1. a) (1) Supervision.--In the course...mediator or mediation team.
(2) In all grievances against clergypersons regarding sexual misconduct (including but not limited to adultery and child molestation) or physical violence by a clergyperson, the supervisory response shall be directed toward justice and the best interests and protection of the local church and its members. The supervisory response to any such grievance shall include full disclosure to, and consultation with, the Committee on Pastor-Parish Relations and a charge conference (as set forth in subsection (3) below).
(3) Upon receipt of a grievance submitted by an individual who claims therein to have been offended by the sexual or violent conduct of a clergyperson, the Committee on Pastor-Parish Relations and district superintendent receiving such grievance shall call a charge conference of the clergyperson's parish, under the provisions of ¶ 247. At the charge conference, the district superintendent shall make to the conferees a simple but complete statement of the grievance(s) made against the clergyperson. The superintendent shall call for nominations from the floor and an immediate vote to elect by a simple majority one lay representative church member who shall not be a present or succeeding member of the Committee on Pastor-Parish Relations of that charge. The elected lay representative shall be given access to any and all information and documents, including written and electronic memoranda and records, regarding the current charges made against the clergyperson, including all information and documents that are or have been produced, received, or sent by any agency, board, member, staff, pastor, or the presiding bishop of the annual conference of that charge and/or clergyperson.
(4) The lay representative shall make a written and oral report of his or her evidentiary findings to a second charge conference, called under the provisions of ¶ 247, within 30 days of the charge conference at which he or she was elected as representative. The conferees may then respond to the report in one or more of the following ways:
1. Recommend that the Committee on Pastor-Parish Relations continue the present relationship with the pastor and work toward healing and reconciliation;
2. Recommend to the Committee on Pastor-Parish Relations that the pastor be temporarily or permanently suspended or removed from that pastoral charge;
3. Recommend to the district superintendent that he or she seek remedial action through the existing complaint procedures of ¶ 454.1b below;
4. Respond as deemed appropriate by a majority vote of the conferees.
Subsections (3) and (4) apply only to grievances and should not be construed as replacing, deterring, or prohibiting the procedures of ¶ 454.1b regarding complaints made by the district superintendent or bishop under the authority of the Discipline, the conference, and its committees.
(5) The district superintendent receiving any clergyperson against whom a grievance has been filed under subsections (2) through (4) above shall provide all members of the Committee on Pastor-Parish Relations of the receiving parish: (a) a complete, written statement of the grievance(s) and any resulting complaint(s) against the clergyperson; (b) complete information regarding the existence and availability of the lay representative's report to the clergyperson's former charge conference; and (c) complete information regarding the status of the grievance(s) (and complaint) within the grievance and complaint process and the resolution of such grievance (and complaint), including any remedial action taken against the clergyperson.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
Petition Text: 22844-MN-454-D
1996 United Methodist General Conference