Volume 2, Section 4 Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters Draft of a Global or General Book of Discipline Part VI, Chapters 1-4 and 6 Authorized by the Commission on the General Conference. Printed and distributed by The United Methodist Publishing House. 9781501810343_INT_Vol 2 Sec. 4.indd 1409 12/16/15 10:44 AM 9781501810343_INT_Vol 2 Sec. 4.indd 1410 12/16/15 10:44 AM Draft of a General Book of Discipline 1411 Contents Draft of a General Book of Discipline, Part VI, Chapters 1-4 and 6 ....................................1413 Living into the Worldwide Nature of The United Methodist Church ............................1413 Part VI: Organization and Administration ........................................................1415 Chapter One: The Local Church .............................................................1415 Chapter Two: The Ministry of the Ordained ....................................................1425 Chapter Three: The Superintendency..........................................................1449 Chapter Four: The Conferences ..............................................................1455 Chapter Six: Church Property ...............................................................1467 Appendix: General Conference Regulations . 1471 9781501810343_INT_Vol 2 Sec. 4.indd 1411 12/16/15 10:44 AM 9781501810343_INT_Vol 2 Sec. 4.indd 1412 12/16/15 10:44 AM Draft of a General Book of Discipline 1413 Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters Draft of a Global or General Book of Discipline, Part VI, Chapters 1-4 and 6 Living into the Worldwide Nature of change in General Conference. The reality is that many The United Methodist Church parts of the BOD apply only to the United States and are unnecessary to God’s work in some parts of the world. In As United Methodists we stand together to live into order to support the answer to God’s call, it is essential our call as God’s church in 2016 and into the future. that we remain mindful of the missional focus of mak- Our focus on the missional commitment of the Church ing disciples wherever our brothers and sisters find them- to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation selves working to build the Kingdom. of the world is not merely aspirational. It is a vision into which we are already living. Today we find ourselves as As a church we need to respond to this reality and a church serving on many continents, in many countries, bring life to our tradition by concentrating on the essen- speaking different languages, and shaped by different cul- tials of our Covenant [BOD ¶ 125]. Therefore, we feel that tures. We receive this diversity as a precious gift from God we must contemplate what is crucial for our Covenant and who is committed to us in covenant. As Methodists we structural unity. This shall be presented to the Church as have responded to this covenant by committing ourselves the heart of our tradition and church, as together we fol- to Christ and to each other. We want to be one church and low the call of Jesus Christ. consider it to be the will of the One who has brought us together. However, our current structure does not support Beyond this there are rules, articles, and legislation where we have come to be and where God’s vision is yet that may differ on the level of central, jurisdictional, and to guide us. We have moved through God’s mission into annual conferences. We call on General Conference and connections in many places of the world on four conti- the whole Church to listen to these needs and to take ap- nents with millions of new members who are steeped in propriate action to allow the Church in different places to the Wesleyan tradition. This growth is not one of our own do effective and helpful ministry throughout the world in making, but is a gift from God, drawing us into fellow- different forms, according to the local needs. ship as at Pentecost. There the difference between Jew and Gentile, slave and free, male and female, was shown to be unimportant in following Jesus in God’s eyes, and so Proposed Draft today is the difference between Congolese and American, The Standing Committee on Central Conference Mat- German and Filipino, Korean and Russian. None of our ters (“Standing Committee”) has concentrated its work on human-made categories, borders, or national labels should Part VI of the Book of Discipline, Chapters 1 (The Local stand to separate us from the unity we share as United Church), 2 (The Ministry of the Ordained), 3 (The Super- Methodists. Living into the promises of God demands us intendency), 4 (The Conferences), and 6 (Church Proper- all to be forthright as we willingly and openly receive this ty). These chapters are most directly related to organizing gift, trusting in what God is doing with the body around the ongoing ministry in central conferences. The result of the world called The United Methodist Church. this work is the proposed Draft of a General Book of Discipline, Part VI, Chapters 1-4 and 6. It is called here- As United Methodists we have to consider this gift of after a General Book of Discipline. God and respond in a way that does not quench the spirit but is helpful to the Church as a whole. Many parts of the Explanations to the Proposed Draft present Book of Discipline (BOD) are not applicable to churches that serve in manifold ways in different nations, This draft proposes a much more concise Part VI on using different languages, under different state constitu- Organization and Administration, limited to essentials that tions and legal systems. In many cases, central confer- are applicable worldwide. The aim has been to establish ences have to adapt the BOD or take action that is outside a much shorter, more easily understandable and translat- the boundaries of the BOD in order to fulfill God’s call. able General Book of Discipline. Therefore, material may This has led to different local practices in organizing the have been rearranged, reordered, and revised. In aiming work and ministry of the church. at essentials for a worldwide church, some sections are still more detailed (e.g., in the chapter on the Ministry of Very often the reception process in different language the Ordained) while others are more concentrated on the groups and countries is much slower than the pace of necessary essentials. 9781501810343_INT_Vol 2 Sec. 4.indd 1413 12/16/15 10:44 AM 1414 DCA Advance Edition If such a draft contains what is essential and appli- work of General Conference, are not adaptable cable worldwide, it will not need many revisions every by central conferences, but are very detailed pro- four years (including translation of the revisions into hun- visions that may easily need to change every four dreds of languages used in annual conferences all over years. At present, such elements are compiled in an the world), nor will it need to have organizational details appendix called General Conference Regulations added to it every four years for fixing local or regional (“GC-R”). The draft of a General Book of Disci- problems. Therefore this draft is presented with the hope pline makes explicit reference to the appendix as that it enhances the mission of the Church in a long-term, “GC-R”, with identical paragraph numbers pre- sustainable way and that it empowers the different regions ceded by “GC-R”. As work will continue on BOD in the world to be better equipped for making disciples of 2012, Part VI, Chapters 5 and 7, more material may Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, all to the be lodged in such a document of General Confer- glory of God. ence Regulations. Important Elements in the Presentation of This General Book of Discipline— Draft of Part VI, Chapters 1-4 and 6 Non-Disciplinary Petition to the • This draft is based on Part I. The Constitution and 2016 General Conference does not propose structural changes for The UMC in A Non-Disciplinary petition to the 2016 General the US, nor is it accompanied by any constitutional Conference will ask for affirmation of the direction taken amendments. thus far by the Standing Committee and for a consultation • This draft is based on Part V. Social Principles, and in all annual conferences worldwide, with feedback from on provisions of the BOD 2012, Part VI, regarding the annual conferences until the end of 2017 [petition standards for clergy related to human sexuality and # 60277, ADCA, p. 465]. unauthorized conduct, and leaves any decisions on these matters in the authority of General Conference. Questions for the feedback will be: • This draft is based on the mandate given to the Standing Committee in BOD 2012, ¶ 101, and pre- 1. What is essential for the worldwide connection of sents what is “distinctively connectional” and not The UMC that is missing in this draft? adaptable by central conferences as to Part VI, 2. Where is this draft too detailed and in need of fur- Chapters 1-4 and 6 of BOD 2012. ther prioritization of that which is truly essential? • Footnote references to Judicial Council decisions 3. What inconsistencies or inaccuracies are found in are not yet updated and need to be added at a later the draft and are thus in need of correction? time. • At the end of each paragraph, the new numbering As we present this draft to the 2016 General Confer- is followed by “=” and a reference to the source ence, we do so with thanks to the Committee on Faith in BOD 2012 for said paragraph and its sub-para- and Order, the Office of Christian Unity and Interreligious graphs. The sign “=” does not mean an exact quote Relationships, the General Council on Finance and Ad- and may include revisions, deletions, or additions to ministration, and many others who worked in excellent the indicated reference in the BOD 2012 in order to collaboration with the Task Group of the Standing Com- reflect its worldwide application, consistency, and a mittee on Central Conference Matters in coming so far on better flow of the text.