262. 1. The work area chairperson of Christian unity and interreligious concerns shall encourage awareness and understanding of ecumenism at all levels, including furthering dialogue and fellowship with other Christians and with persons of other faiths, cultures, and ideologies, participation in councils of churches, interfaith councils, and consulting on church unions. In keeping with standards and guidance materials supplied by the General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns and the annual conference commission (or comparable organization), the chairperson shall stimulate studies, plan programs, and cooperate in specific Christian unity and interreligious endeavors. It shall be the responsibility of the work area chairperson to interpret ecumenical structures and agencies, such as the Interdenominational Cooperation Fund, the World Council of Churches, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., the World Methodist Council, and the Consultation on Church Union to the local church.
2. The work area chairperson of Church and society shall keep the council on ministries or administrative council aware of the need for study and action in the areas of social issues and education, service, witness, and action. In keeping with standards and guidance materials supplied by the General Board of Church and society and the annual conference board of Church and society (or comparable organization), the chairperson shall recommend to the council on ministries or administrative council study/action projects in the field of social concerns. The chairperson shall cooperate with other commissions in surveying the needs of the local community and in making program recommendations for responding to local, community, state, national, and international needs to which the Church ministers by its service, education, witness, and action.
3. The work area chairperson of community volunteers shall keep the council on ministries aware of the purpose and needs of volunteering in the local community and of the involvement of the Church members in volunteering. This work area shall develop an understanding of the talents and skills of the Church members and make them aware of matching opportunities for the giving of personal service; maintain liaison between the Church, its members, and established social concern agencies within the community; and promote volunteering as a benefit to the Church, the individual volunteer, and the agencies as an expression of our Christian concern.
4. The work area chairperson of education shall design and recommend to the council on ministries or administrative council an organization of the educational program of the Church in keeping with the standards and policies developed by the General Board of Discipleship and shall keep the council on ministries or administrative council aware of sound educational procedures. The chairperson shall nominate persons to the council on ministries or administrative council for election as division superintendents (as needed), teachers, counselors, and officers of the Church school.
The work area chairperson of education shall assure that persons of all ages are provided with opportunities to study the Bible and the Christian faith and life, and facilitate the use of resources which are based on curriculum plans which have been approved by the General Board of Discipleship.
The work area chairperson shall assure that persons of all ages are provided with opportunities to consider their vocation as Christians and particular opportunities to express vocation of ministry in their chosen careers and occupations. The chairperson in cooperation with the pastor shall assure that opportunities for professional church-related ministries are interpreted within the congregation.
The work area chairperson of education shall assure that supervision is provided for week-day nursery and kindergarten programs where these are included as a part of the church's educational program. This supervision shall include selection, guidance, and training of leaders, resources, and budget.
The chairperson shall promote the local observance of Christian Education Sunday to emphasize the importance of Christian education and to receive an offering to strengthen Christian education in areas of greatest need. The offerings shall be sent to the treasurer of the conference, who shall distribute the funds in accordance with 277.1.
The chairperson shall encourage certification of educational assistants as directors or ministers of Christian education or as associates in Christian education.
5. The work area chairperson of evangelism, with his/her work-area members, shall work with the pastor, the administrative council, or the administrative board and council on ministries to make evangelism an ongoing priority ministry of the congregation to win people to a profession or a renewal of faith in Jesus Christ. The chairperson shall recommend activities and structure to respond to the evangelistic mission of the local Church in keeping with the standards and guidance material supplied by the General Board of Discipleship and the annual conference board of discipleship, or its counterpart. The concerns of the work area on evangelism shall include the people who are not members in any local Church, the Church's own inactive members, and the care of all its members. The responsibilities and opportunities of the work area on evangelism shall include, but not be limited to, working with all organizations of the Church to identify and reach out to persons who are neither members nor active in a Church, helping persons share the good news of Jesus Christ, keeping a current prospect file, providing for visitation programs, setting growth goals, inviting persons to Christian discipleship in the worship services, planning specific evangelism events and missions, incorporating new members, and assisting in the possibilities of starting new congregations. In cooperation with the pastor and the council on ministries/administrative council the chairperson shall develop and implement ministries of membership care, growth in discipleship, and spiritual formation including distribution of The Upper Room and other devotional resources.
6.a) The work area chairperson of higher education and campus ministry shall keep the council on ministries or administrative council aware of higher education concerns and provide locally for the promotion and support of the interest of higher education and campus ministry in accordance with the programs of the annual conference and the Division of Higher Education of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. This shall include plans for the ministry to college and university students, staff, faculty, and administrators related to the local Church; recruitment of students for United Methodist institutions; relating students to United Methodist-supported campus ministries; encouraging local support of United Methodist colleges, universities, and campus ministries in the annual conference through scholarships, special grants, and interpretive programs. The chairperson shall also interpret and promote these programs of the general Church: the Black College Fund; Hispanic, Asian, and Native American (HANA) Educational Ministries; World Communion Sunday offering for Ethnic Minority Scholarships, Minority In-Service Training Program, and Crusade Scholarships; United Methodist Student Day; and the receiving of an offering for the support of United Methodist scholarships and the United Methodist Student Loan Fund (275.4).
b) The work area chairperson of higher education and campus ministry shall coordinate and guide, with the pastor and related interests of the local church, a program of interpretation and counseling which will assist persons in their vocational decisions related to the Church.
c) The work area chairperson of higher education and campus ministry shall maintain contact with persons who attend schools, colleges, and universities, who join the military, or are in other educational situations which require their moving temporarily from the local Church. The chairperson shall forward the name and address of each person to the appropriate college/university/military chaplain or campus minister.
The chairperson shall forward to United Methodist colleges and universities related to the annual conference the names and addresses of high school juniors and seniors in the local Church and shall send the names and addresses of college students to the chaplain or campus minister of the college they are attending. The chairperson shall develop a program enabling the local Church to maintain contact with persons attending colleges and universities, and especially those away from home.
7. The work area chairperson of missions shall keep the council on ministries or administrative council aware of the purpose and needs of programs and institutions supported by the Church in the nation and around the world. In keeping with the standards and guidance material supplied by the General Board of Global Ministries and the annual conference board of global ministries (or comparable organization), the chairperson shall provide resources to be used in the study program of the church. Through the council he/she shall cooperate with other commissions in surveying the needs of the local community and recommend to the council on ministries or administrative council plans for local mission and service projects and for participation in enterprises related to the National Division or the Health and Welfare Ministries Department of the General Board of Global Ministries in the geographic area of the local Church. The chairperson shall recommend means of keeping the Church informed of the qualifications and current needs for personnel to serve through the Church around the world. He/she shall develop a benevolence budget and submit it to the council on ministries for its recommendation to the committee on finance. The chairperson shall recommend Advance specials on behalf of the entire Church and in addition shall promote acceptance of Advance specials by individuals and groups.
8. The work area chairperson of religion and race or outreach work area chairperson shall keep the council on ministries or the administrative council and the congregation aware of the meaning of a racial and ethnic pluralistic United Methodist Church. In keeping with the standards and guidance material supplied by the General Commission on Religion and Race and the annual conference commission on religion and race (or comparable organization), he/she shall recommend to the council on ministries or the administrative council program opportunities for worship, fellowship, witness, study, nurture, and service with persons, groups, and congregations across racial and ethnic lines.
9. The work area chairperson of the status and role of women shall keep the council on ministries or administrative council and the congregation aware of the meaning of the church's continuing commitment to the full and equal responsibility and participation of women in the total life and mission of the Church. The chairperson shall be a woman. She shall maintain contact with the annual conference commission on the status and role of women and the district council on ministries and shall cooperate with United Methodist Women in recommending to the council on ministries or administrative council program opportunities for worship, fellowship, witness, study, nurture, and service with persons and groups which confirm anew the liberating message of Jesus Christ that recognizes every person, woman or man, as full and equal part of God's human family.
10. a) The work area chairperson of stewardship shall interpret and encourage stewardship consistent with the historic standards of The United Methodist Church. The chairperson shall encourage both individual and corporate stewardship, informing them that tithing is the minimum goal of giving in The United Methodist Church. Using as a basis Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience, stewardship shall have five components: (1) the use of God-given talents, (2) personal financial management and life commitments, (3) personal giving through the Church, (4) local Church management of resources, and (5) the Christian steward's responsibility in God's world. The chairperson of stewardship shall work with others on the council on ministries or administrative council to formulate plans and recommend resources to encourage growth in each of these areas. In Churches where a commission on stewardship is organized, the council on ministries or administrative council shall elect representatives of the committee on finance to serve on the commission. The chairperson of the work area of stewardship shall be a member of the committee on finance and the council on ministries or administrative council.
b) The chairperson of stewardship in cooperation with the council on ministries or administrative council may (1) organize a Wills and Estate Planning Task Force which shall have the responsibility to (a) emphasize the need for adults of all ages to have a will and an estate plan and provide information on the preparation of these to the members of the congregation; (b) stress the opportunities for Church members and constituents to make provisions for giving through United Methodist Churches, institutions, agencies, and causes by means of wills, annuities, trusts, life insurance, memorials, and various types of property; (2) arrange for the dissemination of information that will be helpful in preretirement planning, including such considerations as establishing a living will and a living trust; (3) recommend an educational design to stress the need for each person to designate someone to serve as a responsible advocate should independent decision-making ability be lost. Resources for these tasks may be secured from the General Board of Discipleship and other appropriate sources for program assistance and direction.
11. The work area chairperson of worship shall aid all within the congregation to understand the meaning, purpose, and practice of worship.
a) The chairperson shall cooperate with the pastor and other persons responsible for worship in planning for worship using such resources as The United Methodist Hymnal (1989), The United Methodist Book of Worship (1992), and other racially ethnic supplemental worship material with other resources including those provided by the General Board of Discipleship, Section on Worship. This cooperative planning, led by the pastor and done at least quarterly, shall outline all worship services, including the use of scripture, music, and special services.
b) The work area chairperson shall encourage and support the recognition and support of musicians in the local congregation, and discover and develop persons to serve as Church musicians. This responsibility may also include teaching persons of all ages our heritage of song and the use of music in worship.
c) Provided that a committee or work area on spiritual formation does not exist, the chairperson of worship shall promote and foster regular individual and family spiritual formation using the resources of the General Board of Discipleship, especially The Upper Room.
d) In addition, the chairperson should cooperate with the pastor to encourage the study of worship by individuals and groups; should cooperate with the pastor to plan for the ministry of lay persons as worship leaders; should cooperate with the pastor to care for furnishings, paraments, and sacramental elements for congregational worship; should cooperate with the pastor to enable the congregation to experience the worship style and contributions of various racial and ethnic groups; should cooperate with the pastor to recommend the placement and use of memorial gifts for worship; should cooperate with the pastor to encourage wider use and understanding of visual arts, dramatic arts, and architectural design as expressions of faith and means of proclamation of the gospel.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
1992 Book of Discipline: ¶ 262
1996 United Methodist General Conference