1. Each Annual Conference at the first session following General Conference
shall elect for a term of four years provide for the
fulfillment of the purposes, duties and responsibilities assigned to the
a Board of Diaconal Ministry, by ¶¶734.3-6,
and elsewhere, consisting of not fewer than nine persons.
by structuring itself as it deems appropriate. The Annual Conference shall
determine the membership of the structure to which the duties and purposes are
assigned, except that Iit is recommended that the
board structure consist of
include one-
third
clergy, two-
thirds
and lay members, and at least one-
half
of the lay members shall some of whom should be in diaconal
ministry careers, preferably diaconal ministers. It is recommended that
the board membership include women and ethnic persons. (See
¶¶303-317.) The structure may be assigned other duties
and responsibilities, and may have membership in common with other structures.
As used in this ¶734 and its various subparagraphs, and elsewhere in the
Discipline in appropriate context, references to "the Board of Diaconal
Ministry" or to "the board" shall be construed and interpreted to refer to the
structure provided pursuant to this paragraph, whatever named or titled.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
Petition Text: 20469-MN-734.1-D
1996 United Methodist General Conference