264. Program Agencies--The ministries of the local Church are implemented through the encounter of persons with God's redeeming love for the world and with his action in the world. To achieve this ministry persons are involved in age-level or family groupings. Usually a variety of settings is essential. Some will be formed by the administrative council or the council on ministries. Others will emerge with the approval of these bodies. Another type is historical, expressing itself in organizational structures that are related to counterparts in annual conferences and the general Church. These are referred to as program agencies and are related to the administrative council or the council on ministries through age-level and family coordinators, work area chairpersons, and councils or commissions.
1. The Church School--In each local church there shall be a Church school for the purpose of accomplishing the Church's educational ministry in accordance with 1208.
a) The Church school provides a variety of settings and resources for all persons--children, youth, and adults--to explore the meanings of the Christian faith in all its dimensions, to discover and appropriate to themselves those meanings which are relevant for their lives and for society, and to assume personal responsibility for expressing those meanings in all their relationships. Through such experiences persons will be encouraged to commit themselves to Christ and to unite with the Christian community through membership in a local Church. The General Board of Discipleship sets standards and provides guidance resources and plans for the organization, administration, grouping, and leadership of the Church school (1209.2).
b) All the concerns of the Church will be present in the Church school's educational ministry: Christian unity and interreligious concerns, church and society, evangelism, higher education and campus ministry, missions, religion and race, the status and role of women, stewardship, and worship. The curriculum of the Church school will include the meanings and experiences of the Christian faith as found in the Bible, in history, and in human encounter with the natural world and contemporary society, not neglecting the dynamic impact of science and technology and their positive applications to human welfare, opening new understandings of God's purpose in the universe and contributing to our growth in participatory grace. The resources shall be based on curriculum plans approved by the General Board of Discipleship (1224).
c) The Church school shall be administratively related to the commission on education, if organized, or the unit responsible for Christian education. The superintendent of the Church school, who is the administrator of the Church school, shall be responsible for relating the Church school to the total ministry of the Church through the commission on education, if organized, and the administrative Council or council on ministries.
d) To further the Church's educational and nurturing ministry, a church library should be established wherever possible.
e) Church school settings include the Sunday church school and all other ongoing and short-term classes and learning groups for persons of all ages. The Church school may be organized with three divisions if desired: children's division for persons from birth through the sixth grade; youth division for persons from the seventh grade through the twelfth grade; and adult division for persons beyond the twelfth grade. Division superintendents, teachers, counselors, Church school secretary, curriculum resources secretary, librarian, and such other officers as needed to administer and operate the Church school shall be nominated by the work area chairperson on education upon the recommendation of the superintendent of the Church school in consultation with the pastor or representative of the employed staff and elected by the council on ministries or administrative council.
f) The chairperson of the work area on education may suggest to the administrative council or to the council on ministries of the local Church to recommend to the administrative board or administrative council that the fourth Sundays' Church school offerings be set aside for World Service.
g) Mission education shall be a part of the Church school education for children. The chairperson of the work area on education and the children's division superintendent (if elected) or the coordinator of children's ministries shall interpret the Children's Fund for Christian Mission (to be referred to as the United Methodist Children's Fund for Christian Mission) as a means of mission education for children. This fund is established in accordance with 1206.5, 1210.3e.
2. Youth Ministry--The term "youth ministry" is an inclusive title, encompassing all the concerns of the Church and all activities by, with, and for youth. The youth ministry of The United Methodist Church shall include all persons from approximately twelve through eighteen years of age (generally persons in the seventh grade through the twelfth grade, taking into account the grouping of youth in the public schools), who are currently or potentially associated with the church or any of its activities. Youth who are full members of the church have all rights and responsibilities of church membership except voting on matters prohibited by state law. (See 226.)
a) The coordinator of youth ministries and the youth council, when organized, shall be responsible for recommending to the administrative council or council on ministries activities, program emphases, and settings for youth. The coordinator and council shall use available resources and means to inform youth concerning the Youth Service Fund and shall cultivate its support; provided that prior to this cultivation or as a part of it, the youth shall have been challenged to assume their financial responsibilities in connection with the total program and budget of the local Church.
b) The local Church may designate one of its settings as the United Methodist Youth Fellowship.
c) The local church may designate the scouting ministry as one of its settings and elect a coordinator of scouting ministry who would be responsible for upholding the quality of these programs.
3. Young Adult Ministry--The ministry of the local church shall include and be extended to persons out of high school (approximately nineteen through thirty years of age). Such ministry shall seek to meet the needs of young adults and bring them to a knowledge of Jesus Christ. Such ministry shall be the responsibility of the administrative council or council on ministries, working through its adult coordinator or young adult coordinator, if elected, or the adult/young adult council, if organized. A cooperative approach to young adult ministries with other churches, denominations, community organizations and groups shall be encouraged as a valid outreach ministry of the local United Methodist Church.
4. Single Adult Ministry--The ministry of the local church shall include and be extended to persons of all ages who are single, widowed, divorced, never married, or married and spouse-absent. These persons share unique needs and life situations toward which the Church can direct its support, love, and Christian responsibility. Such a ministry shall be the responsibility of the administrative council or council on ministries, working through its adult coordinator or single adult coordinator. If elected, its coordinator of age-level and family ministries, or the adult/single adult/older adult council if organized. A cooperative approach to single adult ministries with other churches, denominations, community organizations, and groups shall be encouraged as valid outreach ministry of the local United Methodist Church.
5. Older Adult Ministry--A ministry by, with, and for older adults shall serve the twofold purpose of meeting the needs of such persons in the Church and community and recognizing the valuable contribution they can make to the ministry and mission of the church in the community and world. Older adults in the Church shall be recognized as full participants in the fellowship, ministry, and service of the congregation.
6. United Methodist Women--In every local church there shall be an organized unit of United Methodist Women. The following is the authorized constitution:
Article 1. Name--The name of this organization shall be United Methodist Women.
Article 2. Relationships--The unit of United Methodist Women in the local church is directly related to the district and conference organizations of United Methodist Women and to the Women's Division of the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church.
Article 3. Purpose--The organized unit of United Methodist Women shall be a community of women whose purpose is to know God and to experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ; to develop a creative, supportive fellowship; and to expand concepts of mission through participation in the global ministries of the Church.
Article 4. Membership--Membership shall be open to any woman who indicates her desire to belong and to participate in the global mission of the Church through United Methodist Women. The pastor(s) shall be an ex-officio member of the local unit and of its executive committee.
Article 5. Officers and Committees--The local unit shall elect a president, a vice-president, a secretary, a treasurer, and a committee on nominations. Additional officers and committees shall be elected or appointed as needed, in accordance with the plans of the Women's Division as set forth in the bylaws for the local unit of United Methodist Women.
Article 6. Funds--a) The organized unit of United Methodist Women shall secure funds for the fulfillment of its purpose.
b) All funds, from whatever source secured by the unit of United Methodist Women, belong to the organization and shall be disbursed only in accordance with its constitution and by its order.
c) The total budget secured and administered by the organized unit in the local church shall include (1) pledges and other money for the programs and responsibilities of the Women's Division to be directed through regular channels of finance of United Methodist Women; and (2) funds to be used in mission locally, which shall include amounts for administration and membership development.
d) The organized unit in the local Church shall make an annual pledge to the total budget of the district or conference organization of United Methodist Women.
e) All undesignated funds channeled to the Women's Division shall be appropriated by the division.
Article 7. Meetings--The organized unit in the local Church shall hold such meetings for implementing the purpose and transacting its business as the unit itself shall decide.
Article 8. Relationship in the Local Church--The organized unit of United Methodist Women shall encourage all women to participate in the total life and work of the Church and shall support them in assuming positions of responsibility and leadership.
Article 9. Amendments--Proposed amendments to this constitution may be sent to the recording secretary of the Women's Division of the General Board of Global Ministries before the last annual meeting of the division in the quadrennium.
Note: For a description of the Women's Division of the General Board of Global Ministries and its subsidiary organizations, see 1422-30.
7. Prison Ministry--The ministry of the local Church should be extended to persons of all ages who are in prison. These persons share unique needs which the church can meet by offering worship opportunities through Word and Table, through Bible studies, and through prayer. Support of families of prisoners should also be a part of this ministry. Such a ministry shall be the responsibility of the administrative council or council on ministries, working through its adult coordinator or through a prison ministry council if elected.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
1992 Book of Discipline: ¶ 264
1996 United Methodist General Conference