1432. Responsibilities--The responsibilities of the World Division, in order to fulfill its purpose, shall be:
1. To develop and administer the missional relationships of The United Methodist Church with central conferences, autonomous Methodist and United Churches, and ecumenical bodies in nations other than the United States.
2. To formulate the objectives and strategies for the world mission of The United Methodist Church, within the context of the cultural and historical understandings out of which relationships have developed with the Christian communities in nations other than the United States.
3. To foster the interaction of churches and ecumenical groups in nations other than the United States with the Church and society in the United States with the purpose of mutuality in the definition and implementation of Christian mission and of international concerns.
4. To administer programs of support for churches and ecumenical bodies in nations other than the United States through the provision of financial resources and the training and support of persons in mission, including missionaries assigned by the division and national persons in service in their own or in other countries.
5. To facilitate the receiving and assignment of missionaries from nations other than the United States, in cooperation with the National Division, the Mission Personnel Resources Department, with other boards and agencies, and with annual conferences.
a) Ordained clergy from Methodist or United Churches in nations other than the United States serving within the boundaries of an Annual Conference as missionaries certified by the General Board of Global Ministries may be affiliate members of the annual conference. They may serve local Churches, conference or district positions, under the supervision of the bishop. They may also serve in ecumenical, institutional, or United Methodist general agency ministries.
b) Missionaries from Churches in nations other than the United States with affiliate relationship to the annual conference shall have come in response to the initiative of the agency calling them, under a letter of agreement in which the specific task, the length of term of service, and the responsibilities of each party have been defined to the satisfaction of the affiliated member, the sending Church, the receiving body, and the General Board of Global Ministries.
c) Missionaries from Churches in nations other than the United States as affiliated members are responsible to the bishop and to the conference board of global ministries in the conference where they are serving. They shall submit annually to the bishop, the district superintendent, the conference board of global ministries, and the charge conference of the local Church to which they are related a written report outlining the progress in the work to which they have been assigned. They shall also send copies of this report to the bishop or chief appointive officer of the conference or governing Church body from which they have come.
d) They shall be governed by the privileges and limitations of affiliate members as defined in 443.4.
6. To provide services and information which facilitate the advocacy of public policies which support justice according to the Social Principles of The United Methodist Church and are relevant to the mission concerns and objectives of the World Division and of the General Board of Global Ministries.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
1992 Book of Discipline: ¶ 1432
1996 United Methodist General Conference