The Charge Conference
247. General Provisions.--1. Within the pastoral charge the basic unit in the connectional system of The United Methodist Church is the charge conference. The charge conference shall therefore be organized from the Church or Churches in every pastoral charge as set forth in the Constitution (46). It shall meet annually for the purposes set forth in 248. It may meet at other times as indicated in [014] 7 below.
2. The membership of the charge conference shall be all members of the administrative council or administrative board named in 253.2, 255, together with retired ordained ministers who elect to hold their membership in said charge conference and any others as may be designated in the Discipline. If more than one Church is on the pastoral charge, all members of each administrative council or administrative board shall be members of the charge conference.
3. The charge conference may make provision for recognition of the faithful service of members of the administrative council or administrative board by electing them honorary members. An honorary member shall be entitled to all the privileges of a member, except the right to vote.
4. The district superintendent shall fix the time of meetings of the charge conference. The charge conference shall determine the place of meeting.
5. The district superintendent shall preside at the meetings of the charge conference or may designate an elder to preside.
6. The members present and voting at any duly announced meeting shall constitute a quorum.
7. Special sessions may be called by the district superintendent after consultation with the pastor of the charge, or by the pastor with the written consent of the district superintendent. The purpose of such special session shall be stated in the call, and only such business shall be transacted as is in harmony with the purposes stated in the call. Any such special session may be convened as a church conference in accordance with 249.
8. Notice of time and place of a regular or special session of the charge conference shall be given at least ten days in advance by two or more of the following (except as local laws may otherwise provide): from the pulpit of the Church, in its weekly bulletin, a local-Church publication, or by mail.
9. A charge conference shall be conducted in the language of the majority with adequate provision being made for translation.
10. A joint charge conference for two or more pastoral charges may be held at the same time and place, as the district superintendent may determine.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
1992 Book of Discipline: ¶ 247
1996 United Methodist General Conference