Office of Deaconess
1418. Office of Deaconess--1. There shall be in The United Methodist Church the Office of Deaconess. The purpose of the office of deaconess shall be to express representatively the love and concern of the believing community for the needs in the world, and enable, through education and involvement, the full ministry and mission of the people of God. Deaconesses function through diverse forms of service directed toward the world to make Jesus Christ known in the fullness of his ministry and mission which mandate that his followers:
a) Alleviate suffering.
b) Eradicate causes of injustice and all that robs life of dignity and worth.
c) Facilitate the development of full human potential.
d) Share in building global community through the church universal.
2. Deaconesses are persons who have been led by the Holy Spirit to devote their lives to Christlike service under the authority of the Church. They are approved by the General Board of Global Ministries upon recommendation of the Mission Personnel Resources Department and the National Division. They are commissioned by a bishop at a session of the General Board of Global Ministries. They shall have a continuing relationship to The United Methodist Church through the General Board of Global Ministries.
Deaconesses are available for service with any agency or program of The United Methodist Church. Deaconesses may also serve in other than United Methodist Church agencies or programs provided that approval be given by the National Division in consultation with the bishop of the receiving area.
3. Full-time service is the norm for the ministry of a deaconess, meaning that the person's entire vocational time is devoted to work of ministry in the field of labor to which one is appointed by the bishop.
a) The program office shall process appointments for deaconesses in consultation with the bishop of the area, in accordance with the policies and procedures of the National Division.
b) The appointment shall be fixed by the bishop (515.5) at the session of annual conference and printed in the list of appointments in the annual conference journal.
c) The annual conference secretary shall:
(1) Keep a record of all persons in the annual conference who have been commissioned to the office of deaconess.
(2) Publish annually in the annual conference journal the list of appointments of deaconesses.
4. A deaconess shall hold church membership in a local Church within the conference where her appointment is located and shall be a voting member of the charge conference of that Church. Those holding staff positions with a general board or connectional agency of The United Methodist Church may hold Church membership in an annual conference within reasonable distance of the headquarters of the board or agency served.
5. Deaconesses shall be seated at the sessions of the annual conference with voice and vote.
6. A deaconess may become a member of the annual conference when elected in accordance with 35 and 252.2.
7. Deaconesses shall be subject to the administrative authority of the program or agency to which they are appointed. In matters of their assignment they are subject to the authority of the General Board of Global Ministries through the National Division and may not contract for service which would nullify this authority.
8. Each deaconess shall enroll in a pension plan. The rights of any deaconess in any prior or existing agreement or pension plan shall be fully protected.
9. A deaconess may request an honorable location when:
a) no longer available for appointment as a deaconess of The United Methodist Church, or
b) not eligible for appointment as determined by the National Division, or
c) for any reason the person decides to suspend the commissioned relationship.
10. Involuntary termination for a deaconess shall follow the procedural guidelines as set forth in 2623.
11. Persons on honorable location may be reactivated on the joint recommendation of the National Division and the Mission Personnel Resources Department with approval of the General Board of Global Ministries.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
1992 Book of Discipline: ¶ 1418
1996 United Methodist General Conference