Admission and Continuance of Full Membership in the Annual Conference
422. Members in Full Connection--Members in full connection with an annual conference by virtue of their election and ordination are bound in special covenant with all the ordained ministers of the annual conference. In the keeping of this covenant they perform the ministerial duties and maintain the ministerial standards established by those in the covenant. They offer themselves without reserve to be appointed and to serve, after consultation, as the appointive authority may determine. They live with all other ordained ministers in mutual trust and concern and seek with them the sanctification of the fellowship. By entering into the covenant they accept and subject themselves to the process of clergy discipline, including serving on committees on investigation, trial courts, or appellate committees. Only those shall be elected to full membership who are of unquestionable moral character and genuine piety, sound in the fundamental doctrines of Christianity and faithful in the discharge of their duties.17 There shall be an annual meeting of this covenant body in executive session of clergy members in full connection with the annual conference at the site of the regular session of the annual conference to consider questions relating to matters of ordination, character, and conference relations (705.6, 733.2).18
A full member of an annual conference shall be eligible for ordination as elder by a bishop and such other elders as the ordaining bishop may determine.
17See Judicial Council Decisions 406, 534, 552, 555.
18See Judicial Council Decisions 42, 406, 534, 555.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
1992 Book of Discipline: ¶ 422
1996 United Methodist General Conference