The United Methodist Church

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The United Methodist Church

• An Overview

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Organization
?General Conference
?Jurisdictional Conference (Central Conference)
?Annual Conference
?District
?Charge
?Local Church
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General Conference

• Top legislative body of church
• Meets every four years (Quadrenium)
• Only body to speak for entire church
• Revises the Book of Discipline
• 1000 delegates, equal s of Lay Clergy
• Bishops have voice, but no vote
• Determines budget for four year period
• Elects members of Judicial Council

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Jurisdictional Conference

• Meets every four years
• Elects bishops and appoints them to a conference
• Five jurisdictions in the U.S.
• Selects members to General Church Boards and
  Agencies
• Provides additional support to Annual Conferences

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Central Conference

• Essentially same as Jurisdictional
• Represents the UMC outside the U.S.
• They select their own bishops
• They may have Annual Conferences
• They use the same Book of Discipline

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Annual Conference

• Basic organizational structure of UMC
• Meets once a year (hence annual)
• Usually defined by geographical area (We are the
  South Georgia Annual Conference)
• Made up of equal numbers of Lay and Clergy
  delegates
• Includes all clergy (active and retired)
• Each charge has at least one delegate,
  (additional ones may be selected)

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Annual Conference

• Responsible for training and ordaining clergy
• Elects delegates to General and Jurisdictional
  Conferences
• Appointments to churches/ministries made within
  this structure
• Sets the yearly budget
• Establishes and supports ministries both inside
  and outside the AC boundaries

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District

• Serves as link between Local Church and Annual
  Conference
• There are 9 Districts in the South GA. AC
• Based on geography and population
• Each one presided over by a District
  Superintendent appointed by the Bishop
• D.S. presides over annual Church/Charge
  Conference

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Charge

• Often made up of two or more Local Churches
• Because of size and/or finances, they share a
  pastor
• Also described as a Circuit, (from Methodist
  Circuit Rider days

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Local Church

• Basic building block of denomination (and dont
  you forget it!)
• Each Church/Charge is guaranteed an appointed
  pastor
• It is the community of persons who have
  professed their faith in Christ, have been
  baptized, have assumed the vows of membership in
  the UMC (BOD para. 203)

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Local Church

• It is where people hear the Word, receive the
  Sacraments, participate in fellowship and are
  equipped for ministry
• It is the launching ground for evangelism and
  missions

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Church Organization Chart
Bishop District Superintendent Pastor Administr
ative Board (Council)
Trustees Staff-Parish
Council on Finance Lay
Leadership Relations
Ministries
Committee
Work Area Chairpersons
Others
Worship Education Evangelism Missions
Fellowship Family
UMM UMW UMYF Lay Leader
Conference Delegate
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Conectionalism

• United Methodists are intentionally connected
  together for ministry and mission
• We have one Discipline
• Our structure supports and encourages this
• We cooperate together for various ministries
• Africa University
• Childrens Home
• Magnolia Manor

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Appointive System

• Each Elder is appointed to a charge one year at
  a time (average stay is around 4 years)
• Appointments are made by the Bishop, in
  consultation with the pastor and the local
  church, assisted by the District Superintendent
• Elders in good connection are guaranteed
  appointments
• Deacons are ordained for specific ministry, but
  are not subject to appointive system or are
  guaranteed appointments

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Methodisms Family Tree
Early Church
Roman Church Eastern
Orthodox
Anglican Reformers
(Protestants)
Methodists
Evangelicals United Brethren
African Methodist Episcopal African Methodist
Episcopal Zion
Methodist Episcopal
Methodist Protestant
Evangelical United Brethren
M.E. North M.E. South
Colored Methodist Episcopal (Now Christian
Methodist Episcopal)
Methodist Church
United Methodist Church