752. Each district of an annual conference may organize a district Council on Ministries.
1. Purpose--The purpose of the district council on ministries shall be to assist local Churches to minister more effectively; to serve as a channel of communication between the local Churches, the annual conference council on ministries, and the general agencies of the Church; to initiate programs for the district; and to help the annual conference council on ministries in the performance of its functions.
2. Membership--Each annual conference may determine the membership and the method of election of its district councils on ministries. The membership structure need not be identical in each district. It may include the following: district coordinators of age-level and family ministries; the district director/president of United Methodist Men; representatives of town and country ministry and urban ministry, except in those districts where one of these population categories is not present; representatives of program agencies (i.e., district directors of evangelism, education, religion and race, status and role of women, district missionary secretaries, district directors for church and society, work area chairpersons on stewardship) and representatives of clusters of local Churches. It is recommended that a member of the annual conference council on ministries staff be included as a resource person in each district council on ministries. Membership shall be chosen, insofar as possible, to include one-third clergy, one-third laywomen, and one-third laymen (with special attention to the inclusion of clergywomen, youth, young adults, older adults, persons with handicapping conditions, and racial and ethnic persons) in keeping with policies for general Church agencies. The annual conference may ask the district conferences (749) to elect the membership of the district council on ministries.
3. Officers--The officers of the district council on ministries shall be the chairperson, who shall be elected from the membership of the council, and such other officers as the annual conference or the district deems necessary. The district superintendent shall have executive oversight responsibility for the work of the district council on ministries.
4. Responsibilities--The responsibilities of the district council on ministries may be determined by the annual conference or the district council on ministries. The following functions may be incorporated into its work:
a) To study the needs of the local Churches in the district and help them establish and provide more effective ministry in and through the Churches.
b) To keep local Churches informed on the work of the whole Church and challenge each church to full participation.
c) To encourage local Churches to engage in creative, innovative approaches to ministry.
d) To serve as a two-way channel of communication between the local Churches and the annual conference and to assist local Churches in communication with each other.
e) To study the needs of the district and establish priorities for district action.
f) To study the needs of the district and establish priorities and guidelines for the development of cooperative ministries in town and country and urban situations.
g) To develop experimental types of ministry within the district and especially in urban districts to facilitate structures as provided in 731.5f, g; 1414.5.
h) To provide leadership training events for local Church leaders.
i) To relate the annual conference council on ministries and its staff to local Church needs.
j) To make program and other recommendations to the annual conference council on ministries.
k) To assist in the implementation of the program of the annual conference.
l) To cooperate in ecumenical programs and events on the district level.
m) To plan and conduct inspirational events.
n) To elect the lay representative(s) from the district to membership on the annual conference council on ministries when requested by the annual conference council on ministries.
o) The district superintendent, after consultation with the chairperson of the conference board of global ministries and the conference secretary of global ministries, may appoint a district secretary of global ministries who shall serve on the district council on ministries and chair the district committee of global ministries, where these exist, in cases where the annual conference has not directed otherwise.
p) To help congregations attain a higher level of financial giving through The United Methodist Church.
q) To help local Churches discover the resources they have for a viable ministry and to find ways to employ these resources in fulfilling our ministry in the local and worldwide community.
The district councils on ministries in an annual conference shall cooperate with the annual conference council on ministries so that a harmonious and holistic approach to the total ministry of the conference may be achieved. In order to coordinate the calendar and program plans of each district with the annual conference, the annual conference council on ministries may require the district councils to submit their program plans for approval.
The district council on ministries may appoint a district Coordinator of Communications to work in cooperation with the district and conference councils on ministries and with the conference committee on communication, if organized. The district council on ministries may create a district committee on communication to assist the council in carrying out district communication functions.
5. Finances--Each annual conference shall determine the method by which its district councils on ministries shall be financed. It is recommended that an amount for the general operating expense of the district councils on ministries be included in the annual conference budget. As a general rule, major program expenditures for any district should be made through the budget of the annual conference council on ministries or the appropriate annual conference program board.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
1992 Book of Discipline: ¶ 752
1996 United Methodist General Conference