Reference

The Book of Discipline

The paragraphs of The Book of Discipline 2020/2024 that the guide refers to, in full. References elsewhere in Río Texas Annual Conference link here.

• ¶604 · Powers and Duties

  1. The annual conference, for its own government, may adopt rules and regulations not in conflict with the Discipline of The United Methodist Church, provided that in exercise of its powers, each annual conference shall act in all respects in harmony with the policy of The United Methodist Church with respect to elimination of discrimination. (See ¶ 4, Article IV.) 2. An annual conference cannot financially obligate any organizational unit of The United Methodist Church except the annual conference itself. 3. The annual conference may admit into clergy membership only those who have met all the disciplinary requirements for membership and only in the manner prescribed in the Discipline. 4. The annual conference shall have power to make inquiry into the moral and official conduct of its clergy members. Subject only to the provisions of ¶¶ 2701-2720, the annual conference shall have power to hear complaints against its clergy members and may try, reprove, suspend, deprive of clergy office and credentials, expel, or acquit any against whom charges may have been preferred. The annual conference shall have power to locate a clergy member for failure to perform effectively and competently the duties of itinerant ministry. 5. The status of a clergy member and of a provisional member and the manner and conditions of a transfer of a clergy member from one annual conference to another are governed by the section on the ordained ministry (Chapter Two). 6. Transfers of traveling preachers are conditioned on the passing of their character by the conference to which they are amenable. The official announcement that a preacher is transferred changes the preacher’s membership so that all rights and responsibilities in the conference to which that preacher goes begin from the date of transfer. Such member of an annual conference shall not vote twice on the same constitutional question, nor be counted twice in the same year in the basis for election of delegates, nor vote twice in the same year for delegates to the General, jurisdictional, or central conferences. 7. Whenever clergy members, whether provisional members or in full connection, are transferred to another annual conference, either in connection with a transfer of the pastoral charge to which they are appointed or by reason of the dissolution or merger of the annual conference, they shall have the same rights and obligations as the other members of the conference to which they are transferred. 8. The annual conference shall have power to make inquiry into the financial status of the local churches, and where there is a deficit in finances, it may require the pastor and the lay member to appear before the appropriate committee and make explanation. Based upon its findings, it shall provide counsel to help the church overcome such a deficit position. 9. The annual conference shall have the power to make inquiry into the membership status of the local churches, and where no members have been received on confession of faith during the year, it may require the pastor and the lay member to appear before the appropriate agency and make explanation. 10. The annual conference shall give recognition to any new churches that have been organized during the year and shall, through the presiding bishop and the secretary, send to each new church a certificate of organization, which the district superintendent shall, on behalf of the conference, present to the new church in an appropriate ceremony. 11. The annual conference shall secure, during the course of its annual session, the answers to the questions for conducting annual conference sessions, and the secretary to the annual conference shall include the answers to these questions in the conference journal and in the report to the council on finance and administration. 12. If any annual conference initiates, joins, monitors, or terminates a boycott, the guidelines in The Book of Resolutions, 2008, should be followed. The General Conference is the only body that can initiate, empower, or join a boycott in the name of The United Methodist Church. 13. The annual conference may choose to adopt a conferencewide plan for compensation of pastors. Such a plan shall provide the method for setting and funding the salaries, and/or other compensation elements as specified in the plan, of the pastors appointed to the charges of the annual conference.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶604 · via Plenary

• ¶605 · Business of the Conference

  1. The session shall open with a period of devotion, followed by a call of the roll, including the roll of the local pastors. 2. The annual conference, to expedite the transaction of its business, may adopt an agenda as a basis of its procedure. Such agenda shall be prepared by the bishop, the district superintendents, the conference lay leader, and such others as the conference may name and shall be submitted to the conference for adoption. 3. Members for all standing committees, boards, and commissions of the annual conference shall be selected in such manner as the Book of Discipline may specifically require or as the annual conference may determine. Attention shall be given to inclusiveness (¶¶ 124, 140). For the purpose of adjusting tenure, a certain number of members may be elected or appointed for particular terms. Members shall hold office until their successors are elected. For the annual conference agencies provided for by the Discipline, see ¶ 610.1; and for the agencies established by the annual conference itself, see ¶ 610.2. 4. The business of the annual conference shall include receiving and acting upon reports from district superintendents, officers, standing and special committees, boards, commissions, and societies and also making such inquiries as the Council of Bishops shall recommend by the provision of a supplemental guide. 5. The agenda of the annual conference shall provide time for an address or report that shall be the responsibility of the conference lay leader. 6. At the request of the general secretary of Wespath, the agenda of the annual conference shall provide time for an address of or report from Wespath in consultation with the annual conference board of pensions for the purpose of discussing benefit plans and related issues. 7. The annual conference shall make inquiry into the moral and official conduct of its ordained ministers and local pastors. In response to the inquiry whether all such persons are blameless in their life and official administration, the district superintendent may answer for all the preachers in the district in one answer, or the Board of Ordained Ministry may make inquiry of each district superintendent about each ordained minister in the district and make one report to the bishop and the conference in open session. Questions relating to matters of ordination, character, and conference relations of clergy shall be the business of the clergy session. The actions of the clergy session shall be for and on behalf of the annual conference. The provisions of the Book of Discipline applicable to an annual conference shall also be applicable to the clergy session. All clergy members (¶ 602.1) of the annual conference and the lay members of the Board of Ordained Ministry may attend and shall have voice in the clergy session. Only the ordained clergy in full connection and the members of the Board of Ordained Ministry may vote (¶ 602.1a). Others may be admitted by express action of the clergy session, but shall not have vote, nor, unless specifically granted by the clergy session, shall have voice. 8. At the conclusion of the examination of the standing of the ordained ministers and local pastors in the conference or at such later times as the bishop may designate, the presiding bishop may call to the bar of the conference the class to be admitted into full connection and receive them into conference membership after asking the questions to be found in ¶ 336. This examination of the ordained ministers and the passing of their characters may be the business of one session. 9. The annual conference shall adopt a comprehensive policy for handling sexual and gender harassment of clergy when laypersons are the perpetrators. This policy shall guide the local church in how to handle the report, how to care for the accuser and the accused, the victim and the perpetrator, the findings and settlement. It shall make provision for support of the pastor and for care of church members.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶605 · via Plenary

• ¶610

  The annual conference is responsible for structuring its ministries and administrative procedures in order to accomplish its purpose (¶ 601), with the exception of the mandated provisions of ¶¶ 611, 624, 634, 635, 636, 638, 640, 647, 648. In so doing it shall provide for the connectional relationship of the local church, district, and conference with the general agencies. It will monitor to ensure inclusiveness—racial, gender, age, and people with disabilities—in the annual conference. Every board, standing committee, commission, council, and work area of the annual conference shall designate one of its members as its coordinator of witness ministries. These persons shall help the groups of which they are members to engage in witness ministries and, in particular, to ask, “How are we intentionally reaching new people for Jesus Christ through our ministries?” and “How are we helping new people grow and mature as disciples of Jesus Christ through our ministries and areas of responsibility?” 1. Annual conferences are permitted the flexibility to design conference and district structures in ways that best support the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ in an increasingly diverse global community and that place secondary any prescribed structure, except for the mandated entities in ¶ 610 above. In doing so, an annual conference shall provide for the functions and General Conference connections with all general agencies provided by the Discipline as follows: a) There shall be clear connections between the General Conference agencies, annual conference program and administrative entities, and the local congregations. These connections shall be identified in the business questions of the annual conference each year. b) There shall be clear checks and balances regarding program functions and financial/administration functions within the annual conference. These structural matters will be defined and approved by the annual conference session. Further, conferences are permitted to create contextually appropriate structures that encourage collaboration and partnerships among all program, administrative, and financial entities. Annual conferences may fund their ministries in ways that reflect conference priorities and structures, as approved by the annual conference in the budgeting process. All disciplinary references to “equivalent structures” shall be defined by this paragraph. 2. The annual conference may appoint additional committees for the purpose of promoting the work of The United Methodist Church within the bounds of the said annual conference and may prescribe their membership and their powers and duties. 3. Each annual conference may make its agencies of such size as its work may require, provided that consideration shall be given to the inclusion of lay and clergypersons from small membership churches. All local pastors serving charges are eligible for election or appointment to such agencies, except those dealing with qualifications, orders, and status of clergy and local pastors. 4. Whenever possible, meetings scheduled by the annual conference and its districts, boards, or committees should be held in places that are accessible to persons with disabilities even if this means scheduling meetings outside church-related facilities. 5. In the nomination and election of the membership on councils, boards, and agencies of the annual conference, special attention shall be given to the inclusion of clergywomen, youth (¶ 256.3), young adults, older adults, persons from churches with small memberships, people with disabilities, and racial and ethnic persons, in keeping with policies for general Church agencies. It is further recommended that the membership of such agencies, except for the Board of Ordained Ministry, include one-third clergy, one-third laywomen, and one-third laymen, who are professing members of local churches. 6. Members of general agencies (¶ 701) shall serve as ex officio members of the corresponding annual conference agency or its equivalent structure (see ¶ 710.4, .6). If this results in a person being a member of more than one annual conference agency in violation of either annual conference policy or another provision of the Book of Discipline, the person shall choose the annual conference agency on which to serve. 7. It is strongly recommended that the annual conference provide for child and dependent care both during the sessions of the annual conference and during meetings of the annual conference boards and agencies. Child and dependent care should follow the annual conference policy of child protection. If no policy is in place, care should be given to keep all people safe, and procedures should be followed as suggested by the General Board of Discipleship and the General Council on Finance and Administration. 8. Whenever possible, meetings scheduled by the annual conference and its districts, boards, or committees shall be held at a time and place that accommodates young people’s schooling schedules. The Conference Council on Finance and Administration

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶610 · via Plenary

• ¶611

  In each annual conference there shall be a conference council on finance and administration, hereinafter called the council, or other structure to provide for the functions of this ministry and maintain the connectional relationships (¶ 610.1).

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶611 · via Plenary

• ¶612

  The council’s purpose, membership, organization, and relationships shall be as follows: 1. Purpose—The purpose of the council shall be to develop, maintain, and administer a comprehensive and coordinated plan of fiscal and administrative policies, procedures, and management services for the annual conference. 2. Membership—a) Each annual conference shall elect, at its session next succeeding the General Conference or jurisdictional conference, a conference council on finance and administration, or other structure to provide for the functions of this ministry. It is recommended that it be composed of not less than five nor more than twenty-one members; it is recommended that there be at least one layperson more than clergy included on the voting membership of the council. Persons shall be nominated for membership in a manner determined by the conference in accordance with ¶ 610.5. It is recommended that churches of less than two hundred members be represented on the conference council on finance and administration. The term of office shall begin with the adjournment of the annual conference session at which they are elected and shall be for a period of four years and until their successors are elected. b) No member or employee of any conference agency and no employee, trustee, or director of any agency or institution participating in the funds of any conference budget shall be eligible for voting membership on the council. Any vacancy shall be filled by action of the council until the next conference session, at which time the annual conference shall fill the vacancy. c) The following shall be ex officio members of the council in addition to the number set by the annual conference under ¶ 612.2a: (1) the conference treasurer/director of administrative services, without vote; (2) any members of the General Council on Finance and Administration who reside within the bounds of the conference, with vote unless voting membership is in conflict with another provision of the Book of Discipline, in which case their membership shall be without vote; in either case, they shall not be eligible to serve on an agency receiving funding; (3) the presiding bishop, without vote; (4) a district superintendent chosen by the cabinet, without vote; and (5) the director of connectional ministries or equivalent, or another representative of the conference council on ministries, without vote. d) The executive director of the conference or area United Methodist foundation may be included in the membership, without vote. 3. Officers—The council shall elect from its voting membership a president, a vice president, a secretary, and such other officers as it may deem necessary. Consideration shall be given to inclusiveness (¶¶ 124, 140). The conference treasurer/director of administrative services (¶ 619) shall be the treasurer of the council. The treasurer/director of administrative services shall not be eligible for voting membership on the council and shall not be eligible for election to any of those offices that are to be filled by voting members of the council. 4. No member of the council shall vote on or take part in deliberations on significant matters directly or indirectly affecting her or his business, income, or employment, or the business, income, or employment of his or her immediate family. 5. Organization—a) Whether the conference chooses to organize the council as provided in ¶ 612 or to assign its functions to another structure as authorized in ¶ 611, the restrictions set forth in ¶ 612.2b, .4 shall apply to the members of any conference structure that has responsibility for the following functions: (1) Preparing annual conference budgets or other funding recommendations. (2) Nominating the annual conference treasurer/ director of administrative services or other officer having the functions described in ¶ 619. (3) Having authority and supervision over the work of the conference treasurer/director of administrative services. (4) Having fiscal oversight responsibilities, such as are described in ¶¶ 613.5 through 613.11, and 616-618, for annual conference funds. b) The council may establish committees and task forces and define their duties and authority as it deems necessary for fulfilling its purpose and responsibilities. c) The annual conference may enact bylaws governing meetings, quorum, and other matters of procedure for the council, or it may authorize the council to enact such bylaws; in any event, such bylaws shall not be in conflict with the Book of Discipline. d) If deemed necessary for the fulfillment of its functions and if so authorized by the annual conference, the council may be incorporated. 6. Amenability—The council shall be amenable and report directly to the annual conference. 7. Relationships—a) The council and the annual conference council on ministries shall cooperate in the development of the conference benevolences budget (¶ 614.3). b) In the interest of developing and implementing coordinated annual conference policies in the areas of fiscal management and administrative services, the council shall serve in a liaison role among conference agencies with responsibilities in these areas. It shall be authorized to convene representatives of annual conference administrative and clergy support agencies for the purpose of consulting on matters of mutual concern, such as the coordination of fiscal management, fundraising activities, and administrative services in the annual conference.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶612 · via Plenary

• ¶613 · Responsibilities

  The council shall have authority and responsibility to perform the following functions: 1. To recommend to the annual conference for its action and determination budgets of anticipated income and proposed expenditures for all funds that provide for annual conference clergy support, annual conference administrative expenses, and annual conference benevolence and program causes (¶ 614). 2. To receive, consider, report, and make recommendations to the annual conference regarding the following prior to final decision by the annual conference: (a) any proposal to raise capital funds for any purpose; (b) funding considerations related to any proposal that may come before the conference; (c) any requests to conduct a special conference-wide financial appeal, whether by special collections, campaigns, or otherwise in the local churches of the conference. 3. To recommend to the annual conference for its action and decision the methods or formulas by which apportionments to churches, charges, or districts for duly authorized General, jurisdictional, conference, and district funds shall be determined (¶ 615.4). 4. To consult and cooperate with the commission on communication in providing district superintendents, pastors, and appropriate officers of the local churches and charge conferences with interpretive aids or other materials to assist in gaining understanding and support of the conference budget and other approved conference causes. This shall include the theology and discipline of financial giving. 5. To develop policies governing the investment of conference funds (except for pension funds as provided in ¶ 638.26), whether in debt or equity, short-term or long-term instruments, with the aim of maximizing funds available for mission in a manner consistent with the preservation of capital, the Policies Relative to ples of the Church. A statement of such policies shall be printed in the conference journal at least once in each quadrennium. 6. To recommend to the annual conference procedures for funding local churches, including the theology of financial giving. 7. To advise local churches about making their church buildings, facilities, and programs accessible. 8. To recommend to the annual conference for its action procedures for dealing responsibly with situations in which budgeted funds, as approved by the annual conference, are inadequate to meet emerging missional needs or unforeseen circumstances. 9. To review at least quarterly and to account to the annual conference for the disbursement of funds in accordance with budgets approved by the conference. 10. To recommend to the annual conference for its action and determination the conditions under which it may borrow funds for current expense purposes and the maximum amount of such borrowing. 11. To have authority and supervision over the conference treasurer/director of administrative services subject to ¶ 619; to establish policies governing the treasurer/director’s work. 12. To work in cooperation with other annual conference agencies for the design and implementation of a plan by which the annual conference may designate the conference treasury as a central treasury for funds designated for any or all conference agencies participating in conference funds. 13. To establish uniform and equitable policies and practices in the employment and compensation of personnel, in consultation and cooperation with other conference agencies that employ staff, unless the annual conference has designated another agency to carry this responsibility. These policies and practices shall be in accordance with the Social Principles (¶¶ 162L Racism, Ethnocentrism, and Tribalism; 163C Elders and Aging; 163D Women and Girls; 163H People with Disabilities). In addition, the council shall recommend that the annual conference provide, effective on and after January 1, 2006, 100 percent vested pension benefits of at least three percent of compensation for lay personnel of the annual conference who work at least 1,040 hours per year, are at least 21 years of age, and have at least one year of permanent service. The annual conference shall have authority to provide such pension benefits through either a denominational pension program administered by Wespath or another pension program administered by another pension provider. 14. To cooperate with the General Council on Finance and Administration and with the General Board of Discipleship in promoting and standardizing the financial recording and reporting system in the local churches of the conference. 15. To cooperate with the General Council on Finance and Administration in order to provide leadership, training, and encouragement in the areas of church business administration for individuals and organizations of The United Methodist Church by: (1) distributing information regarding certification as a church business administrator; and (2) listing in the council’s report to the annual conference the names of persons certified as church business administrators by the General Council on Finance and Administration who are employed within the bounds of the annual conference. 16. To make recommendations to the annual conference for its action and determination regarding plans to initiate or cause to be organized a foundation or similar organization for the purpose of securing, conserving, or expending funds for the direct or indirect benefit or support of the annual conference, or of any conference agency, or any of its programs or work. The council shall have opportunity to make its recommendations regarding such plans if the foundation or similar organization is: (1) proposed to be organized by the annual conference itself, whether acting alone or in concert with other annual conferences; (2) proposed to be organized by any conference council, board, commission, committee, or other agency; (3) to make use of the name United Methodist in its title or solicitation; or (4) proposed for the purpose of soliciting gifts primarily from the United Methodist constituency. 17. To perform such other administrative and fiscal functions and services as the annual conference may assign. 18. To ensure that no apportioned conference funds are expended for the use of alcoholic beverages. 19. To ensure that no annual conference board, agency, committee, commission, or council shall give United Methodist funds to any group, or otherwise use such funds, to reject any LGBTQIA+ person or openly discriminate against LGBTQIA+ people, in order to follow to commitment of The UMC “not to reject or condemn lesbian or gay members and friends”(see The the inclusion of all people in the life of the church “that enables all persons to participate in the life of the Church, the community, and the world” (¶ 140). The council shall have the right to stop such expenditures. Funding shall not be provided for dialogs or educational events where rejection of LGBTQIA+ persons is promoted.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶613 · via Plenary

• ¶614 · Budgets

  The council shall recommend to the annual conference for its action and determination budgets of anticipated income and proposed expenditures for all funds to be apportioned to the churches, charges, or districts. Prior to each regular session of the annual conference, the council shall make a diligent and detailed study of the needs of all the conference agencies and causes asking to be included in the budget of any conference fund. The chairperson of each conference agency, or other duly authorized representative, shall have opportunity to represent the claims of that agency before the council. 1. Clergy Support Budgets—a) It shall be the duty of the council, unless otherwise provided, to estimate the total amount necessary to furnish a sufficient and equitable support for the district superintendents of the conference, including base compensation, travel, staff, office, and housing. The council shall report specific recommendations to the annual conference for conference action (¶ 669.4a). b) The council shall report to the annual conference at each session the Episcopal Fund apportionment to the annual conference under the methodology approved by the General Conference and shall include in its recommended clergy support budget the amount determined by the treasurer of the General Council on Finance and Administration as necessary to meet this apportionment. c) Based on recommendations from the episcopal residence committee (¶ 637.4), the council shall recommend the amount to be raised as the annual conference share of the cost of the bishop’s housing. d) After consultation with the conference board of pensions, the council shall report to the annual conference the amounts computed by that agency as necessary to meet the needs for pensions and benefit programs of the conference. Such amounts need not be derived solely from apportionments. e) It shall recommend to the annual conference an amount determined in consultation with the commission on equitable compensation to be used for compliance with the approved schedule of equitable base compensation for pastors (¶ 624.3). f) It shall recommend to the annual conference estimates of the amounts needed for any other programs of clergy support the conference may adopt, such as a Sustentation Fund (¶ 625) or provision for the moving expenses of pastors. 2. Administration Budget—a) The council shall recommend to the annual conference estimates of the amounts needed for administrative expenses of the conference, including its own expenses and those of the conference treasurer’s office. It shall consult with the conference agencies and officers to be included in the administrative budget regarding the estimated budgets of their expenses and base its conference administration budget recommendations on information thus received. b) It shall include in its estimates recommendations regarding the conference’s share of an area expense fund, if any, and apportionments for administration properly made by the jurisdictional conference and the General Conference (¶ 811.4). 3. Conference Benevolences Budget—a) In preparing the conference benevolences budget, the council, working together with the conference council on ministries or alternative structure as provided in ¶ 614.3b, shall make diligent effort to secure full information regarding all conference benevolence and service causes that none may be neglected, jeopardized, or excluded. Basing its judgment of needs upon the information secured, the council shall recommend to the annual conference for its action and determination the total amount to be apportioned for the conference benevolences budget. After receiving the recommendations of the conference council on ministries or alternative structure, the council shall also recommend the amount or the percentage of the total of the conference benevolences budget that shall be allocated to each cause included in the said budget. Such recommendations should reflect agreement with the conference council on ministries or alternative structure on program agency allocations as specified below. 68 b) The council on finance and administration and the annual conference council on ministries shall work together to establish and follow a procedure that shall preserve the following principles: (1) It is the responsibility of the conference council on finance and administration to establish the total amount to be recommended to the annual conference as the conference benevolences budget and, within that amount, the total sum to be recommended for distribution among the conference program agencies. It is likewise the responsibility of the council to study the budget requests for any agencies or causes to be included in the conference benevolences budget other than the conference program agencies, including the requests of the conference council on ministries, and to give the chairpersons or other authorized representatives of such agencies and causes opportunity to represent their claims before the council. (2) It is the responsibility of the conference council on ministries to study the budget requests of the conference program agencies and to recommend to the conference council on finance and administration amounts to be allocated from the conference benevolences budget to each such agency, within the total established by the conference council on finance and administration. (3) It is the responsibility of the conference council on finance and administration to present the conference benevolences budget recommendations to the annual conference. The recommended allocations to conference program agencies should reflect agreement between the council and the conference council on ministries or alternative structure. c) The term conference benevolences shall include those conference allocations and expenditures directly associated with the program, mission, and benevolent causes of annual conference program agencies and institutions. Annual conference program agencies and institutions shall be defined as those agencies with responsibilities parallel to those of the program-related general agencies (¶ 703) and institutions whose work is within the field of responsibility of one or more of those agencies. Administrative expenses that are directly related to the program, mission, and benevolent causes of conference program agencies, including the expenses of the conference council on ministries or alternative structure, may also be included in the conference benevolences budget. The term conference benevolences shall not include allocations and expenditures for other conference agencies and officers whose work is primarily administrative. It shall likewise not include annual conference clergy support funds as set forth in ¶¶ 620-627, allocations and expenditures of conference agencies responsible for administering clergy support funds, or apportionments made to the annual conference by the General or jurisdictional conferences. d) The council, on receiving from the treasurer of the General Council on Finance and Administration a statement of the amount apportioned that annual conference for World Service, may recommend that the conference combine the total World Service apportionment, without reduction for the quadrennium, and the approved conference benevolences budget (¶ 614.3a). If combined the sum of these two amounts shall be known as World Service and Conference Benevolences, and the combined budget thus established shall include a statement of the percentage for World Service and the percentage for conference benevolences. (See also ¶ 619.1a(2).) 4. Other Apportioned Causes—The council shall include in its budget recommendations specific amounts recommended for all other funds properly apportioned to the annual conference for the support of duly authorized general or other connectional funds. The budget recommendations shall likewise include any other amounts to be apportioned to the districts, charges, or churches by the annual conference for conference or district causes of any kind. 5. Special Appeals—a) No annual conference agency or interest, including any related agency or institution such as a school, college, university, hospital, home, housing project, or other service institution, shall make a special conference-wide appeal to the local churches for funds without the approval of the annual conference upon recommendation of the council, except in case of an extreme emergency, when such approval may be given by a two-thirds vote of the district superintendents and of the council, acting jointly. Neither shall special conference-wide appeals to local churches for funds be made by such boards, interests, agencies, or institutions that are not related to the annual conference in which the appeal is to be made, unless approval for such an appeal is granted by the annual conference upon recommendation of the council. The annual conference approvals specified in this paragraph shall not be required for special church-wide financial appeals that have been approved under the provisions of ¶ 820, for solicitations that have been approved under the provisions of ¶ 812.3, or for any other general fund promotion or appeal authorized by the General Conference or approved and conducted under other provisions of the Book of Discipline. b) When application is made to the council for the privilege of a special conference-wide financial appeal, whether by special collections, campaigns, or otherwise, the council shall investigate the application and its possible relation to other obligations of the conference and in the light of the facts make recommendations to the conference for its action and determination. If application for privilege of a special appeal is made directly to the conference, the application shall be referred to the council before final action is taken. c) The council may include in its budget recommendations to the annual conference amounts to be considered as goals for special appeals or other nonapportioned causes. 6. The council shall make its budget recommendations to the annual conference in a format based on guidelines suggested by the General Council on Finance and Administration.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶614 · via Plenary

• ¶615 · Apportionments

  When a change to the apportionment formula or method is proposed, the council should provide for a study of the proposed change’s effects. After its study, which may include resources supplied by the General Council on Finance and Administration, the council shall recommend such formula or method to the annual conference for its action and determination which shall include the approved budgeted amounts for clergy support, administration, World Service, Conference Benevolences, and other apportioned causes (¶ 614.1-.4), the sum of which shall be apportioned to the districts, churches, or charges of the conference. 1. The council, on receiving from the General Council on Finance and Administration a statement of the amount or methodology for apportioning to the annual conference for the several general funds as authorized by the General Conference, shall apportion the same to the several districts, charges, or churches by whatever method the conference may direct. The council shall make every effort for the full payment of these apportionments as a part of the Church’s shared financial covenant. 2. The council shall recommend to the annual conference for its action and determination whether the apportionments referred to in this paragraph shall be made by the council to the districts only or to the churches or charges of the conference. If the apportionments are made to the districts only, then the distribution to the churches or charges of each district shall be made as provided in ¶ 614.3. The conference may order that the district superintendents make the entire distribution to all the churches or charges of the conference. 3. Should the annual conference make the apportionments to the districts only, the distribution to the churches or charges of each district shall be made by its district board of stewards, composed of the district superintendent as chairperson and the district stewards elected by the several charge conferences (¶ 247.14). In that case, the board, meeting on call of the district superintendent as soon as practicable after the adjournment of the annual conference, shall make the distribution to the churches or charges of the district using such methods as it may determine, unless the annual conference shall have determined the method of distribution to the churches or charges. 4. If the council recommends an apportioned fund that combines two or more general apportioned funds with one another, or that combines one or more general apportioned funds with funds other than a general apportioned fund, the recommendation and consequent annual conference actions shall include: (1) a statement of the amount of each general fund apportionment included in the combined fund, and (2) a statement of the percentage of the combined fund total that corresponds to each general fund apportionment. 5. If an annual conference establishes an apportioned fund that combines support for several distinct causes, it shall make available to local churches information identifying the causes supported by the fund.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶615 · via Plenary

• ¶616 · Depository

  The council shall be responsible for designating a depository or depositories for conference funds.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶616 · via Plenary

• ¶617 · Auditing

  The council shall have the following authority and responsibility with respect to the auditing of the financial records of the conference and its agencies: 1. To have the accounts of the conference treasurer for the preceding fiscal year audited by a certified public accountant within 150 days after the close of the conference fiscal year and to receive, review, and report such audit to the annual conference. As a part of the audit, the accountant shall confer with the presiding bishop of the annual conference and the president of the council. 2. To require and review at least annually audited reports, in such detail as it may direct, from all conference agencies and from all agencies, institutions, and organizations receiving any financial support from conference funds or from any authorized conference-wide appeal. 3. To require and review at least annually, in such detail as it may direct, compiled or audited reports of all funds received or administered by districts or district agencies, including funds held or administered by treasurers or officers other than the conference treasurer. Based on its review of such audits, the council may make such recommendations to the annual conference as it deems appropriate. 4. The council may establish an audit review committee to review all of the reports and audits required by ¶ 617.1, .2. If the council chooses to establish such a committee, at least half of its members should be persons who are not members of the council and who are chosen for their expertise in areas related to the work of the committee. Consideration shall be given to inclusiveness (¶¶ 124, 140) in the selection of persons to serve on the committee.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶617 · via Plenary

• ¶618 · Bonding

  The council shall have the following authority and responsibility with respect to the bonding of conference and conference agency officers and staff whose responsibilities include the custody or handling of conference funds or other negotiable assets: 1. The council shall provide for the fidelity bonding of the conference treasurer and other staff under its authority and supervision in amounts it judges to be adequate. 2. In the case of those agencies, institutions, and organizations for which the conference treasurer does not serve as treasurer, the council shall have authority to require fidelity bonding of their treasurers in such amounts as it deems adequate and to withhold payment of the allocation of any such agency, institution, or organization until evidence of the required bonding has been submitted. 3. The council may provide, or require any conference agency to provide directors’ and officers’ liability insurance in amounts it judges to be adequate. 4. The council shall require compliance with the policies established as provided by this paragraph and shall report annually to the annual conference on such compliance.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶618 · via Plenary

• ¶619 · Conference Treasurer/Director of Administrative Services

  Each annual conference, on nomination of its council on finance and administration, shall at the first session of the conference after the quadrennial session of the General Conference or jurisdictional conference, or at such other times as a vacancy exists, elect a conference treasurer or conference treasurer/director of administrative services. The treasurer or treasurer/director shall serve for the quadrennium or until a successor shall be elected and qualify. If a vacancy should occur during the quadrennium, the council shall fill the vacancy until the next session of the annual conference. After consultation with the bishop in charge, the council may remove the treasurer or treasurer/director from office for cause and fill the vacancy until the next session of the conference. The treasurer/director shall be directly amenable to the council. The treasurer/director may sit with the council and its committees at all sessions and have the privilege of voice but not vote. 1. As conference treasurer, this officer shall have the following functions: a) The conference treasurer shall receive and disburse, in accordance with the actions of the annual conference and the provisions of the Book of Discipline, remittances from local church treasurers for all duly authorized General, jurisdictional, annual conference, and district causes. (1) Local church treasurers shall remit monthly to the conference treasurer all amounts contributed in each local church for: (a) the World Service Fund and the Conference Benevolences fund, whether apportioned separately or as one combined fund; (b) all other funds authorized by the General Conference and apportioned to the annual conferences by the General Council on Finance and Administration; (c) all other jurisdictional, annual conference, and district funds or causes apportioned in accordance with ¶ 615, unless otherwise directed by the annual conference; (d) special Sunday offerings (¶ 262); (e) special appeals (¶¶ 614.5, 820); (f) Advance Special Gifts (¶ 823); (g) World Service Special Gifts (¶ 821); (h) Youth Service Fund (¶ 1207); and (i) all other General, jurisdictional, annual conference, and district funds not otherwise directed. (2) The World Service Fund and the Conference Benevolences Fund—(a) If apportioned as one combined fund, the treasurer shall each month divide the total amount received from local churches for World Service and Conference Benevolences, setting aside the proper amount for World Service and the proper amount for conference benevolences, according to the ratio of each established by the annual conference in the total World Service and Conference Benevolences budget (¶ 614.3c). (b) Whether apportioned separately or as one combined fund, the treasurer shall, from the share received for conference benevolences, credit monthly the accounts of the several agencies or causes included in the conference benevolences budget or make monthly remittances to the treasurers of such agencies or causes according to the rightful share and proportion of each (¶ 614.3a) or according to a payment schedule approved by the conference council on finance and administration, which shall provide that the total allocated to each agency or cause during the year shall be equal to the rightful share and proportion of each. (c) Whether apportioned separately or as one combined fund, the treasurer shall remit each month to the treasurer of the General Council on Finance and Administration the total share received during the month for World Service. When the share so designated for World Service during a year exceeds the amount apportioned to the annual conference, the entire share contributed for World Service shall be remitted in regular order to the treasurer of the General Council on Finance and Administration before the end of the fiscal year. (d) If an annual conference establishes an apportioned fund which combines two or more general funds with one another, or which combines one or more general church funds with funds other than general church funds, the conference treasurer shall allocate to the general church funds amounts at least equal to the percentage of receipts set under ¶ 614.3-.5. Amounts so allocated shall be remitted at least monthly to the treasurer of the General Council on Finance and Administration. (3) The treasurer shall, as far as practicable, remit monthly to the several district superintendents the amount due each of them (¶ 614.1a). (4) The treasurer shall likewise credit or remit each month all funds received and payable for other jurisdictional, annual conference, and district causes in accordance with budgets adopted by the annual conference. (5) The conference treasurer shall remit each month to the treasurer of the General Council on Finance and Administration the amounts received during the month for the General Administration Fund, the Episcopal Fund, the Interdenominational Cooperation Fund, the Black College Fund, the Ministerial Education Fund, World Service Special Gifts, Advance Special churchwide appeals (¶ 820), and all other general causes not otherwise directed. b) The conference treasurer may serve as treasurer for any or all agencies served by a conference central treasury (¶ 613.12). The treasurer shall enter the proper credits to each at the end of each month’s business. Disbursements from funds allocated to any conference agency shall be made only on proper order from the agency. c) The treasurer shall prepare at regular intervals such financial statements and reports as may be required for the bishop in charge, the district superintendents, the annual conference, the council, the agencies served by the conference central treasury and its officers, and the treasurer of the General Council on Finance and Administration. (1) The treasurer shall make each month a full report of all general funds handled to the treasurer of the General Council on Finance and Administration and to the presiding bishop of the conference. (2) The treasurer shall prepare annually a report of all receipts, disbursements, and balances of all funds under his or her direction, which report shall be printed in the conference journal. d) The treasurer may be authorized by the council to invest funds in accordance with policies and procedures established by the council (¶ 613.5). A listing of securities held shall be printed annually in the conference journal. e) The treasurer shall provide counsel and guidance to local church business administrators, treasurers, financial secretaries, and committees on finance in the development of standardized financial recording and reporting systems (¶ 613.13). f) The treasurer shall perform such other staff services as the council may require in the fulfillment of its functions and responsibilities. 2. As director of administrative services, this officer may have responsibility in one or more of the following areas: office management; payroll and personnel services; the provision of administrative services for annual conference officers and agencies; property management with respect to property owned by the annual conference or any of its agencies; and such other responsibilities of an administrative nature as the council, by mutual agreement with other annual conference officers and agencies, may assign. The director shall be present when the cabinet considers matters relating to conference administration related to the conference treasurer’s or conference treasurer/director of administrative services’ responsibilities, and other matters as the cabinet and director may determine. The director shall not be present during the cabinet discussions on matters related to the making of appointments. 3. The council shall have authority and supervision over the director and shall, after consultation with those annual conference officers and agencies for whom the director might be expected to perform services, define his or her specific responsibilities and do regular evaluation. Pastoral Support

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶619 · via Plenary

• ¶620

  Assumption of the obligations of the itineracy, required to be made at the time of admission into the traveling connection, puts upon the Church the counter obligation of providing support for the itinerant ministry of the Church. In view of this, the claim for pastoral support in each pastoral charge shall include provisions for the support of pastors, district superintendents, bishops, and conference claimants.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶620 · via Plenary

• ¶621 · Apportionment Distribution

  Each annual conference shall determine what plan and method shall be used in distributing the apportionments to its several districts and charges for the dents and conference claimants, and for the Equitable Compensation Fund (¶ 624).

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶621 · via Plenary

• ¶622 · Base Compensation

  The several charge conferences shall determine the pastor’s base compensation according to the provisions of ¶ 247.13. “Base Compensation” shall be defined in “Guidelines: A Resource for the Conference Commission on Equitable Compensation” prepared by The National Association of Commissions on Equitable Compensation (NACEC) and made available by the General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA) either in print or on the GCFA website.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶622 · via Plenary

• ¶623 · Payment Obligation

  1. Each church or charge has an obligation to pay the base compensation, the benefits adopted by the annual conference, and other ministerial support (including housing) adopted by the charge conference, to its pastor(s). If it becomes apparent that a church or charge will be unable to so provide the base compensation, support, and benefits adopted by the charge conference, the church or charge SPRC chair, finance chair, or treasurer, shall immediately notify, both in writing and verbally, the pastor, district superintendent, and congregation. This communication shall indicate all avenues explored to meet the base compensation, support, and benefits, including requesting consideration for a short-term emergency subsidy grant from the can be reduced only at the end of the conference appointment year or when there is a change of appointment. 2. In the event the annual conference has no arrearage policy in place, all such claims shall be subject to, and controlled by, the civil laws applicable to such claims in the state in which the claim arises. Any pastor who does not receive a full scheduled payment of the approved compensation shall immediately report such, in writing, to the church or charge SPRC chair, church council chair, and district superintendent. Failure to report within 90 days may result in surrender of any/all arrearage claims, subject to the annual conference arrearage policy (¶ 624.2d).

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶623 · via Plenary

• ¶624 · Equitable Compensation

  1. There shall be in each annual conference a commission on equitable compensation. It shall be composed of an equal number of lay and clergypersons, including at least one layperson and one clergyperson from churches of fewer than two hundred members, who are nominated by the conference nominating committee and elected by and amenable to the annual conference. It is recommended that in selection of commission members, consideration shall be given to inclusiveness. The chair of the commission shall alternate between lay and clergy or be shared by such. In addition, one district superintendent named by the cabinet shall be a nonvoting member. Members of the executive committee of the National Association of Commissions on Equitable Compensation shall be ex officio members of their respective annual conference’s commission. 2. It is the purpose of the commission on equitable compensation to support full-time clergy serving as pastors in the charges of the annual conference. The commission on equitable compensation shall meet at least twice a year for the purpose of: (a) recommending conference standards for pastoral support; (b) administering funds to be used in base compensation supplementation; and (c) providing counsel and advisory material on pastoral support to district superintendents and committees on pastor-parish relations; (d) submitting an arrearage policy to be adopted by the annual conference; and (e) recommending the amount needed to fund the Equitable Compensation Fund as described and secured in ¶¶ 614.1e and 624.7. For pastors receiving equitable compensation, once the base compensation supplementation has been paid by the annual conference, and the minimum base compensation and base compensation supplementation has been received by the pastor, the annual conference shall have no further financial obligation or responsibility to the pastor, the charge or anyone else regarding the pastor’s compensation. 3. The commission shall carefully study the needs for additional support within the conference and the sources of income and shall recommend annually to the conference for its action a schedule of minimum base compensation for all full-time pastors or those clergy members of the annual conference appointed less than full-time to a local church, subject to such rules and regulations as the conference may adopt (¶ 338.1, .2). 4. In some instances, for missional reasons, consideration may be given by the conference commission on equitable compensation to make funds available for the deacon in full connection when the primary appointment is to a local church. 5. Consistent with the provisions of this paragraph, the primary responsibility for the payment of pastoral base compensation remains with individual pastoral charges. 6. On recommendation of the commission on equitable compensation, the annual conference may authorize the utilization of the Equitable Compensation Fund to provide for supplementing base compensation beyond the minimum base compensation schedule. Special attention shall be given to ethnic pastors serving ethnic ministries, with particular attention given to Native American pastors serving Native American ministries. In all cases (ethnic or nonethnic), emphasis shall be given to funding entry-level appointments in a teaching parish in a station church, circuit, or cooperative parish and/or equivalent, or to a cooperative parish. 7. In consultation with the Commission on Equitable Compensation, the council on finance and administration shall recommend to the conference its estimate of the amount required to support the schedule of minimum base compensation and base compensation supplements for the pastors, as adopted by the conference. The conference council on finance and administration shall apportion the amount approved by the conference as an item of clergy support to the districts or the charges as the conference may direct (¶ 614.1e). 8. The Equitable Compensation Fund, secured as described above in ¶¶ 614.1e and 624.7, shall be disbursed under the direction of the Commission on Equitable Compensation. 9. The Equitable Compensation Fund, secured as described in ¶¶ 614.1e and 624.7, shall be used to provide each pastor who receives less than the minimum base compensation with an additional amount sufficient to make the base compensation approved by the pastoral charge plus the supplemental aid or income from other sources equal to the minimum base compensation approved by the conference. An annual conference may set a maximum amount to be used in attaining such minimum base compensation in any given case, and it may set its own policy regarding the number of years for which a pastoral charge is eligible to receive equitable base compensation funds, provided that no member in good standing who is appointed to a pastoral charge is denied the minimum base compensation (¶ 342). 10. In light of our constitutional commitment to Ecumenical sion should give consideration in setting standards for clergy support for those ministers who have had their orders recognized for service in The United Methodist Church (¶ 346.2) and whose years of service include ministry exercised in other denominations, especially those coming from the churches of the Pan-Methodist Commission and other member churches of the Churches Uniting In Christ. 11. The commission shall assemble and distribute to the charges and the district superintendents advisory material for use in the process of negotiating the total of each pastoral support package, the schedule of minimum base compensation, and other information relevant to the establishment of more equitable base compensation by all the charges of the conference. 12. The guidelines of the annual conference program of equitable clergy support shall, insofar as possible, be observed by the bishops and district superintendents in arranging charges and making appointments. Each full-time pastor or those clergy members of the annual conference appointed less than full-time under episcopal appointment to a local church are eligible for participation in the annual conference program of equitable base compensation (¶ 342.1, .2). 13. The commission may suggest to the annual conference for its consideration equitable base compensation ranges for the pastors and/or charges, and the annual conference may suggest such equitable base compensation ranges to the charges for their consideration.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶624 · via Plenary

• ¶625 · Sustentation Fund

  An annual conference may establish a sustentation fund for the purpose of providing emergency aid to the clergy of the conference who may be in special need. On recommendation of the conference council on finance and administration, the amount needed for this purpose may be apportioned to the pastoral charges as the conference may determine. The fund, if established, shall be administered jointly by the bishop, the appropriate district superintendent, and the chairperson of the commission on equitable compensation or the chairperson of such other agency as the annual conference may determine.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶625 · via Plenary

• ¶626 · Pastors' Expenses and Allowances

  Local churches shall report to the annual conference, in the manner indicated on the annual conference report form, expenditures for the following purposes: (1) amounts reimbursed to pastors for expenses incurred by them in the fulfillment of their professional responsibilities; (2) amounts paid to or for pastors as allowances (including housing allowance) in addition to base compensation. Local churches are encouraged to consider guidelines provided by the annual conference and/or the General Council on Finance and Administration in setting and reporting the amounts of such allowances and reimbursements.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶626 · via Plenary

• ¶627 · Compensation for Extension Ministries

  Every clergy member of an annual conference appointed to extension ministry shall furnish annually to the conference secretary at such time as the secretary shall direct a statement of his or her total compensation (including base compensation, travel, automobile, housing, and other expenses allowed and paid) for the year then ending. When this information is not furnished, the appointment of the clergyperson shall be subject to review by the resident bishop and the cabinet. Other Conference Agencies

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶627 · via Plenary

• ¶628 · Conference Board of Church and Society

  1. The annual conference shall organize a board of church and society or other structure to provide for the functions of this ministry and maintain the connectional relationship between the General Board of Church and Society and the conference, district, and local church, as well as for church and society responsibilities related to the objectives and scope of work of the General Board of Church and Society as set forth in ¶¶ 1002-1004. 2. The conference board of church and society or equivalent structure shall be composed of those persons as determined by the annual conference, including, by virtue of their offices, the mission coordinator for social action of the conference United Methodist Women and members of the General Board of Church and Society from the annual conference who shall serve within limits set by ¶¶ 610.6 and 710.6. The conference board of church and society or equivalent structure shall name a conference Caretakers of God’s Creation Coordinator who will be responsible for helping the conference develop programs to become more ecologically sustainable and to address environmental injustices and shall name a conference Peace with Justice Coordinator who will be responsible for administering the conference Peace with Justice Special Sunday Offering receipts and for coordinating peace and justice ministries. Guidelines for inclusiveness in the membership shall be followed (¶ 610.5). 3. The conference board, in cooperation with the General Board of Church and Society and the annual conference council on ministries, shall develop and promote programs on church and society within the bounds of the conference that include prison ministry and reform concerns. To this end, it may divide its membership into committees of approximately equal size patterned after the organization of the General Board of Church and Society. Committees of the board shall have responsibility to cooperate with one another to advance the respective and mutual concerns of their respective areas in social education, service, witness, and action. 4. The conference board of church and society shall serve to connect the General Board of Church and Society and the district and local churches in relating the gospel of Jesus Christ to the members of the Church and to the persons and structures of the communities, nation, and world in which they live. Program shall be developed that provides education and action on issues confronting the Church consistent with the Social Principles and the policies adopted by the General Conference. 5. The board shall estimate annually the amount necessary for support of its work and shall report this amount according to the procedure of the annual conference. The work of the board may be considered a benevolence interest of the Church within the conference. 6. The annual conference may employ a person or persons to further its purposes. Two or more annual conferences may cooperate in developing their programs and in employing one or more persons.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶628 · via Plenary

• ¶629 · Conference Board of Discipleship

  The annual conference shall organize a board of discipleship or other equivalent structure to provide for these functions and maintain the connectional relationship between the General Board of Discipleship and the conference, district, and local church, and to provide for discipleship functions related to the objectives and scope of work of the General Board of Discipleship as set forth in ¶¶ 1101, 1102. The person or persons serving as member(s) of the General Board of Discipleship shall be member(s) of the conference board of discipleship and may be granted voting privileges. 1. General Responsibilities—a) To lead and assist the congregations and districts in the conference in their efforts to communicate and celebrate the redeeming and reconciling love of God as revealed in Jesus Christ to persons of every age, ethnic background, and social condition; to invite persons to commit their lives to Christ and to his church; and to enable persons to live as Christian disciples in the world. b) To foster and promote a holistic approach to the development of Christian disciples. This shall include such ministries as Christian education and other small-group ministries; camping, retreat, and outdoor activities; evangelism; stewardship; worship; lay development; Christian spiritual formation and devotional life; age-level, life-span, and family-life ministries; leadership education; and such other areas of work as the annual conference may determine. c) To foster and promote camping experiences for persons with disabilities, including camps specifically designed for persons with disabilities, and the participation of persons with disabilities, when feasible, in camps sponsored by the district and conference. d) To provide training for clergy and laity in ministries with persons with disabilities, including the areas of the Sunday school, camps and retreats, and faith development. e) To provide guidance and training for related district leaders and agencies and for local church councils, officers, and committees. f) To develop a unified and comprehensive program for leadership training to serve all age groups in the home, church, and community. g) To provide continued training for pastors in effective ministry with children, child and faith development of children, and interpretation of curriculum resources. h) To enable and strengthen the ministry with and to youth at all levels of the Church. i) To determine the necessary directors, coordinators, or designated leaders for discipleship responsibilities at the annual conference level, including the maintenance of linkage with the General Board of Discipleship and related district committees within the annual conference. 2. Responsibilities in the Area of Christian Education—a) To develop and promote a conference program of Christian education for the whole lifespan, to lead, assist, and support congregations and districts in developing systems for educational and small-group ministries that give children, youth, young adults, adults, older adults, and families knowledge of and experience in the Christian faith and the spiritual disciplines as motivation for Christian service in the Church, the community, and the world. This may include guidance and training for district leaders responsible for Christian education and for local church ministry areas and commissions on education, superintendents of the church school, church school division superintendents, church school teachers, and other leaders in the educational ministry of local churches. b) To develop and maintain an organized system for communicating and working with persons responsible for Christian education programs in local churches, districts, jurisdictions, and the General Board of Discipleship. c) To provide training for confirmation leaders and to equip local congregations in confirmation experiences and in the use of approved resources. d) To encourage the observance of the first Sunday of Christian Education Week, or some other day designated by the annual conference, in each local church as Christian Education Sunday for the purpose of emphasizing the importance of Christian education and for receiving an offering for the work of Christian education. (See ¶ 265.1.) e) To develop and recommend to the annual conference plans for the acquisition or disposition of conference camps and/ or retreat properties in accordance with standards of camping developed by the General Board of Discipleship (¶ 1109.10). f) To promote church school extension by: (1) encouraging the development of new United Methodist church schools; (2) starting new classes; (3) expanding teaching and learning opportunities in the congregation and community. g) To assist local congregations in initiating programs of teacher recruitment, development, training, and retraining in biblical, theological, and ethical thinking as well as in the procedures and methods of Christian education. h) To cooperate in the promotion of knowledge about the support for all schools, colleges, universities, and seminaries related to the conference, the United Methodist Student Movement, and the campus ministry of the conference, region, or area through the establishment and support of such programs as may be approved by the annual conference in harmony with the policies and procedures of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. 3. Responsibilities in the Area of Evangelism—a) To plan and promote an effective, comprehensive ministry of evangelism for people of all ages. b) To create an understanding of, interest in, and commitment to evangelism throughout the conference. c) To provide for the training of clergy and laypersons in leadership in ministries of evangelism, the distribution of promotional literature, the encouragement and enlistment of local church participation in an ongoing ministry of evangelism, and the support of church revitalization and new church development. d) To give guidance to the groups responsible for the work of evangelism in the districts and to the ministry area of evangelism in the local church. e) To give particular emphasis to the promotion of ministries of evangelism, which may include ministries in jails and prisons with offenders, victims, and their families, in order that all persons living in a community where there is a local United Methodist church, and who are without a church affiliation or who make no profession of faith, will be included within the nurturing and caring responsibility of that local church. f) To recommend annually, in consultation with the Board of Ordained Ministry, to the conference and to the bishop in charge the appointment of certain effective members of the conference as general evangelists, provided that such persons shall meet the standards set for general evangelists by the General Board of Discipleship. This person shall serve as an ex officio member of the conference board of discipleship area of evangelism. In the event that there is more than one general evangelist in said annual conference, at least one shall be selected by the conference committee on nominations. g) To recommend and endorse the ministry of said general evangelist to the pastors and leadership of the annual conference. 4. Responsibilities in the Area of Worship—a) To be responsible for the concerns of worship for people of all ages within the annual conference. b) To foster the use of the best resources for worship at conference meetings and in all the churches of the conference, promote the use of The United Methodist Hymnal (1989) and The United Methodist Book of Worship (1992) in all the churches of the conference. To plan and promote seminars and demonstrations on cooperative planning for worship involving pastors and musicians, forms of worship, and the use of music and other arts, with particular emphasis on congregational singing. This includes cooperating with the resident bishop, who has primary responsibility for planning all worship services at each annual conference. c) To provide exhibits at the conference sessions, cooperate with the General Board of Discipleship, the conference council on ministries, the conference chapter of The Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts, and the Order of St. Luke in promoting seminars and training events in the area of worship, including music and other arts. d) To assist local congregations in discovering and recruiting persons to serve as musicians (instrumentalists, singers, and song leaders) and in developing the skills of those serving in local congregations in cooperation with the General Board of Discipleship. This focus shall include persons who work full-time, part-time, and especially as volunteers in church music. 5. Responsibilities in the Area of Stewardship—a) To plan and promote a comprehensive program of stewardship for people of all ages throughout the conference in such areas as stewardship education, proportionate giving and tithing, funding the Church’s ministries, planned giving, time and abilities, economics and money management, and lifestyle. b) To interpret the biblical and theological basis for stewardship. c) To promote giving consistent with a Christian lifestyle. d) To develop funding concepts within annual conference, district, and local church consistent with sound stewardship principles and the doctrine of The United Methodist Church. e) To educate the local church that tithing is the minimum goal of giving in The United Methodist Church. f) To design and schedule training events, distribute promotional material, and enlist local church participation in a yearround program of stewardship. g) To give guidance to the ministry area of stewardship in the districts and to the ministry area of stewardship and the committee on finance in the local church. h) To develop a program that will create concern on the part of every local church for the ecological and environmental problems that confront the world and to motivate them to accept responsibility for aiding in the solution of such problems. i) To participate in the work of national and jurisdictional organizations related to stewardship, such as the National Association of Stewardship Leaders and the National Association of United Methodist Foundations. 6. Responsibilities in the Area of Spiritual Formation—It is recommended that a separate committee be established to carry out the following responsibilities: a) To promote spiritual formation and the development of the devotional life for families and people of all ages, clergy and laity, throughout the conference. b) To conduct seminars and training events in the areas of private and corporate prayer. c) To encourage and assist with the distribution and use of resources for spiritual formation as provided by The Upper Room and the General Board of Discipleship. d) To encourage every local church to have a prayer coordinator to promote prayer and mobilize the local church to pray. e) To encourage every local church to have a prayer room or designated place for prayer and prayer resources. f) To encourage intentional prayer for pastoral leadership of the local church.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶629 · via Plenary

• ¶630 · Conference Board of Laity

  1. There shall be in every annual conference a conference board of laity or other equivalent structure to provide for these functions and maintain connectional relationship. It shall provide for the ministry of the laity related to the objectives of the General Board of Discipleship as set forth in ¶¶ 1101-1122. 2. The purpose of the conference board of laity shall be: a) To foster an awareness of the role of the laity both within the local congregation and through their ministries in the home, workplace, community, and world in achieving the mission of the Church; to develop and promote programs to cultivate an adequate understanding of the theological and biblical basis for lay life and work among the members of the churches of the annual conference. b) To develop and promote stewardship of time, talent, and possessions within the annual conference in cooperation with the conference council on ministries or other appropriate conference bodies. c) To provide for the training of lay members of annual conference. d) To provide support and direction for the ministry of the laity on the local, district, and annual conference levels and to promote the observance of Laity Sunday. e) To provide organization, direction, and support for the development of local church leaders. 3. The following membership of the board is recommended: the conference lay leader, associate conference lay leaders, the conference director of Lay Servant Ministries, the conference scouting coordinator, and the presidents and two representatives elected by each of the conference organizations of United Methodist Men, United Methodist Women, United Methodist Young Adults, and the conference council on youth ministries; and in addition, the district lay leaders, two laymen, two laywomen, and two youth elected by the annual conference upon nomination of the conference nominating committee, a district superintendent designated by the cabinet, the director of the conference council on ministries, and the presiding bishop. Special attention shall be given to the inclusion of people with disabilities and racial and ethnic persons. All members shall be professing members of local churches. 4. The conference lay leader shall chair the board. Other officers shall be elected as the board shall deem necessary. 5. The board shall relate to Lay Servant Ministries and other organized lay groups in the conference, such as United Methodist Men, United Methodist Women, United Methodist Young Adults, and United Methodist Youth and shall support their work and help them coordinate the activities of the organized laity of the conference. 6. Conference Committee on Lay Servant Ministries—a) Every annual conference is encouraged to create a conference committee on Lay Servant Ministries or other equivalent structure to fulfill the requirements of ¶¶ 266-268 and to relate to the conference and others that might apply. b) The purpose of a conference committee on Lay Servant Ministries is to set criteria and guidelines for district committees on Lay Servant Ministries, to develop lay servant courses and approve courses developed by district committees, and to organize conference-wide lay servant events. c) A conference committee on Lay Servant Ministries will consist, at a minimum, of the district directors of Lay Servant Ministries or their equivalent. d) There will be a conference director of Lay Servant Ministries. This position will be filled in a manner to be determined by the annual conference. This position shall be filled by a certified lay servant. The conference director will chair the committee. Other officers will be elected by the committee as the committee deems necessary. 7. Responsibilities in the Area of Ministry of the Laity—a) To develop and promote programs to cultivate an adequate understanding of the theological and biblical basis for ministry of the laity among the members of the churches of the annual conference; to give special emphasis to programs and services that will enable laity of all ages to serve more effectively as leaders in both church and community. b) To provide support and direction for such lay programs as Lay Servant Ministries, the observance of Laity Day, and the work of lay leaders on the local and district levels. c) To give support and direction to the conference and district program for local church leadership development, coordinating and developing training experiences that will enable persons of all ages to serve more effectively as members of local church councils on ministries, church councils, and the committees, commissions, and task forces related to these groups. d) To organize a conference committee on Lay Servant of the conference. This committee shall set guidelines and criteria to be used by district committees (see ¶ 668).

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶630 · via Plenary

• ¶631 · Conference Committee on Ethnic Local Church Concerns

  1. There shall be in every annual conference a conference committee on ethnic local church concerns or other structure to provide for these basic functions and to maintain connectional relationship. 2. It shall provide for these functions: a) Keeping the vision of ethnic local church concerns before the annual conference; b) Providing guidance and resources to churches in the annual conference as they minister with and to ethnic constituencies; c) Coordinating annual conference strategies related to ethnic local church concerns including general church emphases and initiatives; d) Providing a forum for dialogue among the ethnic constituencies, as well as with annual conference agencies; e) Providing training for annual conference and congregational leaders; f) Promoting and interpreting ethnic local church concerns to the annual conference; and g) Working with annual conferences to identify and nurture leaders, lay and clergy, of ethnic communities. 3. The membership of this committee shall be nominated and elected by established procedures of the annual conference. The annual conference shall determine the number and composition of the membership of the committee. It is recommended that the committee be constituted so that the majority of the membership be representative of racial and ethnic people, reflecting the racial and ethnic constituencies and local churches of the annual conference (¶ 705.3). Care should be taken, where feasible, to ensure balance of membership with clergy and laity, men and women, youth and young adults.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶631 · via Plenary

• ¶632 · Conference Board of Global Ministries

  1. The annual conference shall organize a board of global ministries or other structure to maintain the connectional relationship and provide for global ministries responsibilities related to the objectives and scope of work of the General Board of Global Ministries as set forth in ¶¶ 1302-1303. 2. The conference board of global ministries or equivalent structure shall be composed of those persons as determined by the annual conference and shall fulfill those responsibilities as assigned. The mission coordinator of education and interpretation of the conference United Methodist Women, by virtue of office, shall be a member of the conference board of global ministries. The chairperson of the conference board of global ministries shall work with the conference secretary of global ministries to relate the annual conference board of global ministries to the objectives and scope of work of the General Board of Global Ministries. A person or persons serving as member(s) of the General Board of Global Ministries from the annual conference shall, by virtue of their office, be member(s) of the conference board of global ministries (see ¶¶ 610.6 and 710.6). 3. There shall be a conference secretary of global ministries who shall be a member of the annual conference board and may be a member of the annual conference council on ministries or equivalent structure. The conference secretary of global ministries shall work with the chairperson of the conference board of global ministries to relate the annual conference board of global ministries to the objectives and scope of work of the General Board of Global Ministries. 4. a) The annual conference and the General Board of Global Ministries shall cooperate in carrying out the policies and promoting all phases of the work as related to the scope of the board as set forth in ¶ 1302. b) Responsibilities—(1) To designate the necessary committees, sections, or commissions and individual secretaries, coordinators, or other leaders for global ministries responsibilities at the annual conference level. (2) To interpret to the annual conference the programs, plans, and policies of the General Board of Global Ministries and to plan and promote emphases on global ministries. To undergird with education, constructive evaluation, communication, and cultivation the total program of the General Board of Global Ministries. (3) To receive reports of the liaison to the annual conference from the General Board of Global Ministries. (4) To interpret to the General Board of Global Ministries the mission program, priorities, and concerns of the annual conference and the local churches to enable the board to fulfill its responsibilities as an extension of the local church. (5) To plan and promote various kinds of meetings and experiences throughout the conference for the purpose of developing a spirit of mission and participation in global ministries for training, education, and leadership development of mission leaders and persons in the field of human services and health and welfare ministries. (6) To cooperate with the General Board of Global Ministries in its program outside the United States. (7) To identify with all who are alienated and dispossessed and to assist them in achieving their full human development—body, mind, and spirit—including encouraging and implementing affirmative action programs. (8) To engage in direct ministries to human need, both emergency and continuing institutional and noninstitutional, however caused. (9) To cooperate with the conference organization of United Methodist Women in helping to equip all women for full participation in the mission of the Church. (10) To cultivate, through the channels of the Church other than United Methodist Women, the Advance Special Gifts for ministries administered by designated units of the General Board of Global Ministries, including United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). (11) To promote the development of covenant relationships between local churches and General Board of Global Ministries personnel. (12) To encourage, maintain, and strengthen the relationships between the annual conference and agencies related to the appropriate divisions and departments of the General Board of Global Ministries and provide a channel through which these agencies shall report to the annual conference. (13) To develop and implement Church financial support of conference mission projects and programs, and health and welfare ministries, with particular emphasis on benevolent care and Golden Cross, education and social service ministries, and World Communion Scholarships. (14) To enable, encourage, and support the development of congregations, cooperative parishes, community centers, education and human services, and health and welfare ministries so that they may be units of mission in urban and rural areas and partners with others in the worldwide mission of the Christian church. (15) To encourage and support specialized urban and town and country ministries enabling comprehensive mission related to broad metropolitan and rural issues, services ministering to the needs of persons, and supportive programs strengthening the local church. (16) To assist districts and local churches in exploring and developing new methods and direct service ministries as changing conditions and societal forms demand. (17) To cooperate with Church and secular leaders at all levels in strategic planning, developing programs, and advocating legislation that impacts community and national issues. (18) To envision and engage in imaginative new forms of mission appropriate to changing needs and to share the results of experimentation. (19) To develop strategies in response to critical community issues, with special attention to the needs of ethnic and language groups, people with disabilities, people in transitional relationships, the working poor, and those living under repressive systems (20) To support United Methodist Committee on Relief’s refugee ministry by promoting an annual conference refugee committee that relates to the annual conference board of global ministries and encourages, advises, and assists churches with their refugee programs. (21) To support the United Methodist Committee on Relief’s World Hunger/Poverty Ministry by encouraging annual conferences to appoint an annual conference hunger coordinator and form an annual conference hunger committee that relates to the annual conference board of global ministries. (22) To appoint annual conference disaster response coordinators to assist the United Methodist Committee on Relief by encouraging the formation of an annual conference disaster response committee that relates to the annual conference board of global ministries and includes, when possible, members of the General Board of Global Ministries from the annual conference. The membership of the Disaster Response Committee may include district disaster response coordinators and the conference director of communications or member of the commission on communications. Annual conference and district disaster response coordinators shall receive training at least once a quadrennium. (23) To assist the program of Church and Community Ministry in setting goals, developing programs, providing funding, and evaluating the ministries. (24) To cooperate with the General Board of Global Ministries in the recruitment and support of missionaries and to cooperate with the appropriate conference units such as a Conference Committee on Mission Personnel or an equivalent body in the promotion and recruitment of persons for health and welfare service careers and other Church-related occupations. (25) To review and certify applications to the General Board of Global Ministries for loans, donations, and grants; to administer such funds for their designated purposes in accordance with the established guidelines; and to participate with the General Board of Global Ministries in planning and evaluation processes related to these funds. (26) To cultivate gifts for those special Sunday offerings that are administered through the General Board of Global Ministries. (27) To strive to ensure mutual representation between the annual conference unit responsible for health and welfare ministries and each health and welfare institution related to the annual conference where such representation is called for by mutual agreement of the institution and the annual conference. (28) To encourage the health and welfare institutions and programs within the annual conference related to a connectional unit of The United Methodist Church to utilize the programmatic standards, self-study, and peer review appropriate to Church-related institutions and programs and available to them through organizations that will promote excellence in Christian ministry and mission and enhance the quality of services offered. (29) To assist the annual conference in assessing needs in health and welfare ministries. To assist the annual conference in development of health and welfare services in local communities and within the annual conference. (30) To work with the General Board of Global Ministries in leadership development programs and the promotion of health and welfare ministries, and to work with the United Methodist Association of Health and Welfare Ministries in leadership development programs and the promotion of health and welfare ministries. (31) To promote Christian, financial, and professional standards in health and welfare ministries within the annual conference. (32) To aid in planning and developing a religious ministry in annual conference-related institutions and programs and, wherever practical, in state and other institutions and programs not related to the conference where there is a need. (33) To serve in an advisory capacity to the conference nominating processes where the annual conference participates in the selection of trustees for health and welfare institutions and programs related to the annual conference. (34) To provide a channel through which health and welfare programs and institutions report to the annual conference. (35) To promote an annual Golden Cross offering or other means of giving to be received in every local church on a day or days designated by the annual conference in support of the health and welfare ministries within the annual conference. This offering shall provide financial support to care for sick persons, older persons, children and youth, and people with disabilities. Special emphasis shall be given to aiding those ministries that provide direct financial assistance to persons in need. Promotion also should include all units of the General Board of Global Ministries related to health and welfare ministries. (36) To make available program and other resources to local churches to help ensure physical accessibility of church buildings. 5. The annual conference shall establish a committee on parish and community development or assign this responsibility to an existing agency in the annual conference that will fulfill the responsibilities related to the objectives and scope of the General and develop programs with institutional and voluntary ministries related to the work of the board. The committee may form subcommittees for these areas. The committee shall be accountable to the conference board of global ministries, or to such other agency as the conference may determine. The chairperson of the committee and the chairpersons of the subcommittees shall be members of the conference board of global ministries or such body to which the committee shall be amenable. a) The committee shall include persons involved in significant types of parish and community ministries, lay and clergy representatives of rural, town, and urban small-membership churches, the area or conference superintendent or director of parish development, representatives of related church agencies and groups, and at-large community representatives. b) The general responsibilities of the committee shall include research, evaluation, planning and strategy development, policy formulation, program implementation, local and national liaison (denominational and ecumenical) related to parish and community development, and such other functions as the conference or agency to which the committee is accountable may determine. c) Responsibilities of the subcommittee on institutional and voluntary ministries related to the General Board of Global Ministries may include developing a relationship to all such institutional and voluntary ministries within the annual conference; consulting with them in cooperative planning and strategy for the implementation of national mission concerns relative to needs in the area of social welfare as implemented through the ministries of community centers, residences, health-care agencies, schools, and other educational agencies; and working with funding sources to provide the support needed for effective service in such agencies. d) In annual conferences where church and community workers are assigned through the General Board of Global Ministries, responsibilities of the subcommittee on church and community ministry shall include reviewing and evaluating projects; serving as liaison between projects and the General Board of Global Ministries; and securing consultative and financial support for workers. e) Responsibilities of the subcommittee on congregational development shall include encouraging and supporting the development of new and established congregations; conducting research studies and community surveys that plan for and assist with developing innovative strategies for mission; and reviewing, evaluating, and making recommendations for loans, donations, and grants from the General Board of Global Ministries. The sub-committee also shall encourage greater use of such pastoral ministry models as tentmaking/bi-vocational ministries, part-time local pastors, and cooperative ministries by advocating for the removal of impediments to their use and emphasizing the pastors’ proven ability to produce effective nurture, outreach, and witness ministries as the primary criterion for appointment. f) Responsibilities of the subcommittee on town and country ministries shall include mission development and ministry in town and country areas with a population of less than 50,000. These shall include incorporated areas of 10,000 to 50,000; towns, villages, and incorporated areas with 10,000 or fewer; and rural areas with population density of 200 or fewer persons per square mile, fulfilling the functions outlined in ¶ 632.5h. g) Responsibilities of the subcommittee on urban ministries shall include long-range mission strategy development and ministry for metropolitan communities with a population of more than 50,000, fulfilling the functions outlined in ¶ 632.5h. h) Responsibilities of the subcommittees on town and country ministries and urban ministries shall include the following: (1) consulting with the bishop, cabinet, area or conference superintendent/director of parish development, district representatives of town and country ministries and urban ministries, and the conference agencies in the development of policies for cooperative parish ministries, securing of funding for staff, and in initiating and strengthening these ministries; (2) developing a comprehensive related missional strategy for the mission of the annual conference, the districts, and the local churches and reporting this plan to the annual conference for consideration, with the understanding that the plan may relate to a regional mission organization for purposes of larger geographical coordination; and (3) initiating and/or assisting with programs to deal with needs such as: (a) local church and community outreach organization and development; (b) ministries with specialized constituencies and sectors of community life, agricultural and industrial production, and other issue-oriented ministries; (c) the development and strengthening of regional and/or national networks and/or associations; (d) ethnic and language groups; (e) churches in transitional communities; (f) small membership churches; (g) the impact of oppressive systems on town and country and urban people and their communities; and (h) to fulfill other functions as related to the objectives and scope of work of the General Board of Global Ministries as set forth in ¶ 1314. i) Responsibilities of the subcommittee on the small membership church shall include the following: (1) being informed about needs and opportunities of the small membership church in rural, town, and urban settings in the total life of the conference; (2) calling for representation by small membership churches in the decision-making structures of the annual conference; (3) informing and sensitizing leadership at all levels of the conference on issues that affect small membership churches; (4) enlisting the support of the bishop, cabinet, council on ministries, and conference staff on policies, plans, and practices that affect small membership churches; (5) working with the subcommittees on town and country ministries and urban ministries within the parish and with the community development committee to develop and implement strategies for the nurturing, outreach, and witness ministries of small membership churches. j) In metropolitan areas with a population of more than 50,000, consideration shall be given to the establishment of a metropolitan commission whose purpose shall be to promote long-range planning and to provide a coordinating framework for United Methodism’s mission strategy for that metropolitan area. The membership may include the bishop or bishop’s representative, the district superintendents involved, a selected group of clergy and laypersons representing the annual conference board of global ministries and the annual conference committee on urban ministry, the conference commission on religion and race, the annual conference United Methodist Women and United Methodist Men, representatives from community-based ministries, representatives from district council(s) on ministries, representatives from other boards and agencies deemed appropriate, and groups and individuals who have skills and experience enabling them to fulfill creative planning and strategy functions for United Methodism in the metropolitan area. When the metropolitan area includes more than one annual conference, representatives shall be elected from each conference’s constituent boards and agencies to the metropolitan commission. 6. There may be a volunteer-in-mission coordinator who will coordinate the volunteer-in-mission ministries of the annual conference in cooperation with the General Board of Global Ministries’ mission volunteers office and the jurisdictional volunteerin-mission office. a) The coordinator shall be elected annually and shall be a member of the annual conference board of global ministries. b) The coordinator will be responsible to: (1) match volunteers with mission opportunities; (2) be responsive to volunteers’ desire to serve; train and mobilize volunteers for mission volunteer service; (3) disseminate information on what is happening in the area of short-term volunteer-in-mission programs.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶632 · via Plenary

• ¶633 · Conference Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry

  1. There shall be in each annual conference a board of higher education and campus ministry or other structure to provide for these functions and maintain the connectional relationships. The number of members shall be determined by the annual conference, including representation from appropriate constituencies. 2. The annual conference board of higher education and campus ministry or equivalent structure shall provide for the connectional relationship between the Division of Higher Education of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry and the conference, district, and local church and shall provide for a ministry in higher education related to the objectives and scope of work of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry and the Division of Higher Education. A person serving as a member of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry from that annual conference shall, by virtue of his or her office, be a member of the conference board of higher education and campus ministry or equivalent structure (see ¶¶ 610.6 and 710.6). 3. The annual conference chairperson of higher education and campus ministry or equivalent structure shall be a member of the annual conference council on ministries. 4. The responsibilities of an annual conference board of higher education and campus ministry or equivalent structure include: a) General Responsibilities—(1) To interpret and promote the United Methodist ministries in higher education that are supported by the general Church and those specifically related to the annual conference. (2) To recommend the policies guiding the annual conference in its program of ministry in higher education. (3) To train and provide resources for district committees and local church ministry areas of higher education and campus ministry. (4) To apprise United Methodists of their historic commitment to and present mission in higher education. (5) To work with the annual conference council on ministries and with districts and local churches to interpret and promote higher education ministries supported by special Sundays and funds: Africa University Fund, Black College Fund; Hispanic, Asian, and Native Americans (HANA) Educational Ministries; Ministerial Education Fund, Native American Ministries Sunday, United Methodist Student Day; World Communion Sunday; and other funds and special days related to higher education ordered by the General Conference or annual conference. (6) To promote use of the United Methodist Loan Fund and to designate appropriate persons to represent the United Methodist Loan Fund on campuses, such persons normally being Wesley Foundation directors or ecumenical campus ministers supported by the annual conference; to provide the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry’s Office of Scholarships with the names and addresses of those persons; and to apprise students of alternative ways to apply for loans in the event there is no campus minister. (7) To evaluate schools, colleges, universities, and campus ministries related to the annual conference, with concern for the quality of their performance, the integrity of their mission, and their response to the missional goals of the general Church and the annual conference. (8) To promote the education award programs provided by The United Methodist Church, including the United Methodist Higher Education Foundation’s award programs. (9) To confer at once with representatives of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry to determine what resources and aid the board may be able to provide and to enable the Division of Higher Education to carry out its responsibilities in the event that any educational institution, Wesley Foundation, or other campus ministry moves to sever or modify its connection with the Church or violates the rules adopted by the division. (10) To provide that two or more annual conferences may, on recommendation of their boards of higher education and campus ministry or equivalent structures, join in constituting an area or regional committee or commission on higher education and campus ministry, the membership, scope, and functions of which shall be determined by the cooperating conferences in consultation with their bishop or bishops. The area committee or commission shall include a majority of its members from the participating annual conference boards of higher education and campus ministry or equivalent structure with appropriate representation of college presidents, campus ministers, students, and ethnic persons. b) Fiscal Responsibilities—In addition to its general responsibilities, the annual conference board of higher education and campus ministry shall carry out the following fiscal duties: (1) To present to the council on ministries and then to the council on finance and administration of the annual conference the financial needs for adequate support of the schools, colleges, universities, theological schools, campus Christian movements, Wesley Foundations,89 and other campus ministries related to the annual conference for apportionment to the churches within the conference (2) To determine the distribution of the funds received from undesignated gifts, returns from special days, annual conference and district Advance Specials for higher education and scholarships of the United Methodist Higher Education Foundation. (3) To establish, where appropriate, foundations or other means to ensure the ongoing support of the annual conference program of ministry in higher education. (4) To counsel United Methodist schools, colleges, universities, and campus ministries related to the annual conference with regard to their charters and constitutions, reversionary clauses, and liability. (5) To counsel United Methodist institutions about property and endowments entrusted to the institutions and to maintain and enforce trust and reversionary clauses in accordance with the provisions of the Division of Higher Education. (6) To monitor fiduciary and legal relationships with United Methodist schools, colleges, universities, and campus ministries and to assist annual conferences in their responsibilities in these matters. (7) To administer the scholarship funds rebated to the annual conference by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry’s Office of Scholarships in accordance with the guidelines of that office. (8) To encourage the establishment of loan and scholarship funds in the annual conference and local churches and to administer the loan and scholarship funds of the annual conference. c) Responsibilities with Schools, Colleges, and Universities— In addition to its general responsibilities, the annual conference board of higher education and campus ministry or equivalent structure shall carry out the following duties with regard to United Methodist schools, colleges, and universities: (1) To make known to the district, subdistricts, and all local churches the names and location of all United Methodist educational institutions and, wherever possible, provide resources interpreting their work and special missions. (2) To assist institutions related specifically to the annual conference in their efforts to raise funds, scholarships, recruit students, and extend services to the annual conference. (3) To assume responsibility, after consultation with the annual conference committee on nominations and the nominating committee of the institution’s board of trustees, for the nomination of those trustees who are to be nominated and elected by the annual conference to the boards of trustees of United Methodist schools, colleges, and universities. In the event that the annual conference confirms or elects trustees nominated by trustee-nominating committees, to consult with those committees, having special concern for the selection of persons who will appropriately address the financial, missional, and educational progress of the institution. (4) To provide for interpretation of the programs of United Methodist schools, colleges, and universities throughout the educational program of the annual conference, especially in cooperation with those committees and persons responsible for youth and young-adult ministries. (5) To interpret systematically to the districts, sub-districts, and local churches the conference program with United Methodist schools, colleges, and universities, encouraging their support and participation. (6) To represent the annual conference in its relationship to United Methodist schools, colleges, and universities, especially those related to the annual conference. d) Responsibilities with Campus Ministries—In addition to the general responsibilities listed above, the annual conference board of higher education and campus ministry or equivalent structure shall have the following responsibilities with regard to campus ministry: (1) To have available the names and addresses of all campus ministries supported by The United Methodist Church and to supply the names and addresses of campus ministries supported by the annual conference to all districts and local churches. (2) To ensure that each Wesley Foundation or campus ministry shall have a board of directors or a local church committee which provides for planning and implementing a program of mission and ministry to the campus. It will also be the responsibility of the board of directors or local church committee: (a) to establish a budget to present to the board of higher education and campus ministry, and to be responsible for the fund-raising needs of the Wesley Foundation or campus ministry; (b) to have a personnel committee to confer with and counsel the campus minister and staff, to evaluate for effective ministry, to develop and approve written job descriptions for all staff, to interview campus minister candidates and to recommend candidates for appointment or hiring to the board of higher education and campus ministry, the district superintendent and the bishop, to establish all personnel policies, to examine and recommend candidates for ordained or licensed ministry to the district committee on ordained ministry, faithfully adhering to the provisions of ¶ 310.2b); (c) when determined that a Wesley Foundation board may hold property, to review the adequacy of the property, liability, and crime insurance coverage, to establish policies on the use of property by outside organizations, to receive and administer all bequests made to the Wesley Foundation or campus ministry according to standards established by the board of higher education and campus ministry or equivalent structure and the annual conference, and the relevant civil governmental authorities and to provide for the upkeep of all properties; (d) to be encouraged to establish a Wesley Foundation, or campus ministry, permanent endowment fund in accord with the policies established by the board of higher education and campus ministry and the annual conference; (e) to have fiscal oversight of all income and expenditures of the campus ministry, to develop sound accounting practices, and to ensure proper record keeping and reporting according to the policies set by the board of higher education and campus ministry; (f) to review and recommend covenants and agreements with ecumenical campus ministries and university organizational policies. (3) To ensure representation of the annual conference board or equivalent structure on the boards of all campus ministries supported by the annual conference. (4) To interpret systematically to the districts, sub-districts, and local churches the conference program of campus ministry as a ministry to the whole campus (students, faculty, staff, and administration), encouraging their support and urging United Methodist students of all ages to participate. (5) To support the development of the United Methodist Student Movement (UMSM) within the annual conference, including the organization of a UMSM student council and the appointment of a UMSM adviser, and to encourage student participation in the UMSM and other related student Christian organizations, both nationally and globally. (6) To hold the Wesley Foundation board of directors responsible for the direction and administration of the foundation in accordance with the policies and objectives of the annual conference board of higher education and campus ministry or equivalent structure and the standards of the Division of Higher Education of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. (7) To ensure that the Wesley Foundation board of directors is related functionally and cooperatively to the United Methodist local church or churches in the immediate vicinity of the college or university and to the council on ministries or other organization of the district in which it is located. (8) To determine whether or not Wesley Foundation boards of directors, when incorporated, may hold property and to ensure such property is held and administered according to The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church and the laws of the state in which the foundation is located. (9) To determine the policies for nomination and election by the annual conference of Wesley Foundation boards of directors. (10) To determine, in consultation with local boards, the personnel needs of Wesley Foundations; to institute standards for professional staff in accordance with the policies, standards and goals of the Division of Higher Education of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. (11) To encourage the development of a permanent endowment fund for Wesley Foundations and campus ministries; and to set polices and investment standards, in consultation with the conference foundation, for permanent endowment funds for Wesley Foundations and campus ministries. (12) To establish procedures for selection and termination of professional staff in Wesley Foundations; to determine a procedure for a national search; and to consult with the bishop and cabinet when securing the appointment of ministerial staff members. (13) To cooperate with the district superintendents in the gathering of names and addresses of college students from charge conferences in the districts to send to Wesley Foundations, United Methodist-related campus ministries, and United Methodist chaplaincies at the schools where the students are attending. (14) To develop policies and procedures for the planning, financing, and construction of any Wesley Foundation or campus ministry building, in consultation with the appropriate boards and agencies of the annual conference and in accordance with the policies, and standards of the Division of Higher Education of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. (15) To oversee the management and financial support of the annual conference program of campus ministry in Wesley Foundations, local churches, and ecumenical campus ministries, in accordance with the policies, standards, and goals of the Division of Higher Education of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. (16) To determine where new campus ministries are needed after the completion of extensive study by an appointed task force to assess the potential of campus ministry on a university or college campus in accordance with the policies, standards, and goals of the Division of Higher Education of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. Such study shall include but not be limited to: the unique missional opportunities and needs of the campus, student demographics of the university or college, number and size of other denominational campus ministries, student life plan of the university or college, long-range development plan of the campus, fiscal and facilities needs, support and cooperation of nearby United Methodist churches and district, and other items that may impact the campus ministry’s ability to fulfill the mission of the church on campus. (17) Prior to the discontinuation of a Wesley Foundation or campus ministry the board of higher education and campus ministry shall conduct an assessment of its potential as outlined in ¶ 633.4d) and in accordance with provisions of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. A recommendation to the annual conference for discontinuation shall include proposals for the future use of any property of the Wesley Foundation or campus ministry and for the disposition of any real, personal, tangible and intangible property. Any proceeds from the sale of Wesley Foundation or campus ministry property shall be reserved for other campus ministry needs in the annual conference. (18) To establish and review covenants and agreements for ecumenical campus ministry and to ensure that they are in harmony with the policies, standards, and goals of the Division of Higher Education and the annual conference board of higher education and campus ministry or equivalent structure. (19) To oversee the management of the annual conference program of campus ministry in Wesley Foundations, local churches, and ecumenical campus ministries; to determine where new campus ministries are needed, and to plan for their establishment and financial support. (20) To provide resources for local churches and districts with programs of ministry with students or to campuses and, where those programs receive financial support from or are designated as ministries on behalf of the annual conference, to ensure that the policies, standards, and goals of the conference board of higher education and campus ministry or equivalent structure are observed. (21) To establish the procedures for the nomination and election of United Methodist college students as lay members to annual conference, and to encourage the election of United Methodist college students to General conference. (22) To work closely in cooperation with local church and annual conference young adult councils and programs to offer a cohesive approach to ministry with young adults. e) Public Policy—In addition to its general responsibilities, the annual conference board of higher education and campus ministry shall have the following duties with regard to public policy and relationships to the state: (1) To provide counsel, guidance, and assistance to United Methodist schools, colleges, universities, and campus ministries within the annual conference regarding their relationships to the state. (2) To interact with public higher education as it reflects on the wholeness of persons and the meaning of life. (3) To identify and work with the annual conference, church-related colleges, and campus ministries on issues of public policy that bear on higher education, such as issues bearing on access, equity, academic freedom, peace, and justice.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶633 · via Plenary

• ¶634 · Conference Board of Ordained Ministry

  1. Each annual conference at the first session following the General Conference, shall elect for a term of four years a Board of Ordained Ministry. At least six ordained elders and deacons in full connection and, when possible, at least two associate members or local pastors who have completed the Course of Study shall be included as members of the board with voice and vote. Each annual conference shall elect at least one-fifth laypersons, which may include diaconal ministers, and may at its discretion elect further lay members, up to one-third of the membership of the board. All laypersons shall be professing members of local churches in the annual conference. The board membership shall include women and ethnic persons, at least one ordained clergyperson in the retired relationship, at least one ordained clergyperson in extension ministry, and when possible at least one young adult clergyperson in full connection age 35 or younger, and a district superintendent named by the bishop to represent the cabinet. No district superintendent or extended cabinet member shall be the chairperson of the Board of Ordained Ministry. Two-thirds of the members who are elders shall be graduates of seminaries listed by the University Senate. a) Members shall be nominated by the presiding bishop after consultation with the chairperson of the board, the executive committee, or a committee elected by the board of the previous quadrennium, and with the cabinet. To ensure adequate board membership, consultation shall include an evaluation of the workload of the board in meeting disciplinary and annual conference responsibilities. Vacancies shall be filled by the bishop after consultation with the chairperson of the board. An elected board member may serve a maximum of three consecutive four-year terms. The chair of the Order of Deacons, the chair of the Order of Elders, and the chair of the Fellowship of Local Pastors and Associate Members shall be members of the Board of Ordained Ministry (§ 1c) and its executive committee. b) This board shall be directly amenable to the annual conference, notwithstanding its organizational relationship within any other program or administrative unit of the annual conference. The annual conference council on finance and administration shall recommend adequate administrative funds for the board and its staff in light of its workload. c) The board shall organize by electing from its membership a chairperson, registrars, and such other officers as it may deem necessary. A vocational discernment coordinator may be named to coordinate the candidacy mentoring process. The board shall designate its executive committee, which shall include elders, deacons, and laity. The board shall organize in such manner as to care for its responsibilities, including the needs of certified persons, diaconal ministers, local pastors, deacons, and elders. The organization of the board shall include a committee to fulfill the governance responsibilities for diaconal ministers (see The Book of cation in specialized ministry careers under the guidelines of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (see ¶ 1406.9). The board may include in its organization a division of deacons and a division of elders. d) Each annual conference Board of Ordained Ministry shall establish a Conference Relations Committee of at least three persons to hear requests for discontinuance of provisional members, involuntary leave of absence, administrative location, involuntary retirement, or other such matters as may be referred to them by the Board of Ordained Ministry. District superintendents shall not serve on the Conference Relations Committee. e) To ensure maximum contact with and support of persons in appointments beyond the local church, the board shall maintain relationships with all general agencies that have responsibility for persons in such appointments. f) The board shall meet at least once prior to its meeting at the time of the annual conference session and may set a deadline prior to annual conference for transacting its business. g) The board shall select from its own membership an official representative to serve as a member of each district committee on ordained ministry, which shall function as subcommittees of the board. h) The board shall provide orientation for new members, including distribution of any available written guidelines. 2. The duties of the annual conference Board of Ordained Ministry shall be: a) To assume the primary responsibility for the enlistment and recruitment of ministerial leadership for our churches and other ministry settings by working in consultation with the cabinet and the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry to study and interpret the ordained, licensed, certified, and assigned ministerial leadership needs and resources of the annual conference, with due regard to the inclusive nature of the Church. It shall, with the assistance of the local church committee on pastor-parish relations, conference agencies, and every ordained, licensed, certified, and assigned leader of the conference, enlist women and men of all races and ethnic origins for ministry as a vocation and guide those persons in the process of education, training, and discernment of the most appropriate path for their ministry, recommending colleges and schools of theology listed by the University Senate, licensing school, and other approved educational opportunities. Persons recruited should have an understanding of and appreciation for persons of different racial and ethnic heritages. b) To renew a culture of call in the church by giving strategic leadership to annual conferences, districts, congregations, campus ministries, camps, and other appropriate ministries, especially among youth and young adults c) To seek from a school of theology information about the personal and professional qualities of an applicant for provisional membership or of a provisional member; provided, however, that the applicant or member consent to the provision of such information. d) To receive annual reports on the progress made by each ministerial student enrolled in a theological school and to record credit for work satisfactorily completed. e) It shall require a transcript of credits from each applicant before recognizing any of the applicant’s educational claims. In case of doubt, the board may submit a transcript to the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry for evaluation. f) The board shall annually appoint and train a sufficient number of mentors in each district in consultation with the district superintendent. g) To guide the candidate for ordained ministry who is not enrolled in a theological school and who is pursuing the Course of Study as adopted by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. h) To examine all applicants as to their fitness for the ordained ministry and make full inquiry as to the fitness of the candidate for: (1) annual election as local pastor; (2) election to associate membership; (3) election to provisional membership; and (4) election to full conference membership. i) To provide all candidates for ordained ministry a written statement on the disciplinary and annual conference requirements for the local pastor, provisional, and full membership. j) To interview and report recommendation concerning: (1) student local pastors; (2) certified candidates for ordination as deacons; and (3) certified candidates for ordination as elders. k) To assign a board member to serve as liaison to retired clergy in the conference. l) To interview applicants and make recommendation concerning: (1) changes from the effective relation to a leave of absence or retirement; (2) return to the effective relation from other relations; (3) honorable location; (4) readmission of located persons and persons discontinued from provisional membership; (5) sabbatical leave; (6) medical leave; (7) appointment as a student; (8) termination; and (9) changes to or from less than fulltime ministry. The board shall keep a record of these changes and the reason behind them and place a copy in the permanent records of the annual conference maintained by the secretary of the conference. m) To ensure confidentiality in relation to the interview and reporting process. The personal data and private information provided through the examinations of and by the Board of Ordained Ministry will not be available for distribution and publication. There are occasions when the Board of Ordained Ministry would not report privileged information, which in the judgment of the board, if revealed in the executive session of clergy members in full connection with the annual conference, would be an undue invasion of privacy without adding measurably to the conference’s information about the person’s qualifications for ordained ministry. However, it is the right of the executive session of the clergy members in full connection with an annual conference to receive all pertinent information, confidential or otherwise, related to the qualifications and/or character of any candidate or clergy member of the conference. n) To be in consultation with the bishop through the chairperson or the executive committee regarding transfers. This consultation is to be at the bishop’s initiative and, where possible, to take place prior to transfers into the annual conference. o) To provide support services for all those in ministerial leadership, including ordained, licensed, certified, and assigned; to provide career development, including personal and career counseling, continuing education, formation in servant leadership and continuing spiritual growth in Christ, assistance in preparation for retirement, and all matters pertaining to clergy morale. In providing such support, the board, in cooperation with the cabinet, shall give training and guidance to each local committee on pastor-parish relations regarding its work and role. p) To work with and support the Order of Deacons, the Order of Elders, and the Fellowship of Local Pastors and Associate Members (see ¶ 323), including receiving reports, offering financial support, and coordinating these groups’ activities with the continuing formation offerings of the board. The board may delegate continuing formation responsibility to the groups by mutual agreement, with final approval, evaluation, and budgeting remaining with the board. q) To provide a means of evaluating the effectiveness of ministerial leaders in the annual conference (¶¶ 604.4, 349). Suggested guidelines will be provided by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. In cooperation with the cabinet, the board shall develop standards of effectiveness for ministerial leaders, whether ordained, licensed, certified, or assigned, serving as pastors of congregations in that annual conference. r) To interpret the high ethical standards of ordained ministry set forth in the Discipline and to study matters pertaining to character (¶ 605.7). s) To recommend to the full members of the annual conference for validation special ministries for which members seek appointment. The appointment to such ministries is the prerogative of the bishop and the cabinet. t) To provide continuing support and management of consecrated diaconal ministers using the policies described in ¶¶ 301-317 of the 1992 Book of Discipline. u) To care for the administration of certification in specialized ministry approved by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry through (1) enlisting and recruiting clergy and laity to become certified in areas approved by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry; (2) determining whether applicants meet the standards established by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry; (3) to approve candidates for certification in specialized ministry; (4) to establish guidelines for continuance of certification and to renew or discontinue professional certification according to these guidelines; and (5) to report annually to the annual conference for publication in the conference journal a roster of all persons certified in specialized ministry, including places of service address. v) To report annually to the annual conference for publication in the conference journal a roster of all persons certified as Lay Ministers. w) To administer the portion of the Ministerial Education Fund for use by the annual conference in its programs of enlistment, basic professional educational aid, continuing formation, ethnic ministry and language training, and professional growth of ordained ministers. Priority shall be given to scholarships for seminary students preparing for ordination. x) To cooperate with the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry and assist in: (1) the interpretation of current legislation concerning ordained ministry; (2) the interpretation and promotion of the Ministerial Education Fund; (3) the promotion and observance of Ministry Sunday; and (4) the supplying of a record of all information, recommendations, and action on each candidate for ordained ministry after each session of the annual conference; (5) the promotion and addition of standards required for certification in specialized ministry careers. y) To promote in the annual conference and/or jurisdictional conference a system of financial aid to ministerial students. A conference transferring a person with less than three years of active service into another conference may require reimbursement either from the person or from the receiving conference for outstanding obligations for theological education financed through conference funds. z) To report in a timely manner any change in the conference relationship of a clergy member of the conference to the conference board of pensions. 3. The board shall elect a registrar and such associate registrars as it may determine; one such associate registrar to be given responsibility for candidacy, including giving leadership to the training and guidance of mentors in each district. A staff executive may be named by the board to fulfill the functions of registrar. a) The registrar shall keep full personnel records for all candidates for ordained ministry under the care of the board, including essential biographical data, transcripts of academic credit, instruments of evaluation, and, where it applies, psychological and medical test records, sermons, theological statements, and other pertinent data. b) Pertinent information and recommendations concerning each candidate shall be certified to the annual conference in duplicate; one copy of this record shall be kept by the registrar and one copy shall be mailed after each conference session to the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. The registrar shall forward an acknowledgment of transfer to the pastor of the local church where each newly elected provisional and associate member held membership. c) The registrar shall keep a record of the standing of the students in the Course of Study and report to the conference when required. This record shall include the credits allowed students for work done in accredited schools of theology, in approved Course of Study schools, or Course of Study correspondence. d) The registrar shall file in the bishop’s office for permanent record a copy of circumstances involving the discontinuance of provisional membership or termination of the local pastor status. e) The records and files of the Board of Ordained Ministry are kept on behalf of the annual conference and shall be maintained under guidelines provided by the General Council on Finance and Administration in consultation with the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry and Wespath. 4. Administrative costs of the Board of Ordained Ministry shall be a claim on the conference operating budget. The Board of Ordained Ministry shall have direct access to the conference council on finance and administration in support of its program.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶634 · via Plenary

• ¶635 · Conference Administrative Review Committee

  There will be an administrative review committee composed of three clergy in full connection and two alternates who are not members of the cabinet, the Board of Ordained Ministry, or immediate family members of the above. The committee shall be nominated by the bishop and elected quadrennially by the clergy session of members in full connection with the annual conference. Its only purpose shall be to ensure that the disciplinary procedures for discontinuance of provisional membership (¶ 327.6), involuntary leave of absence (¶ 355), involuntary retirement (¶ 358.3), administrative location (¶ 360), or a resolution process (¶ 363.6) are properly followed. Additionally, if in the event of unresolved issues related to medical leave (¶ 357.4) a fair process hearing (¶ 362.2) occurs, the administrative review committee shall ensure that fair process was followed. The entire administrative process leading to the action for change in conference relationship, or any just resolution process, shall be reviewed by the administrative review committee, and it shall report its findings to the clergy session of members in full connection with the annual conference prior to any action of the annual conference. The administrative review committee shall notify the parties of the review of the process. The administrative fair process hearing procedures (¶ 362.2) should be followed by the administrative review committee. Prior to its report, if the committee determines that any error has occurred, it may recommend to the appropriate person or body that action be taken promptly to remedy the error, decide the error is harmless, or take other action.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶635 · via Plenary

• ¶636 · Conference Committee on Episcopacy

  1. There shall be a conference committee on episcopacy elected quadrennially by the annual conference at the session following the General Conference. The committee’s membership shall number at least seven, but no more than seventeen. One-fifth of the committee’s membership shall be appointed by the bishop. In addition to the lay and clergy members of the jurisdictional committee on episcopacy, who shall be ex officio members with vote, it is recommended that the committee consist of the following: one-third laywomen, one-third laymen, and one-third clergypersons, provided that one layperson shall be the conference lay leader. All lay members shall be professing members of local churches. Special attention shall be given to the inclusion of racial and ethnic persons, youth (¶ 256.3), young adults, older adults, and people with disabilities. No member of the staff of the annual conference or any of its agencies, nor an immediate family member of such staff, shall serve as a member of the committee, except that a member of the jurisdictional committee on episcopacy or the conference lay leader shall not be disqualified from membership as a result of this provision. Two or more conferences under the presidency of a single bishop may decide to have one committee on episcopacy, in which case each annual conference shall be represented as stated in the preceding paragraph and shall each elect its own representatives. 2. The committee shall meet at least annually. It shall be convened by the bishop and shall elect a chairperson, a vice chairperson, and a secretary. The bishop and/or chairperson are authorized to call additional meetings when desired. 3. The functions of the conference committee on episcopacy shall be: a) To support the bishop of the area in the oversight of the spiritual and temporal affairs of the Church, with special reference to the area where the bishop has presidential responsibility. b) To be available to the bishop for counsel. c) To assist in the determination of the episcopal needs of the area and to make recommendations to appropriate bodies. d) To keep the bishop advised concerning conditions within the area as they affect relationships between the bishop and the people of the conference agencies. e) To interpret to the people of the area and to conference agencies the nature and function of the episcopal office. f) To engage in annual consultation and appraisal of the balance of the bishop’s relationship and responsibilities to the area and annual conferences, the jurisdiction, general Church boards and agencies, and other areas of specialized ministry, including, at all levels, concern for the inclusiveness of the Church and its ministry with respect to sex, race, and national origin, and understanding and implementation of the consultation process in appointment-making. g) To report needs for episcopal leadership to the jurisdictional committee on episcopacy through the duly elected conference members of that committee. 4. The conference council on finance and administration shall make provision in its budget for the expenses of this committee.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶636 · via Plenary

• ¶637 · Episcopal Residence Committee

  1. The provision of housing for effective bishops in the jurisdictional conferences shall be the responsibility of the annual conference or conferences comprising the episcopal area to which the bishop is assigned. 2. In each episcopal area in the jurisdictional conferences there shall be an episcopal residence committee or other structure to provide for this function and maintain the connectional relationship. The committee shall be composed of the following persons: a) The chairperson or designate of the conference committee on episcopacy from each conference. b) The president or designate of the conference council on finance and administration from each annual conference. c) The president or designate of the conference board of trustees from each annual conference. d) Consultants without vote, with specific expertise related to the tasks of the committee, may be utilized. 3. The chairperson of the episcopal residence committee shall be the representative of the committee on episcopacy of the annual conference in which the episcopal residence is currently located. 4. It shall be the responsibility of the episcopal residence committee: a) To make recommendations to the annual conference(s) regarding the purchase or sale of an episcopal residence. b) To prepare an annual budget covering the cost of providing the episcopal residence, which may also include utilities, insurance, and normal costs of upkeep in maintaining the residence. c) To forward the proposed budget to each conference council on finance and administration, including a recommendation for the proportionate share of the proposed budget to be borne by that annual conference, such proportionate share to be approved by each annual conference as it acts on budget recommendations (¶ 614). d) To supervise the expenditure of funds allocated from all sources for expenses related to the provision of the episcopal residence and to account for such expenditures annually to each annual conference in the episcopal area. e) To give oversight in all matters related to upkeep, maintenance, improvements, and appropriate insurance coverages for the episcopal residence. 5. Titles to properties held as episcopal residences shall be held in accordance with ¶ 2514.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶637 · via Plenary

• ¶638 · Conference Board of Pensions

  1. Authorization—There shall be organized in each annual conference a conference board, auxiliary to Wespath, to be known as the conference board of pensions, hereinafter called the board, that shall have charge of the interests and work of providing for and contributing to the support, relief, assistance, and pensioning of clergy and their families, other church workers, and lay employees of the institutions, organizations, and agencies within that annual conference of The United Methodist Church, except as otherwise provided for by the general board. 2. Membership—a) It is recommended that the board be composed of not less than twelve members not indebted to pension and benefit funds, plans, and programs; one-third laywomen, one-third laymen, and one-third clergy; and in accordance with ¶ 605.3 elected for a term of eight years and arranged in classes as determined by the annual conference; and in addition thereto, any clergy member of the conference or lay member of a church within the conference who is a member of Wespath. Active and retired participants in pension and benefit funds, plans, and programs, whether or not currently receiving benefits, and not indebted as provided above, are eligible to serve on the board. All lay members shall be professing members of local churches. A vacancy in the membership of the board may be filled by the board for the remainder of the conference year in which the vacancy occurs, subject to the same qualifications before provided; and at its next session the conference shall fill the vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term. b) The members shall assume their duties at the adjournment of the conference session at which they were elected. 3. Organization—The board shall organize by electing a chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary, and treasurer, who shall serve during the ensuing quadrennium or until their successors shall have been elected and qualified. These officers shall constitute an executive committee; provided, however, that three members may be added thereto by the board. The duty of the executive committee shall be to administer the work of the board during the conference year in the interim between regular or special meetings of the board. The office of secretary may be combined with that of treasurer. The treasurer may be a person who is not a member of the board, in which case the person shall be an ex officio member of the executive committee, without vote. Calls for special meetings of the board shall be issued by the secretary on request of the chairperson, or the vice chairperson when the chairperson is unable to act. 4. Payment by Churches and Charges—The board shall compare the records of the amounts paid by each pastoral charge for the support of pastors and for pension and benefit programs, keep a permanent record of defaults of the churches of the conference that have failed to make required payments, and shall render annually to each church that is in default a statement of the amounts in default for that and preceding years. 5. The annual conferences have the following powers, duties, and responsibilities with respect to clergy benefit plans administered by Wespath: (a) executing an adoption agreement, including making any optional elections; (b) enrolling clergy; (c) making contributions; (d) determining the appointment status of a clergyperson for a given period, including the classification of the clergyperson and his or her full-time or part-time status; (e) reporting on a clergyperson’s compensation; (f) determining a clergyperson’s conference relationship status, including the termination thereof; (g) determining a clergyperson’s leave of absence status; (h) reporting on any waivers of plan participation made by a clergyperson; and (i) determining the retirement status of a clergyperson, including determining how many years of service a clergyperson has earned toward the number prescribed in the Book of Discipline to qualify for retirement. 6. The annual conference, on recommendation of the conference board of pensions, shall determine the admissibility and validity of pre-January 1, 1982 service approved, or compensation considered, for pension credit, subject to the provisions of the Discipline and the rules and regulations of the pension and benefit funds, plans, and programs of The United Methodist Church. 7. Concerning the normal conditions for pension credit and pro rata pension credit, the following provisions shall apply for service rendered prior to January 1, 1982, in determining approval for pension credit, eligibility for pension, and allocation of responsibility: a) Full Pension Credit—Full pension credit may be granted for persons not meeting some or all of the above conditions by a three-fourths vote of those present and voting in the annual conference on recommendation of the conference board of pensions. b) Service of a local pastor prior to 1982 may be approved for pension credit only by vote of the annual conference, on recommendation of the conference board of pensions, after consultation with the district superintendents. If such credit is granted, it should be included under the Discipline question, “What other personal notation should be made?” c) Upon recommendation of the conference board of pensions and by a three-fourths vote of those present and voting in the annual conference, pension credit may be granted to a clergy member in full connection, provisional member, or associate member of the conference on account of full-time service previously rendered as an approved local pastor or approved supply pastor to an institution, organization, or agency, which in the judgment of the annual conference rendered to it some form of service sufficient to warrant pension credit; provided, however, that such institution, organization, or agency shall accept and pay such apportionment as the conference may require. 8. If the conference board of pensions so recommends, a pension shall be payable on account of pension credit for service prior to 1982 for an ordained minister from another Christian denomination who shall have rendered not less than four consecutive years of full-time service with pension credit for service prior to 1982 or with full participation in the Comprehensive Protection Plan since 1981, or a combination thereof, in one annual conference while qualified under ¶ 346.2, who has attained the age of voluntary retirement for a conference clergy member. 9. The annual conference, on recommendation of the conference board of pensions, shall have the power to revise, correct, or adjust a clergyperson’s record of pension credit as set forth in his or her service record to align such record with the Discipline and Supplement One of the Clergy Retirement Security Program (or any successor clergy pension or retirement plan or program). Prior to the revision of such record, Wespath may be requested to review relevant data and report its findings thereon. Such revisions, corrections, and adjustments shall be published in the journal of the annual conference in answer to Business of the Annual Conference questions and shall be reported Wespath by the conference board of pensions. 10. The responsibility for pension for service approved for pension credit under Supplement One of the Clergy Retirement Security Program (or any successor clergy pension or retirement plan or program) shall rest with the annual conference in which the service was rendered; provided, however, that in the event of mergers, unions, boundary changes, or transfers of churches, such responsibility shall rest with the successor annual conference within whose geographical boundaries the charge is located. 11. Pension for service approved for pension credit by an annual conference shall be provided by the annual conference under one of the pension funds, plans, or programs administered by Wespath. 12. An annual conference may not make any arrangement with a life insurance company for the purchase of annuities for the benefit of individual effective or retired clergy or take any steps to nullify, in whole or in part, the pension plans and programs of The United Methodist Church by making contracts with outside parties. 13. Other Annual Conference Organizations—a) Annual conferences, hereinafter called conferences, are authorized to establish, incorporate, and maintain investment funds, preachers’ aid societies, and organizations and funds of similar character, under such names, plans, rules, and regulations as they may determine, the directors of which shall be elected or otherwise designated by the conference, where permissible under the laws of the state of incorporation, and the income from which shall be applied to the support of the pension, health, and welfare benefit programs for clergy through the conference board of pensions. b) Distributable pension, health, and welfare benefit funds from all sources shall be disbursed by or under the direction of the conference board of pensions, excepting only such funds as are otherwise restricted by specific provisions or limitations in gifts, devises, bequests, trusts, pledges, deeds, or other similar instruments, which restrictions and limitations shall be observed. c) It shall not be permissible for any conference or permanent fund organization thereof to deprive its beneficiaries who are beneficiaries in other conferences of the privilege of sharing in the distribution of the earned income of such funds through the clearinghouse administered by Wespath. d) Each conference, on recommendation of its conference board of pensions or one of the organizations mentioned in subparagraph a above, may select a Sunday in each year to be observed in the churches as Retired Ministers Day, in honor of the retired clergy, their spouses, and the surviving spouses of clergy in recognition of the church’s responsibility for their support. The bishop may request each conference in the area to insert a Retired Ministers Day in its calendar. 14. A conference board of pensions may make special grants to clergy or former clergy of an annual conference who have served under appointment in that conference; or to their spouses, former spouses, surviving former spouses, or surviving dependent children (including adult dependent children). A report of such special grants shall be made annually to the annual conference. 15. Clergy members in full connection, provisional members, and associate members in an annual conference who voluntarily withdraw from the ministry of The United Methodist Church to enter the ministry of another church or denomination, on the attainment of age sixty-two and on recommendation of the conference board of pensions and a three-fourths vote of those present and voting in any annual conference in which approved service was rendered prior to January 1, 1982, or the legal successor, may be recognized and granted approved pension service rendered in that conference. 16. The responsibility for providing pension on account of service rendered prior to January 1, 1982, in a missionary conference, provisional annual conference, or former mission within the United States or Puerto Rico that has been approved for pension credit shall rest jointly with: (a) the missionary conference, provisional annual conference, or former mission concerned, (b) Wespath with funds provided by the General Council on Finance and Administration, and (c) the General Board of Global Ministries. The revenue for pension purposes covering such service shall be provided by the aforesaid parties in accordance with such plan or plans as may be mutually agreed to by them. 17. Pension and benefit contributions are the responsibility of the Plan Sponsor for participants in the Clergy Retirement Security Program (or any successor clergy pension or retirement plan or program) and the Comprehensive Protection Plan. Unless otherwise determined by vote of the annual, missionary, or provisional conference, the treasurer of a local church or pastoral charge shall remit such contributions related to the participant’s compensation that is provided from local church funds to the Plan Sponsor. If compensation from the local church or pastoral charge is supplemented from other church sources, pension and benefit contributions related to such supplements shall be paid from that same source. If the entire compensation for a participant is from a salary-paying unit other than a local church or a pastoral charge, the unit responsible for compensation shall remit the pension and benefit contributions to the Plan Sponsor. Nothing in this paragraph shall be understood as preventing an annual, missionary, or provisional conference from raising part or all of the annual contributions for the Clergy Retirement Security Program (or any successor clergy pension or retirement plan or program) or the Comprehensive Protection Plan by an apportionment to the churches of the conference and remitting payments to Wespath on behalf of all the pastors covered; there is no time limit on this provision. 18. An annual conference may establish a pension support fund to be administered by the conference board of pensions. Local churches may request pension assistance from this fund when special circumstances arise that result in nonpayment of pension contributions and/or apportionments for pension and benefit purposes. The conference board of pensions shall present its estimate of the amount required to the conference council on finance and administration, which shall include it in its recommendation to the conference. If the amount is approved by the conference, it shall be apportioned as an item of clergy support. 19. Optional provisions contained in the Clergy Retirement Security Program (or any successor clergy pension or retirement plan or program) and Comprehensive Protection Plan may be adopted by vote of the annual conference subsequent to the receipt of a recommendation from the conference board of pensions. 20. On or before December 31, 2008, each annual conference’s board of pensions or other agency authorized by the annual conference must submit a generally accepted financial valuation, such as in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standard No. 106, as amended, of its projected medical liabilities for its population covered by its employer retiree health care plan to Wespath, and must submit a similar report biennially thereafter. 21. On or before December 31, 2008, each annual conference shall document in writing its policy regarding the portability of retiree health care eligibility, coverage, cost-sharing, and benefits and communicate the policy to its clergy and lay employees and incoming clergy and lay employees from other annual conferences or general agencies. For the purpose of this paragraph, portability encompasses credit given for service outside the annual conference within the denomination to clergy and lay employees toward (a) eligibility for health care coverage in retirement and (b) accrual of annual conference subsidies toward or annual conference cost-sharing of the cost of health care coverage. 22. Reports to and Responsibilities Regarding the General Board— The conference board of pensions shall have the powers and responsibilities with respect to Wespath described in ¶ 1506 and shall report to the general board immediately following the session of the conference, in such form as required by the general board, the names and years of service approved for pre-1982 pension credit for each eligible person and the names and addresses of clergy who are members of funds, plans, or programs administered by the general board. Moreover, annually, the board or other authorized agency shall submit, annually, its group health care plan data, to the extent the board maintains a group health care plan, de-identified as necessary, including, but not limited to, financial soundness, claims experience and other cost drivers, plan designs and coverage, and eligibility criteria to Wespath. 23. Annual Conference Retiree Health Care Access—The board or other agency authorized by the annual conference shall respect the health and wholeness of the annual conference’s clergypersons, who have retired in accordance with ¶ 357.1, ¶ 357.2b, ¶ 357.2c, or ¶ 357.2d other than as applied to ¶ 357.2a of the Book of Discipline and lay employees of the annual conference who have retired in accordance with the annual conference’s retirement policy, and are eligible for Medicare, and their spouses. The board or agency shall provide access to Medicare supplement plans and prescription drug coverage plans. Access for retirees and their spouses may include, but shall not be limited to (i) sponsoring an employer retiree health care plan that supplements Medicare; (ii) participating in a multiple employer retiree health care plan that supplements Medicare; (iii) securing individuals’ eligibility under group contracts with Medicare supplement plan providers or exchanges; (iv) subsidizing the costs of coverage for retired clergypersons and retired lay employees and their spouses enrolled in Medicare Part D plans or Medicare Advantage plans; (v) providing subsidies toward or group relationships with providers of individual Medicare supplement and other retiree coverage policies; and (vi) providing fixed dollar retiree health benefits through health reimbursement arrangements, stipends, or otherwise. Providing access does not compel an annual conference to fund such coverage (i.e., coverage can be retiree-pay-all); however, an annual conference may fund or subsidize the cost of coverage (e.g., through premium payment, premium reimbursement, contributions to a health reimbursement arrangement, stipend, or grant) for its retired clergy and lay employees in its discretion. Additional eligibility may be determined by the annual conference; for example, for early retirees and surviving dependents. 24. Annual Conference Group Health Care Plans—The board or other agency authorized by the annual conference shall sponsor or participate in a group health care plan, which local churches may adopt for their full-time appointed clergy, or which the annual conference may require its local churches to adopt, that covers the annual conference’s own full-time clergy employees and its full-time lay employees in the United States. Clergy appointed to an appointment extending the ministry of the local United Methodist church under ¶ 344.1, except those serving in positions for which the annual conference is responsible under ¶ 344.1a(1), and lay employees who are not employees of the annual conference, such as lay employees of local churches and lay employees of district and jurisdictional offices, need not be covered under the preceding sentence, but may be covered by the local church or other common-law employer adopting the plan, at the discretion of the annual conference. For the purpose of this paragraph, group health care plan shall mean a health insurance plan, group health care plan, or multiple-employer health care plan that covers benefits for major medical and hospitalization expenses. The board or authorized agency may recommend additional eligibility for its group health care plan in its discretion. Alternatively, in the event that federal law or state law governing health care plans and health insurance establishes coverage options for those persons without employer-provided coverage that ensure access, regardless of health status or condition, to affordable coverage through health insurance exchanges, connectors, single-payer systems, or other mechanisms, the board may cease maintaining its group health care plan to the extent such coverage is available to its clergy and lay employees. In such event, the board nevertheless shall provide continued administrative support (e.g., through cafeteria plans, employer-adopted exchange plans, or health reimbursement arrangements) for participation in the exchanges or alternative systems, and recommend an appropriate and adequate level of Church financial support (e.g., in the form of local church, employer, or annual conference contributions toward premiums, additional compensation, or apportionments) of full-time clergy and full-time lay employees of the conference toward the purchase of such coverage through these alternative mechanisms to the extent individuals’ coverage may not be subsidized by government agencies, particularly considering (a) the tax advantages of employer-provided financial support toward health care coverage, and (b) the reduced availability of government subsidies for clergy whose compensation is near or above denominational average compensation. In addition, the board or authorized agency shall provide and maintain health and wellness programs for the annual conference’s full-time clergy and full-time lay employees. 25. Financing Pension and Benefit Programs—The annual conference shall be responsible for annually providing moneys in the amount necessary to meet the requirements of the pension and benefit funds, plans, and programs of the conference. 1. The conference board of pensions shall compute the amount to be apportioned annually to meet the requirements of the pension and benefit programs of the conference. 2. After consultation with the conference board of pensions, the conference council on finance and administration shall report to the annual conference the amounts computed by the conference board of pensions that are required to meet the needs of the pension, benefit, and relief programs of the conference. 3. Distributable pension funds from all sources, unless restricted by specific provisions or limitations, shall be disbursed by, or under the direction of, the conference board of pensions. 4. The conference board of pensions may accumulate a fund from the income for pension purposes in order to stabilize the pension program of the conference. 26. Policies Related to Conflict of Interest and Investment Management—The following rules shall apply to the financial administration of annual conference pension and pension-related funds: 1. A member of the conference board of pensions connected or interested in any way with the securities, real estate, or other forms of investment sold to or purchased from such funds, or with an insurance program or a contract under consideration by the conference board of pensions, shall be ineligible to participate in the deliberation of the investment committee or of the conference board of pensions or to vote in connection therewith. 2. No officer or member of a conference agency handling such funds shall receive a personal commission, bonus, or remuneration, direct or indirect, in connection with the purchase or sale of any property the loan of any money, the letting of any annuity or insurance contract, the making or acceptance of any assignment, pledge, or mortgage to secure the payment of any loan, or for the purchase or sale of any securities or other properties from or to that agency, or be eligible to obtain a loan in any amount from funds committed to the care of that agency. No investment shall be purchased from or sold to any member of the conference board of pensions or any member of the family of a member of the conference board of pensions. 3. To prevent development of any conflict of interest or preferential treatment and to preserve goodwill and confidence throughout the Church, no local church, Church-related institution, or organization thereof shall be eligible to obtain a loan in any amount from such funds. 4. The principle of diversification of investments shall be observed, with the conference board of pensions encouraged to invest in institutions, companies, corporations, or funds that make a positive contribution toward the realization of the goals outlined in the Social Principles of our Church, however with primary consideration given to the soundness and safety of such investments. 5. a) There shall be printed in the annual conference journal a list of the investments held by each agency handling such funds directly or indirectly under the control of the annual conference, or such list may be distributed directly to the members of the annual conference at their request. b) The conference board of pensions shall require an annual audit of pension and pension-related funds setting forth the total asset value of such funds and the distribution of income from such funds from persons and organizations appointed or employed for the management of these funds. 6. The borrowing of money in any conference year by a conference corporation or organization to enable the conference board of pensions to meet the requirements of the pension and benefit programs shall be done only on authority of the conference granted by three-fourths vote of the members present and voting. 7. Depositories and Bonding—a) The conference board of pensions shall designate a bank or banks or other depository or depositories for deposit of the funds held by the board and may require a depository bond from such depository or depositories. b) The board, through the conference council on finance and administration, shall provide a fidelity bond in suitable amount for all persons handling its funds.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶638 · via Plenary

• ¶641

  1. In each annual conference there shall be a conference commission on archives and history. The number of members of the commission and their terms of office shall be as the conference may determine and may include an ex officio representative of each United Methodist heritage landmark in its bounds. It shall be the duty of the commission to collect, preserve, and make accessible the historically significant records of the annual conference and its agencies, including data relating to the origin and history of the conference and its antecedents; to encourage and assist the local churches in preserving their records, compiling their histories, and celebrating their heritage; to provide for the permanent safekeeping of the historical records of all abandoned, disaffiliated, discontinued, or withdrawn churches in the bounds of the annual conference and its antecedents (see ¶ 2549.3); to maintain a fire-safe historical and archival depository and to see that all items that obviously will have value for future history are properly preserved therein; to provide for the ownership of real property and to receive gifts and bequests; to nominate to the General Commission on Archives and History buildings, locations, or structures within the annual conference for designation as historic sites or heritage landmarks; to maintain contact with officially designated historic sites and heritage landmarks in their bounds; to assist the bishop or the appropriate conference committee in planning for the historical hour and other appropriate historical observances at annual conference sessions; to establish retention and disposition schedules for annual conference and local church records under standards or guidelines developed by the General Commission on Archives and History; to cooperate with and report, when requested, to the general and jurisdictional commissions on archives and history; and to engage with other Wesleyan, Methodist, or Evangelical United Brethren-related denominations in lifting up our joint heritage. 2. The commission may organize a conference historical society and encourage membership therein for the purpose of promoting interest in the study and preservation of the history of the conference and its antecedents. The officers of the conference commission on archives and history may be the officers of the conference historical society. Membership in the historical society shall be established as the society may determine. Membership may include the payment of dues as the society may direct, and in return, members shall receive official publications and publicity materials issued by the commission and the society and other such benefits as may be deemed suitable. 3. Each annual conference may have a historian to undertake specific duties as may be designated by the commission. The annual conference historian may be a member of the annual conference commission on archives and history. 4. The annual conference commission on archives and history shall work with the ethnic congregations of the conference to develop and preserve the historical records of those congregations and antecedent conferences.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶641 · via Plenary

• ¶642

  1. Each annual conference shall create appropriate structures related to Christian unity and interreligious relationships to provide for these functions and maintain the connectional relationships with the Council of Bishops. The annual conference structure will report each year to the conference in such manner as the conference may direct. The responsibilities of this annual conference structure for Christian unity and interreligious relationships may be assigned to an existing or newly created multi-functional agency. 2. It is recommended that this annual conference structure be composed of two United Methodists from each district (complying with ¶ 610.5), one of whom shall be district coordinator for Christian unity and interreligious relationships and shall serve as liaison with local church ministry areas on Christian unity and interreligious relationships. Additional members may include persons from The United Methodist Church or other member churches of Churches Uniting in Christ as directed by the conference to ensure ecumenical expertise and interchange with other agencies. Laypersons from The United Methodist Church shall be professing members of local churches. Ex officio members of the annual conference structure for Christian unity and interreligious relationships shall include the conference ecumenical officer(s), if elected, and any United Methodists residing within the conference bounds who are members of the following: Advisory Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relationships, the governing board of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., the World Methodist Council, the United Methodist delegation to the most recent World Council of Churches Assembly, and the United Methodist delegation to the most recent plenary meeting of Churches Uniting in Christ. 3. There shall be a representative of this structure who serves as one of the conference representatives to state councils or conferences of churches. 4. The duties of the annual conference structure shall be to act in cooperation with the annual conference council on ministries, and, as it may recommend, and to take initiative in ecumenical and interreligious relationships as follows: a) To interpret, advocate, and work for the unity of the Christian church in every aspect of the life of the conference and its churches and to encourage dialogue and cooperation with persons of other living faiths. b) To recommend to the conference the goals, objectives, and strategies and to assist the conference, in cooperation with the bishop and the cabinet, in the development of ecumenical relationships and planning for mission with other judicatories, particularly in the establishment of new churches, yoked congregations, and in the process of local church union efforts. c) To stimulate participation in and evaluation of mission programs ecumenically planned and implemented, such as experimental parishes, ecumenical parish clusters, ecumenical task forces, and united ministries in higher education, and in other issue-oriented tasks. d) To stimulate conference, district, and congregational participation in councils, conferences, or associations of churches, in coalition task forces, and in interreligious groups through ecumenical educational or shared-time programs, jointly approved curriculum resources, interreligious study programs, or ecumenical community action projects such as institutional ministries and media communications, and various other modes of interchurch cooperation. e) To participate in the selection of conference delegates to state councils or conferences of churches, which participation may include nomination, in cooperation with the conference nominating committee, for conference election of the delegates to these bodies; to select representatives to district, area, and regional ecumenical and interreligious task groups and workshops; and to act as the body to which such delegates are accountable by receiving and acting on their reports and recommendations. f) To promote and interpret the work of national and world ecumenical bodies such as the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., the World Council of Churches, Churches Uniting in Christ, and the World Methodist Council; and to cooperate in and provide leadership for specific ecumenical experiences of worship and celebration such as the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Pentecost Sunday, World Communion Sunday, Reformation Sunday, and other appropriate occasions. g) To stimulate understanding and conversations with all Christian bodies, to encourage continuing dialogue with Jewish and other living-faith communities, and to encourage an openness of mind toward an understanding of other major world religions. h) To fulfill other functions assigned by the annual conference and to respond to such requests as may be made by its leadership.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶642 · via Plenary

• ¶643

  1. There shall be in each annual conference including those in central conferences a conference commission on religion and race or other structure to provide for these functions and maintain the connectional relationships. It shall follow the general guidelines and structure of the General Commission on Religion and Race as outlined in ¶¶ 2002 and 2008, where applicable. 2. The basic membership of the annual conference commission shall be nominated and elected by established procedure of the respective annual conferences. Each annual and central conference shall determine the number and composition of the total membership. Care shall be taken to ensure that membership is selected based primarily on the passion and expertise possessed in the areas of training, resource development, evaluation, consultation, and strategic planning in the areas of diversity, inter-cultural competency, racial and ethnic justice, reconciliation and equity, and communicating/advocacy for change. The total membership shall have an equitable balance in the number of laymen, laywomen, and clergypersons. It is strongly urged that the conference commissions be constituted to reflect the widest sense of racial, ethnic, tribal, and cultural diversity relevant to that area. Selection of commission members shall ensure adequate representation of women, youth, young adults, older adults, and persons with disabilities. Members of the General Commission on Religion and Race residing in the annual conference shall be ex officio members of the annual conference commission on religion and race with vote. 3. The annual conference commissions including those in central conferences shall assume responsibility for such matters as: a) Interpreting the intent of all responsibilities given to annual conference and central conference commission on religion and race so that the responsibilities reflect the context for ministry and realities of the areas in which they serve. b) Supporting and providing programs of education in areas of intercultural competency, institutional equity and vital conversations at every level of the conference. c) Partnering with annual and central conference boards and agencies as they seek to develop vital conversations, programs, and policies of racial/institutional equity and intercultural competency. d) Reviewing and making appropriate recommendations for total inclusiveness and equity within the conference staff and on all of the conference boards, agencies, commissions, and committees. Reports will be made yearly to the annual conference. e) Providing resources and training to enable the work of the local church ministry area of religion and race as specified in ¶ 252.2b, with particular emphasis placed on pastors and congregations involved in cross-racial/cross-cultural ministry. In the case of annual conferences within central conferences, cross-racial/cross-cultural ministry may include tribes, ethnic communities, and cultural/language groups. f) Consulting with the Board of Ordained Ministry and the cabinet to ensure racial/ethnic inclusion and equity in the recruitment, credentialing, and itineracy processes of the conference. The executive committee of the Board of Ordained Ministry and cabinet shall meet at least once per year in joint sessions with the Conference Commission on Religion and Race to create and assess long-term plans for identifying and developing clergy leadership who will serve the growing racial and ethnic populations in the Church. g) Consulting with local churches that are experiencing changing demographics in the neighborhoods where they are located, which demographics may be different from the church’s racial/ethnic constituency, and that have a desire to be in ministry with their community. h) Coordinating conference leadership in and in support of racial and social justice movements impacting local communities in consultation and partnership with other entities within and outside the conference boundaries. i) Partnering with the appropriate denominational bodies to assist in resolution of complaints of racial/ethnic discrimination made by clergy or laity. 4. The annual conference commission on religion and race shall develop an adequate budget for its operation as a commission, which shall be included within the annual conference budget. 5. The annual conference commission on religion and race, or other structure to provide for its function and connectional relationship, shall have vote and voice in the decision-making unit of the conference such as the conference connectional ministries or equivalent structure.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶643 · via Plenary

• ¶644

  There shall be in each annual conference, including the central conferences, a conference commission on the status and role of women or other structure to provide for these functions and maintain the connectional relationships. 1. The responsibility of this commission shall be in harmony with the responsibility of the general commission (see ¶ 2103), with the following objectives established as guidelines for adaptation to the needs of the respective annual conferences: a) To be informed about the status and role of all women in the total life of the conference. Data shall be gathered that relate to all structural levels of the conference, including the local church. Such information will be regularly updated and disseminated. b) To initiate cooperation with United Methodist Women at the annual conference level and other levels as appropriate in order to achieve full participation of women in the decision-making structures. c) To develop ways to inform and sensitize the leadership within the conference at all levels on issues that affect women, which shall be projected into and through all districts within the conference by the commission. d) To focus on major priorities of issues related to women, which may include sexual harassment policies and procedures, and to enlist the support of the bishop, cabinet, and conference staff in policies, plans, and practices related to those priorities. e) To advise the general commission about the progress and effectiveness of efforts to achieve full participation of women in the life of the Church. f) To participate in connectional programs and plans initiated or recommended by the general commission, and to utilize the resources available from the general commission as needed. 2. The basic membership of the conference commission shall be nominated and elected by established procedures of the respective annual conferences. Each annual conference shall determine the number and composition of the total membership. All must be members of The United Methodist Church. Special consultants without vote may be used as resource persons. It is recommended that the addition of the at-large membership ensure that the total membership maintain a balance of one-third laywomen, one-third laymen, and one-third clergy. The majority of the commission shall be women, including both clergy and lay. In an annual conference where there is not a sufficient number of clergywomen to meet the recommended balance, additional laywomen shall be elected beyond the one-third proportion to bring the total membership to a majority of women. A person or persons serving as member(s) of the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women from that annual conference shall, by virtue of their office, be member(s) of the conference commission on the status and role of women (see ¶¶ 610.6 and 710.6). Selection of commission members shall ensure adequate representation of racial and ethnic groups, youth, young adults, older adults, and persons of varying lifestyles. At least one member shall be named by the conference United Methodist Women. 3. The chairperson of the commission shall be a woman. 4. The commission shall propose a budget and submit it for inclusion in the budget of the annual conference according to procedures for funding of all boards, commissions, and agencies of the annual conference.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶644 · via Plenary

• ¶645

  There shall be in each annual conference a conference commission on the small membership church, or the responsibilities of the small membership church commission may be assigned to an existing or newly created multifunctional agency of the council or other structure that cares for the functions of support, nurture, and growth of small membership churches and their relationships to the conference, districts, and other local churches. Where these responsibilities are assigned to new or existing agencies within the conference, the individual(s) responsible for the functioning of the commission shall be designated by the annual conference and included in the listing of conference officers. 1. The responsibility of this commission shall be in harmony with the responsibility of the general commission, with the following objectives established as guidelines for adaptation to the needs of the respective annual conference: a) To be informed about the needs and opportunities of the small membership church in rural, suburban, and urban settings in the total life of the conference. Specific data shall be gathered that relate to all structural levels of the conference, including the local church. This data shall include, but not be limited to, demographics, membership, information on the formation and effectiveness of cooperative ministries, information about pastoral tenure, compensation, and other factors that affect the vitality of the small membership churches. Such information will be regularly updated and disseminated to bishops, district superintendents, and to relating conference boards and agencies, the General Board of Global Ministries, and the General Board of Discipleship. b) To ensure representation from small membership churches in the decision-making structures of the annual conference. c) To develop ways to inform and sensitize the leadership within the annual conference at all levels on issues that affect small membership churches, which shall be projected into and through all districts within the annual conference by the commission. d) To focus on major issues related to small membership churches and to enlist the support of the bishop, cabinet, and conference staff in policies, plans, and practices impacting those issues. e) To advise the general commission on the progress and effectiveness of efforts to achieve full participation of laity and clergy from small membership churches in the life of the Church. f) To participate in connectional programs and plans initiated or recommended by the general commission as needed. 2. The basic membership of the conference commission shall be nominated and elected by established procedures of the annual conferences. All must be members of The United Methodist Church. Special consultants without vote may be used as resource persons. 3. The commission shall propose a budget and submit it for inclusion in the budget of the annual conference according to procedures for funding of all boards, commissions, and agencies of the annual conference.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶645 · via Plenary

• ¶646

  In each annual conference there shall be a commission on communication or other structure to provide for these functions and maintain the connectional relationship. It shall include persons with skills in communications nominated for membership in a manner determined by the conference in accordance with ¶ 610.5. The commission shall be a service agency to meet the communication, publication, multimedia, public and media relations, interpretation, and promotional needs of the annual conference. It may be responsible for providing resources and services to conference agencies, districts, and local churches in the field of communication. The commission shall have a consultative relationship with agencies and bodies within the conference structure.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶646 · via Plenary

• ¶649

  1. In each annual conference there shall be a conference council on youth ministry or other equivalent structure to provide for these functions and maintain the connectional relationships, or the responsibilities outlined below may be assigned to such organization that follows the same membership requirements as the annual conference provides pursuant to ¶ 610.1. Its purpose shall be to strengthen the youth ministry in the local churches and districts of the annual conference. For administrative purposes, the council shall be related to the annual conference council on ministries or equivalent structure. (See ¶¶ 1201-1211 for the Young People’s Connectional Network.) 2. Membership—No more than one-third of the membership of the council shall be adults, one of whom may be the conference lay leader or his or her representative. It is strongly recommended that the membership of the council include an equal number of persons with respect to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, person with disabilities, economic condition, and social status as defined by the annual conference or episcopal area. Where ethnic or language conferences overlap nonethnic conferences, provision shall be made for the inclusion of members of the ethnic or language conferences and vice-versa. Those serving on the conference council on youth ministry or equivalent structure shall be baptized or professing members of The United Methodist Church. 3. Responsibilities—a) To initiate and support plans, activities, and projects that are of particular interest to youth. b) To be an advocate for the free expression of the convictions of youth on issues vital to them. c) To support and facilitate, where deemed needed, the formation of youth caucuses. d) To cooperate with the boards and agencies of the annual conference, receiving recommendations from and making recommendations to the same. e) To recommend to the annual conference committee on nominations qualified youth for membership on boards and agencies. f) To elect and certify annual conference representatives to the jurisdictional youth ministry organization convocation. g) To promote, introduce and encourage youth in the annual conference to become active in Wesley Foundations or United Methodist campus ministries when they attend a college or university and to become aware of opportunities to attend United Methodist-related colleges and universities. h) To cooperate with Wesley Foundations, United Methodist campus ministries and United Methodist-related colleges and universities to assist annual conference youth in the transition to college life. i) To receive and set the policy and criteria for its portion of the Youth Service Fund (¶ 1211). No more than one-third shall be used for administrative purposes; at least one-third shall be used for projects within the geographic bounds of the annual conference; and at least one-third shall be used for projects outside the geographic bounds of the annual conference. j) To establish the policy for Youth Service Fund education and be responsible for its promotion throughout the annual conference, in cooperation with the Young People’s Connectional Network of the General Board of Discipleship. k) To establish a project review committee as an advisory committee with regard to the use of the Youth Service Fund receipts for projects. It is recommended that the committee be composed of at least 50 percent racial and ethnic group persons. l) To participate with the appropriate conference agencies in the nomination of the conference coordinator of youth ministry, who shall serve as its adviser. m) To promote an evangelistic outreach with youth and through youth by providing educational opportunities and resources that increase their awareness, exposure, and engagement in the areas of mission, social justice, discipleship, leadership development and spiritual formation as they relate back to their local church.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶649 · via Plenary

• ¶650

  1. In each annual conference there shall be a conference council on young-adult ministry or equivalent structure. Its purpose shall be to strengthen the young-adult ministry in the local churches and districts of the annual conference. For administrative purposes, the council shall be related to the annual conference council on ministries or alternative structure. 2. Membership—The membership of the council shall be young adults (as defined by annual conference or episcopal area). It is recommended there be one young adult elected by each district of the conference. There may also be members at large nominated by the conference nominating committee. It is strongly recommended that the membership of the council include an equal number of persons with respect to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, persons with disabilities, economic condition, and social status as defined by annual conference or episcopal area. Those serving on the conference council on young-adult ministry shall be members of The United Methodist Church. At least one-half of the members shall be laypersons who are professing members of The United Methodist Church. Members should represent the diversity of young adults in the general population, including college students, working persons, single, and married. 3. Responsibilities—a) To initiate and support plans and activities and projects that are of particular interest to young adults who are college students, working persons, single, and married. b) To be an advocate for the free expression of the convictions of young adults on issues vital to them. c) To support and facilitate, where deemed needed, the formation of young-adult caucuses. d) To cooperate with the boards and agencies of the annual conference, including Wesley Foundations, United Methodistrelated campus ministries and chaplaincies, in assisting graduating college students in the transition to congregational life, and receiving recommendations from and making recommendations to the same to provide for the needs of young adults in The United Methodist Church. e) To recommend to the annual conference committee on nominations qualified young adults for membership on boards and agencies. f) To participate with the conference council on ministries in the nomination of the conference coordinator of young-adult ministry, who shall serve as its adviser.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶650 · via Plenary

• ¶651

  1. In each annual conference there may be a conference council on older adult ministries. Its purpose shall be to strengthen the older-adult ministries in the local churches and districts of the annual conference. For administrative purposes, the council shall be related to the annual conference board of discipleship, or the annual conference board of laity, or equivalent structure. 2. Membership—The majority of the membership of the council should be older adults. It may also include persons (regardless of age) who, because of their specialized interests, education, training, and experience, have developed a passion for ministry with older adults. Those serving on the conference council on older-adult ministries shall be professing members of The United Methodist Church and shall include both laypersons and clergy. There may also be members-at-large, nominated by the conference nominating committee and elected by the annual conference, to achieve racial, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation, economic condition, and geographic inclusiveness and to assure participation by people with specialized interests, education, training, and experiences. The conference lay leader (or designee), the conference coordinator of older-adult ministries (if any), and a cabinet representative shall serve ex officio with vote. Members should represent the diversity of older adults in the general population, including retired persons, working persons, persons with disabilities, persons with chronic illnesses, single persons, widowed persons, married persons, persons living in a variety of residential settings, and persons with a wide variety of family situations. 3. Responsibilities—a) To initiate and support ministries, plans, activities, and projects that are of particular interest to older adults, including retired persons, working persons, persons with disabling conditions, persons with chronic illnesses, single persons, widowed persons, married persons, persons living in a variety of residential settings, and persons with a wide variety of family situations. b) To advocate on behalf of older adults. c) To support and facilitate, where appropriate, the formation of older-adult caucuses. d) To identify the needs, concerns, and potential contributions of older adults in the annual conference and its districts. e) To cooperate with the boards and agencies of the annual conference in receiving and making recommendations to provide for the needs of older adults in The United Methodist Church. f) To recommend to the annual conference committee on nominations qualified and motivated older adults for membership on boards and agencies. g) To participate with the annual conference board of discipleship, or the annual conference board of laity, or equivalent structure in the nomination of the coordinator of older-adult ministries for election by the annual conference. h) To educate and keep before the annual conference and its districts the lifelong process of aging with emphases on the quality of life, intergenerational understandings, and faith development. i) To serve as a focal point for supplying information and guidance on older-adult ministries within the annual conference and its districts. j) To support the development of resources that will undergird older-adult ministries within the annual conference and its districts.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶651 · via Plenary

• ¶653

  There shall be in each annual conference a committee on disability concerns or other structure to provide for the functions of this ministry and maintain the connectional relationships. 1. The basic membership of the committee shall be nominated and elected by established procedures of the respective annual conference. Each annual conference shall determine the number and composition of the total membership. Membership shall include persons with physical disabilities and persons with mental disabilities. 2. It shall be the responsibility of this committee: a) To be aware of, and advocate for, the role of persons with disabilities in ministry, including ordained and diaconal ministries and local church and annual conference leadership positions. b) To advocate for and help develop programs within the annual conference that meet the needs of persons with disabilities. c) To be informed about current ministries within the annual conference that are related to persons with disabilities. d) To develop ways to sensitize persons in leadership positions on issues that affect persons with disabilities and therefore the entire Church. e) To foster cooperation among ministries within the annual conference that focus on specific disabilities (deaf, deafened, hard of hearing, development disabilities, mental retardation, mental illness, visual impairment, physical disabilities, etc.). f) To be a resource for local churches who are attempting to develop ministries that are attitudinally and architecturally accessible. g) To promote the full inclusion of persons with disabilities in the life of the local church and the annual conference. h) To participate in jurisdictional accessibility associations in the sharing of knowledge and resources.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶653 · via Plenary

• ¶654

  There shall be an annual conference committee on Native American ministry or other structure to provide for these ministries and maintain the connectional relationships. The basic membership of the committee shall be nominated and elected by established procedure of the respective annual conferences. Each annual conference shall determine the number and composition of the total membership. Where possible, the membership shall consist of a majority of Native Americans. It shall be the responsibility of this committee to determine the distribution of the Native American Ministries Sunday offering, coordinate the promotion of Native American Ministries Sunday, and monitor Native American ministries within the annual conference. Each committee shall report on how the offering funds have benefited Native Americans in their annual conference. Annual reports, including the amount of the total receipts from the Native American Ministries Sunday offerings, should be forwarded to the conference council on ministries and to the Connectional Table. Every local church at charge conference shall designate by nomination and election a minimum of one person per charge (without regard to race or ethnic origin) or a designated member of an established church committee to represent the need for better awareness of Native American contributions in the local church. These names are to be submitted to the district superintendent at charge conference to be given to the annual conference committee on Native American ministry.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶654 · via Plenary

• ¶655

  The annual conference is encouraged to establish a committee on Hispanic/Latino Ministries or other structure to support the development, implementation, and evaluation of a Hispanic/Latino Ministries comprehensive plan of action and the strategies for working with the Hispanic/Latino persons of all generations in the community. The membership of the committee shall be nominated and elected by the established procedures of the respective annual conference. The committee shall include at least one-third Hispanic/Latino persons. In those conferences where a committee on Hispanic/ Latino ministries or other structures is adopted, there shall be strategies to: (1) strengthen existing ministries and congregations, (2) start new congregations and ministries, including intentional ministries with children and youth, (3) identify, equip, and deploy elders, local pastors, lay missioners, lay certified ministers, and other lay leaders who can serve in this mission and ministry, (4) identify financial and material resources to support and maintain its implementation. The plan shall be based on a clear analysis of the socioeconomic, cultural, and religious realities of the community where the conference is located.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶655 · via Plenary

• ¶657

  The annual conference is encouraged to establish a committee on criminal justice and mercy ministries (CJAMM) to accomplish the following: (1) raise awareness and generate local church involvement; (2) identify existing programs; (3) promote criminal justice ministries; and (4) serve as a resource and connectional link with local churches, general program agencies, and ecumenical groups, and use prison ministry and prison reform resources made available through the general agencies. The purpose is to promote a ministry to persons of all genders and ages who are in prison, to the families of those in prison, and to the victims of crime and their families and to be an advocate for prison concerns. The CJAMM committee may relate to the board of global ministries and/or the board of church and society, which shares social justice concerns. The results of the work in this area will be reported to the annual conference. Section X. The District Conference Upon approval of the annual conference, the term subdistrict may be used in the references to district in ¶ 658-672.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶657 · via Plenary

• ¶823 · The Advance

  1. The Advance for Christ and His Church (hereafter referred to as the Advance) is an official program within The United Methodist Church through which support may be designated for projects approved by the Advance Committee of the General Board of Global Ministries (hereafter referred to as the Advance Committee). Cultivation for the Advance shall be through channels of the church other than United Methodist Women who have other means of mission giving. 2. A general Advance Special Gift is a designated financial contribution made by an individual, local church, organization, district, or conference to a project authorized for this purpose by the Advance Committee. a) Gifts as Advance Specials may be made for specific projects or purposes authorized by the Advance Committee. b) Gifts as Advance Specials may be made for broadly designated causes (such as a type of work, a country, or a region) or for use as block grants to a certain country or administrative unit, provided such causes are authorized by the Advance Committee. In such case the administering agency shall provide the donor with information about the area to which the funds have been given and, where practicable, establish communication with a person or group representative of that type of work. c) Rather than being given to a specific project, an Advance Special Gift may be given to the mission program units of the General Board of Global Ministries or the United Methodist Committee on Relief. In such cases the program unit shall determine the Advance Special project(s) to which such a gift shall be allocated. 3. Funds given and received as a part of the general Advance shall be subject to the following conditions: a) Churches and individuals shall give priority to the support of the World Service Fund and conference benevolences and other apportioned funds. Advance giving shall be voluntary and in addition to the support of apportioned funds. b) Funds shall be solicited or received only for authorized projects. Programs and institutions having general Advance Special projects shall promote only the projects approved and shall ask that gifts be remitted in the manner described in ¶ 822.4 below. c) Donor-designated gifts received through the Advance shall be used solely for project support and are not to be used for general Church administration or promotional costs. Donors will be offered the option to add an additional contribution to cover administrative costs. d) Advance Special Gifts shall not be raised as a part of a fund apportioned by an annual conference. (For conference Advance Special Gifts, see ¶ 656.) e) Upon receipt of funds for a general Advance Special, the General Board of Global Ministries shall communicate promptly with the donor, acknowledging receipt of the gift and suggesting avenues for communication if communication has not already been established. 4. Receipts for general Advance Specials shall be remitted by the local church treasurer to the conference treasurer, who shall make remittance each month to the participating agencies in a manner determined by the treasurer of the General Council on Finance and Administration. Individuals may remit directly to respective program units in a manner determined by the treasurer of the General Council on Finance and Administration, including online giving, with these remittances reported to the General Council on Finance and Administration.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶823 · scanned supplement

• ¶2512 · Conference Trustees

  1. Conference Trustees—Each annual conference may be incorporated in its own name if permitted by local law. It shall have a board of trustees, which shall be incorporated if the conference itself is not incorporated. In either case, the board shall consist of twelve persons, and it is recommended that one-third be clergy, one third laywomen, and one-third laymen, in accordance with the provisions of ¶ 610.5.4 Said persons must be of legal age as determined by law, and lay members shall be members in good standing of local churches within the bounds of the conference. Such persons shall be the directors of the corporation. They shall be elected by the conference for staggered terms of four years, except for the first board, one-fourth of whom shall be elected for a term of one year, one-fourth for a term of two years, one-fourth for a term of three years, and one-fourth for a term of four years, and shall serve until their successors have been elected; provided, however, that existing incorporated trustees of any annual conference may continue unaffected while the charter or articles of incorporation are amended to bring them into conformity with this paragraph. 2. The board of trustees shall meet at least annually and organize by electing a president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer, whose duties shall be those usually pertaining to such offices. They shall be amenable to the annual conference. Vacancies occurring between sessions of an annual conference shall be filled as follows: Upon nomination by the conference committee on nominations, the district superintendents shall, by majority vote, elect a trustee to serve until the next annual conference. Vacancies shall be filled by the annual conference for the unexpired term. 3. The board of trustees shall have the following authority with respect to the properties of the annual conference and its agencies: a) The said corporation shall receive, collect, and hold in trust for the benefit of the annual conference any and all donations, bequests, and devises of any kind or character, real or personal, that may be given, devised, bequeathed, or conveyed to the 3. For authority regarding property held by general agencies of the Church, see ¶ 807.6, .8. said board or to the annual conference as such for any benevolent, charitable, or religious purpose, and shall administer the same and the income therefrom in accordance with the directions of the donor, trustor, or testator and in the interest of the church, society, institution, or agency contemplated by such donor, trustor, or testator, under the direction of the annual conference. When the use to be made of any such donation, bequest, or devise is not otherwise designated, the same shall be used as directed by the annual conference. b) When so directed by the annual conference, the said corporation may receive and hold in trust for and on behalf of the annual conference, its districts, or any of its agencies any real or personal property previously acquired by the conference, its districts, or its agencies to be used in carrying out their mission, ministry, and program. When such property is in the form of investable funds, the board of trustees may consider placing the funds for investment and administration with the United Methodist conference or area foundation serving that conference or, in the absence of such a foundation, with the United Methodist Church Foundation. A conscious effort shall be made to invest in a manner consistent with the Social Principles and the creation of an investment policy. With respect to such properties, the board shall take no action that would alter or interfere with their missional or programmatic use or function unless such action is specifically directed by the annual conference. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to educational or health and welfare institutions whose properties are held in their own name or in the name of their own duly elected boards of trustees or directors; nor shall they apply to the property of local churches except as such local church property may have been declared discontinued or abandoned under the provisions of ¶ 2549. c) Except as restricted in § 3b, the board shall have the power to invest, reinvest, buy, sell, transfer, and convey any and all funds and properties that it may hold in trust, subject always to the terms of the legacy, devise, or donation. d) Unless the annual conference provides otherwise, any contract, deed, bill of sale, mortgage, or other necessary written instrument needed to implement any resolution authorizing proposed action regarding annual conference property may be executed by and on behalf of the annual conference board of trustees by any two of its officers, who thereupon shall be duly authorized to carry out the direction of the annual conference; and any written instrument so executed shall be binding and effective as the action of the annual conference. e) The conference board of trustees is encouraged to invest in institutions, companies, corporations, or funds that make a positive contribution toward the realization of the goals of the Social Principles of our Church. The board of trustees shall act as a socially responsible investor and report annually to the annual conference regarding its carrying out of this responsibility. Among the tools the board may use are shareholder advocacy, selective divestment, advocacy of corporate disinvestment from certain countries or fields of business, and affirmative investments (as in affordable housing, care of the environment, minority business and banks, and so forth), as well as other appropriate strategies. f) Funds committed to this board may be invested by it only in collateral that is amply secured and after such investments have been approved by the said board or its agency or committee charged with such investment, unless otherwise directed by the annual conference. 4. The board may intervene and take all necessary legal steps to safeguard and protect the interests and rights of the annual conference anywhere and in all matters relating to property and rights to property whether arising by gift, devise, or otherwise, or where held in trust or established for the benefit of the annual conference or its membership. 5. It shall be the duty of the pastor within the bounds of whose charge any such gift, bequest, or devise is made to give prompt notice thereof to said board, which shall proceed to take such steps as are necessary and proper to conserve, protect, and administer the same; provided, however, that the board may decline to receive or administer any such gift, devise, or bequest for any reason satisfactory to the board. It shall also be the duty of the pastor to report annually to the board of trustees of the annual conference a list of all property, including real, personal, or mixed, within the charge belonging to or which should be under the control or jurisdiction of the said board. 6. The board shall make to each session of the annual conference a full, true, and faithful report of its doings, of all funds, monies, securities, and property held in trust by it, and of its receipts and disbursements during the conference year. The beneficiary of a fund held in trust by the board shall also be entitled to a report at least annually on the condition of such fund and on the transactions affecting it. 7. Establishment of Annual Conference Policy With Regard to Government Efforts to Designate Church-Owned Property as Landmarks— The board, after consultation with the conference commission on archives and history, or alternate structure, shall develop a policy for an annual conference response, on behalf of any local church, Church-related agency, or district or annual conference board of trustees located within the bounds of the annual conference, to any governmental effort to designate a property held in trust for the benefit of The United Methodist Church (¶ 2501) by any such board of trustees as a cultural, historical, or architectural landmark. 8. In cooperation with the General Council on Finance and Administration, related annual conference agencies and institutions, and local churches, to make recommendations to the annual conference regarding the development, promotion, and review of a broad general program of insurance protection, except for employee benefit programs.

  The Book of Discipline 2020/2024, ¶2512 · scanned supplement