The Council on Ministries
258. The council on ministries shall be responsible for the programs relating to the Church's primary mission (see 244). It shall draw upon the local and connectional program suggestions as it prepares its recommendation regarding the ministries to be implemented in fulfilling the congregation's responsibility in the local and worldwide community. It shall furnish the committee on finance with the recommended level of funding needed to implement each area of ministry.
The local Church council on ministries shall consider, develop, and coordinate goals and program proposals for the Church's mission. It shall receive and, where possible, utilize resources for missions provided by the district, annual, jurisdictional, central, and general councils on ministries, boards, and agencies, and shall coordinate these resources with the Church's plan for ministries. The council shall be amenable to the administrative board, to which it shall submit its goals and program plans for revision and appropriate action. Upon adoption of the goals and program plans by the administrative board, the council shall implement and evaluate the goals and program plans which are assigned.
The council on ministries shall elect teachers, counselors, and officers for the Church school except where these are subject to election by the charge conference. In local Churches when size and organization permit, and where the educational program can be enhanced by division superintendents, the council may elect such person(s). Nominations for these positions shall be made by the work area chairperson of education upon the recommendation of the superintendent of the Church school and after consultation with the pastor, the division superintendents, and such other groups or persons as the council on ministries may designate. It is recommended that the committee on nominations and personnel be a resource in this process (270.1).
The council on ministries shall make recommendations to the committee on finance requesting the financial resources needed to undergird the ministries which it has developed, using local and connectional program suggestions, and which the council recommends to the administrative board.
The council on ministries, in consultation with the pastor, may make recommendations to the committee on pastor-parish relations regarding the professional and other staff positions needed to carry out the program projected by the council.
Since local Churches vary greatly in needs and size, the structure and organization required will differ. The council on ministries with its several elected representatives is the minimum structure for the development and administration of the local Church program. The council on ministries, in order to implement the Church's mission, may request expansion of the structure to include councils, commissions, task groups, committees, and other groups as needed. Where the committees, councils, task groups, commissions, etc., are not organized, the duties assigned to each become the responsibility of the council on ministries.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
1992 Book of Discipline: ¶ 258
1996 United Methodist General Conference