent and the appointed representatives shall ask the covenant members of the local church for an affirmation of loyalty to The Wesleyan Church, consistent with paragraph 553:2 of The Discipline. Those covenant members who affirm such loyalty shall be the members of that local church, and those covenant members who refuse to affirm such loyalty shall be declared as having withdrawn from The Wesleyan Church and from that local church and all offices held by such persons shall thereby be vacated. The loyal covenant members shall be entitled to hold and use the property as provided for by The Discipline and to carry on the functions of the local church.