1414. Responsibilities--The National Division shall:
1. Develop, administer, and supervise the national mission strategy of The United Methodist Church within the objectives and responsibilities of the General Board of Global Ministries, providing overall coordination for programs within the United States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and U.S. Trust Territories.
2. Identify and analyze national mission concerns through research and planning.
3. Advocate justice and human dignity related to the mission concerns and objectives of the National Division and the board.
4. Assist congregations of all membership sizes, including those of small membership, circuits, cooperative parishes, transitional community parishes, Church-related institutional ministries, districts, annual conferences, and other units of the Church in planning and research processes, experimental and creative ministries, long-term financing and grants, architectural services, fund-raising efforts, and disaster response.
5. Enable, encourage, and support the missional out-reach of the Church in local communities through the development of new or existing ethnic and language ministries, congregations, community centers, health, education, and social welfare ministries in urban, suburban and rural settings--and programs for enlisting and training leadership committed to global consciousness and mission.
6. Develop strategies for Church and community development including grants, loans, and technical assistance that address particular needs of women, children, and older adults including self-determination efforts pertaining to social needs arising from concerns for ethnic and cultural pluralism, economic and sexual exploitation, and political/racial oppression.
7. Facilitate and coordinate the program relationships of other program agencies of The United Methodist Church with institutions related to the National Division, including community centers, residences, health-care agencies, child care agencies, schools, and other educational agencies.
8. Develop, administer, supervise, and evaluate programs involving national mission personnel including, but not limited to, Church and community workers colleague church missioners, community developers, deaconesses, home missionaries, short-term volunteers in mission in cooperation with the Mission Personnel Resources Department, other units of the General Board of Global Ministries and the annual conferences.
9. Provide counsel and assistance in the coordination of local and national mission strategy to institutions related to the National Division, including community centers, residences, health-care agencies, child-care agencies, schools, and other educational agencies.
10. Maintain the United Methodist Development Fund for the purpose of making first mortgage loans to United Methodist Churches, districts, city societies, district unions, or annual conference Church extension agencies for the purchase, construction, expansion, or major improvement of Churches, parsonages, or mission buildings. The United Methodist Development Fund shall operate under policies set by the National Division, and the National Division shall be responsible for the supervision and administration of the United Methodist Development Fund.
11. Maintain relationships and fulfill responsibilities with missions, missionary conferences, and provisional annual conferences in accordance with disciplinary provisions (659-664); establish missional structures that assist annual conferences, districts, and local Churches working together cooperatively and strategically; and work with special regional or national agencies or organizations, including the Appalachian Development Committee and the U.S./Mexico Border Bilateral Mission Advisory Committee, to further the national mission strategy of the Church.
12. Work cooperatively with agencies of the Church, other denominations, and both ecumenical and secular coalitions.
13. Work with the parish and community development committee or its equivalent in an annual conference by providing resources on the initiation and development of programs with agencies related to the National Division, Church and community ministry, congregational development, ministries in town and country and urban areas, small membership Churches, and other missionally oriented ministries.
14. Work with the General Board of Discipleship for the extension of the Church. To this end there shall be a Joint Committee on Congregational Development with equal representation of members from the National Division and the General Board of Discipleship, which shall meet at least annually to expedite cooperation between these two boards in the field of congregational development including new missional congregations and the renewal and revitalization of existing congregations.
15. Develop and recommend architectural standards for Church facilities, and cooperate with the General Board of Discipleship in matters of mutual concern including training ventures to interpret those recommended standards.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
1992 Book of Discipline: ¶ 1414
1996 United Methodist General Conference