2016 Charge Conference
Instructions for Presiding Elders
1. Our Fall 2016 Conferences will be called as Charge Conferences according to the Disciplinary description. The DSs designated Presiding Elders to preside at the annual Charge Conferences. The relevant Disciplinary directions are found in:
¶ 246.2. The membership of thecharge conference shall be all members of the church council or other appropriate body, together with retired ordained ministers and retired diaconal ministers who elect to hold their membership in saidcharge conference and any others as may be designated in the Discipline. If more than one church is on the pastoral charge, all members of each church council shall be members of thecharge conference.
…4. The district superintendent shall fix the time of meetings of thecharge conference. Thecharge conferenceshall determine the place of meeting.
…5. The district superintendent shall preside at the meetings of thecharge conferenceor may designate an elder to preside.
…6. The members present and voting at any duly announced meeting shall constitute a quorum.
…8. Notice of time and place of a regular or special session of thecharge conferenceshall be given at least ten days in advance by two or more of the following (except as local laws may otherwise provide): from the pulpit of the church, in its weekly bulletin, in a local church publication, or by mail.
…10. A jointcharge conferencefor two or more pastoral charges may be held at the same time and place, as the district superintendent may determine.
¶ 247. Powers and Duties—1. Thecharge conferenceshall be the connecting link between the local church and the general Church and shall have general oversight of the church council(s).
…3. The primary responsibilities of thecharge conferencein the annual meeting shall be to review and evaluate the total mission and ministry of the church (¶¶ 120-124), receive reports, and adopt objectives and goals recommended by the church council that are in keeping with the objectives of The United Methodist Church.
…4. Thecharge conferencerecording secretary shall keep an accurate record of the proceedings and shall be the custodian of all records and reports, and with the presiding officer, shall sign the minutes. A copy of the minutes shall be provided for the district superintendent, and a permanent copy shall be retained for church files. When there is only one local church on a charge, the secretary of the church council shall be the secretary of thecharge conference. When there is more than one church on a charge, one of the secretaries of the church councils shall be elected by thecharge conferenceto serve as its secretary.
Why are we holding charge conferences in this way?
Once again, we are focusing the charge conference as an annual administrative meeting of the local church in which the necessary reports are formally received…and then submitted to the district office. We want to separate the administrative reporting function in the local church from the important work of defining mission and vision for healthy, vital congregations. Mission and vision work will continue to be the focus of the DS, and will take place in a variety of other ways. This process also allows elders in the annual conference the opportunity to serve in a collegial manner with their peers in ministry.
2. Presiding Elders shall collect from the Host Pastor the following reports at the charge
conference, bold italic items require a vote of the charge conference: (All report forms are available on the annual conference website…. www.umoi.org under “resources,” then “local church forms.”) The Presiding Elder shall forward all reports received to the District Office immediately following the Charge Conference.
1. Retired clergy reports
2. Lay Servant reports and annual certification (not required in all districts; check with your district office)
3. Clergy compensation forms/Lay Assigned compensation forms
4. Trustees report (A copy of the insurance declarations page must be attached and shall include the policy number, agent information, coverage amounts and date policy expires.)
5. First and second year list of inactive members (vote required to remove names on 2nd year list)
6. Lay leadership (nominations) report
7. Local church leadership list (include contact information please)
8. Safe Sanctuaries policy/review form
9. Minutes of the charge conference, including attendance
These reports will be submitted to the Presiding Elder who will check them off the list after:
· making sure that they have been adequately completed,
· assuring they contain the required signatures,
· asking any necessary clarifying questions, and
· obtaining a vote on those where it is required.
3. The Presiding Elder will lead and facilitate the charge conference and receive the appropriate signed reports.
Why are some reports not included this year?
The Membership Report is due with the end of the year statistical reports. However, the charge conference will review the one year and two year lists of inactive members and take action if necessary. The Extension Ministry reports are due to the BOM Liaison and others annually and will not be collected at Charge Conference. Financial Reports are not required; however, it is important to keep the congregation and District Superintendent aware of the financial health of the church throughout the year.
4. Within 5 days following the Charge Conference, the Presiding Elder will send the following to the District Office:
1. All the required charge conference reports.
2. A copy of the master checklist.
3. The Presiding Elder Report form.
Charge Conference
Master Agenda 2016
(For use by Presiding Elder)
Please note that no other items shall be added to the agenda without the express written consent of the DS at least 10 days before the date of the Charge Conference. Every person in attendance will have a copy of the agenda and all the reports to be dealt with except for the minutes. At any time during the reporting, prayers may be offered appropriate to the matters before the Conference.
Host Pastor introduces the Presiding Elder and, and hands out Agenda (see page 5).
Presiding Elder introduces the purpose and function of the Charge Conference.
The Presiding Elder will assure that someone is preparing the minutes of the meeting. The name of that person will be written in the space provided on the checklist. (see page 6)
The UMC is a connectional church. From the time of Wesley, we have understood the church to be a mission to the world and local congregations as part of this worldwide parish as well as the local expression of the mission of the whole UMC – “Making Disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”
The Charge Conference is the regular meeting of connectional leadership with the leaders of the local congregation to see how the local congregation is doing in the stewardship of this mission. The meeting is an “open meeting” but only members of the charge conference are allowed to vote. (¶ 246.2)
Lay Servant Report Forms and annual certification
If there are certified lay servants in the congregation, their written reports will be before the body. Each one will be voted on individually for recertification by the lay servant’s charge. The appropriate signatures must be in place or obtained at the conference (except for the signature of the DS). Not all districts are requiring these this year; check with your district office.
Note: If there are any candidates for ministry who need to be voted on by the local church, this should take place at this Charge Conference meeting as well. Candidates for ministry need annual approval while they are in candidacy. This vote is taken by written ballot.
Action on Inactive Members
The Membership Report will be due with the End-of-the-Year Statistical Reports, however, this is the time to review your first year and second year lists of inactive members. You may vote on a motion to remove the inactive members listed for the second year.
Clergy Compensation Worksheet
The Chair of SPRC or his/her designated representative on the Church Council moves the adoption of The Clergy Compensation Report. (No second is required to a motion made as the required report of a committee of the Charge Conference.) Questions may be received. An affirmative vote must be received either as the report is submitted or amended by the Charge Conference. Please double check to assure the math is correct on compensation forms.
Lay Leadership (Nominations) Report
The Pastor (who is chair of the Nominating Committee) will move the adoption of the Nominating Committee Report. There may have been an earlier congregational meeting to elect the officers submitted in this report. If so, there shall be a vote on the report as a whole confirming that it accurately reports the action of the congregation in electing its leaders. If there has been no congregational election, there may or may not be openings for nomination from the Charge Conference members for open spots in the report. In this case the report must receive an affirmative vote as submitted or amended.
Other reports are submitted
Closing
2016 Charge Conference Agenda
Date: ______
1. Introductions (Host Pastor)
2. Opening Worship (Presiding Elder)
3. Purpose of the Gathering (Presiding Elder)
4. Receiving Annual Charge Conference reports - review and vote as appropriate (Presiding Elder)
5. Closing Prayer (Presiding Elder or lay person)
6. Adjourn
Remember the minutes, attendance and all reports need to be to the District Office within 5 days.
2016 Charge Conference Master Checklist
Church: ______
Presiding Elder: ______
Pastor in Charge: ______
Recording Secretary: ______
Meeting Date and Time: ______
_____ Lay Servant Reports and annual certification
_____ Clergy Compensation Forms/Lay Assigned Compensation Forms
_____ First and Second year list of inactive members Fi
_____ Lay Leadership (Nominations) Report
_____ Local church leadership list
_____ Retired Clergy Reports
_____ Trustees report
_____ Insurance Declarations Page
_____ Safe Sanctuaries policy/review
_____ Minutes of the conference (including attendance due in District Office within 5 days)
2016 PRESIDING ELDER REPORT
Send in to District Office within 5 days of conference
About how many people attended Charge Conference? ______
Is there an unresolved issue that requires action or follow up by the DS?
Did you hear anything that the DS should know about: issues, concerns, affirmations?
Presiding Elder Name: ______
Instructions to the Host Pastor for the 2016 Charge Conferences
It is very important that you make sure that all the necessary details are taken care of in advance, so that when the Presiding Elder comes to your church everything can be completed in a timely manner. Please plan to have the following in place:
1. Make sure that you and the Presiding Elder coordinate the date, time and location for your charge conference. Then let the District Office know the date you have chosen as soon as possible so we can get these dates on our master calendar. Either call or email the district office.
2. Communicate to the appropriate church leadership and others in your congregation who need to be present at least 10 days in advance, so that they are able to attend the meeting (¶246.4).
3. Have all the appropriate church reports completed and signed in advance and have enough copies available for those attending as well as a copy for the Presiding Elder. Please send original single-sided copies (no 2-sided copies) to the district office.
4. Please have a registration pad and a recording secretary ready to take minutes. This information will need to be sent to the District Office within five days of the Charge Conference. Also, please plan to introduce the Presiding Elder to those attending.
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