Governance
United
Methodists are
sometimes asked
where their
church is
headquartered,
or what officer
is "in charge."
Deliberately,
The United
Methodist Church
has no single
central office,
no archbishop,
no pope. This
reflects the
representative
nature of the
church's
organization -
which also
provides a
system of checks
and balances.
The church
created a system
that in some
ways parallels
that of the U.S.
government when
it came to
America. The
church has a
General
Conference, its
legislative
branch; a
Council of
Bishops,
somewhat like an
executive
branch; and a
nine-member
Judicial
Council, the
judicial branch.
It's helpful to
recognize the
structure of the
church, but it
is the mission,
ministry and
love of God
through Jesus
Christ that is
of primary
importance.
General
Conference
Who makes
decisions for
The United
Methodist Church
if there is no
one person in
charge? Good
question. The
only body that
can set official
policy and speak
for the
denomination is
the General
Conference.
The General
Conference is an
international
body of nearly
1,000 delegates
that meets every
four years. The
delegates are
elected by
annual
conferences (at
annual
conference
sessions) to
attend General
Conference. They
represent all
annual
conferences
around the
world. Half of
the delegates
are laity
(non-clergy
members), half
are clergy.
Bishops attend
the General
Conference but
cannot vote.
Different
bishops serve as
presiding
officers during
the conference.
Other bishops
cannot speak
unless
permission is
specifically
granted by the
delegates.
During General
Conference,
delegates
discuss and vote
on petitions and
resolutions
proposed by
individuals,
agencies, annual
conferences, and
other groups
within the
denomination.
These actions
result in a
revision of the
Book of
Discipline, the
denomination's
book of law, and
Book of
Resolutions,
policies of the
denomination on
current social
issues.
It is at General
Conference where
delegates
wrestle with
today's issues
in light of
scriptural
teachings and
the church's
understanding of
that teaching.
Here is where
the church's
official stands
and church
policies are
made regarding
such issues as
human sexuality,
abortion, war
and peace, as
well as
determination of
ministries and
funding.
General
Conferences are
held in years
divisible by 4,
such as 2000,
2004, etc.
Council of
Bishops
The United
Methodist Church
uses an
episcopal system
of governance,
which means
bishops provide
the top
leadership.
All bishops
(active and
retired) are
members of the
Council of
Bishops, which
is required to
meet at least
once a year.
Bishops are
directed to
provide
oversight of the
entire church
but have
specific
leadership
responsibilities
in a
geographical
area, called an
episcopal area.
An episcopal
area is
comprised of one
or more annual
conferences.
There are 50
episcopal areas
in the U.S. and
18 episcopal
areas in the
central
conferences.
Both men and
women can be
elected bishop.
The only
requirement to
be elected
bishop is that
the person is an
ordained elder
in The United
Methodist
Church. Bishops
in the U.S.
generally serve
one area for
eight years (two
four-year terms)
before they are
assigned to
another area.
The Executive
Secretary (a
retired bishop
serving a
four-year term)
is the chief
operating
officer for the
council in their
permanent,
staffed office
in Washington,
D.C.
Go to Council of
Bishops website
Find out who the
Bishops are for
each Episcopal
Area
Judicial Council
The Judicial
Council is the
highest judicial
body or "court"
of The United
Methodist
Church. Its nine
members,
comprised of
both clergy and
lay members, are
elected by the
General
Conference for
eight-year terms
and receive no
pay for their
work. The
five-to-four
ratio of
membership
alternates every
eight years
between having a
majority of
clergy member
and a majority
of lay members.
The Judicial
Council
determines the
constitutionality
of acts or
proposed acts of
the General,
Jurisdictional,
Central, and
Annual
Conferences. It
acts on these
either on appeal
of lower rulings
or through
requests for
declaratory
decisions. It
also rules on
whether acts of
other official
bodies of the
denomination
conform to The
Book of
Discipline. This
is done in
accordance with
procedures
established in
The Book of
Discipline. When
the Judicial
Council makes
its decision, it
is final.
Find out more
about the
Judicial
Council, its
procedures and
rulings
Connectional
Table
In 2004, the
General
Conference
created a new
structure called
the Connectional
Table to guide
the work of the
church. The
Connectional
Table, a place
for
collaboration,
conversation and
decision, is the
first
significant
restructure for
The United
Methodist church
since 1972.
This body
oversees the
coordination of
mission,
ministries and
resources across
the
denomination.
The 47 member
body consists of
equal numbers of
lay persons and
clergy; female
and male,
including at
least 10 percent
youth and young
adults; at least
30 percent
members of
racial-ethnic
minority groups,
and no fewer
than seven
members from The
United Methodist
Church in
Europe, Africa
and Asia. It
also includes
bishops and
staff executives
and officers of
denominational
agencies. Top
executives of
the general
boards and
agencies have
the right to
speak, but
cannot vote.
Organization
It is the organization of The United Methodist Church that creates a structure for connectionalism. The United Methodist Church is intentionally decentralized and democratic. Clergy and laity alike help determine the ministry and workings of The United Methodist Church through their actions in their local churches, annual conferences, general agencies and through petitions and resolutions they send to General Conference, and through the voting delegates who go to General Conference, the only body that can set official policy for the church. It is individuals, the people called United Methodists, who make possible the connection of hearts, minds, hands and lives as the body of Christ around the world.
From UM 101, an interactive course on United Methodism
Local church
It is primarily at the level of the local church that the church encounters the world. The local church is a strategic base from which Christians move out to the structures of society…Therefore, the local church is to minister to persons in the community where the church is located…to cooperate in ministry with other local churches…and to participate in the worldwide mission of the church... (2004 Book of Discipline)
Most individuals have their initial contact with the denomination in the local church. Some local church members don't realize that they are part of a bigger whole-the connection: an annual conference, a jurisdiction, the General Church, and churches and annual conferences around the world.
The Book of Discipline outlines rules and organization that local churches must follow but there is also room for a local church to express its ministry according to the community and its congregation.
Find a local church in your area
Districts
Groups of churches in a geographic area are organized to form a district, somewhat similar to the way cities and towns are organized into counties. Often, churches in a district will work together to provide training and mission opportunities.1
Each district is led by a district superintendent (“DS”), an elder appointed by the bishop, usually for a six-year term. The DS oversees the ministry of the district’s clergy and churches, provides spiritual and pastoral leadership, works with the bishop and others in the appointment of ordained ministers to serve the district’s churches, presides at meetings of the charge conference, and oversees programs within the district.2
1 From United Methodist Member’s Handbook by George Kohler (Discipleship Resources, 1997), p. 24.
2 From What Every Teacher Needs to Know about The United Methodist Church (Discipleship Resources, 2002), p. 30.
Find districts and district offices
Annual Conferences
When you hear the term "annual conference," it could be referring to any one of three things. The annual conference is a regional body, an organizational unit AND a yearly meeting.
Regional body
The annual (sometimes referred to as 'regional') conference is described by the church's Book of Discipline as the "basic unit" of the church.
An annual conference may cover an entire state, only part of the state, or even parts of two or more states. There are also three missionary conferences in the United States, which rely upon the denomination as a whole for funding.
The United States has 63 annual conferences, supervised by 50 bishops. There are 59 annual conferences in Africa, Europe, and the Philippines, which are supervised by 18 bishops.
Organizational body
The annual conference has a central office and professional staff that coordinate and conduct ministry and the business of the conference. It likely has a director of connectional ministries, treasurer, directors of program areas (such as camping), communications director, and other staff as deemed appropriate for the annual conference and as required by the Book of Discipline. Clergy and laypersons may also serve on conference boards, commissions and committees.
Annual Conference sessions
Each year—usually in May or June—all clergy members and an equal number of lay members selected from the local churches attend their conference’s Annual Conference sessionmeet together to worship, fellowship, and conduct the business of the conference, which may last 3-5 days. During these sessions, members of the conference hear reports of past and ongoing work; adopt future goals, programs and budgets; ordain clergy members as deacons and elders; and elect delegates to Jurisdictional and General Conferences (every 4 years). The bishop presides over these meetings.
Find out more about annual conferences
Jurisdictional / Central Conferences
In the United States of America, The United Methodist Church is divided into five areas known as jurisdictions: Northeastern, Southeastern, North Central, South Central and Western. These provide some program and leadership training events to support the annual conferences. Every four years the jurisdictional conferences meet to elect new bishops and select members of general boards and agencies.
From United Methodist Member's Handbook, p. 25.
Annual conferences located outside the United States are organized into central conferences, much like jurisdictions. There are seven central conferences: Africa, Central and Southern Europe, Congo, Germany, Northern Europe, Philippines, and West Africa.
From What Every Leader Needs to Know About United Methodist Connections by Linda Whited (Discipleship Resources, 2004), p 14.
Go to a map of Jurisdictions
General Agencies
United Methodist general agencies (boards, council, and commissions) are created by and responsible to the General Conference. The purpose of the general agencies is to provide resources and services that will enable individual congregations to serve God effectively in the world. Through the work of these agencies, The United Methodist Church is able to maintain a common vision, mission, and ministry throughout the worldwide connectional system.
What Every Leader Needs to Know About United Methodist Connections, p 14.
Each general agency has its own governing board of lay and clergy members. Members of these boards are selected from individuals nominated by annual conferences and other groups. In addition to board members, there are staff members who coordinate and carry out the day-to-day ministry work of each agency.
The purposes of each agency are outlined in the Book of Discipline.
For example, the General Council on Finance and Administration oversees funds of the church. The General Commission on Religion and Race reviews and monitors the practices of the entire church to ensure racial inclusiveness.
Find out more about each general agency |
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