1996 Book of Discipline: Paragraph 254| General Conference 2000

THE CHURCH COUNCIL

¶ 254. 1. The church council shall provide for the planning and implementing of a program of nurture, outreach, witness, and resources in the local church and for the administration of its organizational and temporal life. The church council shall be amenable to and function as the executive agency of the charge conference (¶ 249). Its membership shall include the chairperson of the church council; the pastor(s); the lay leader; the lay member(s) of the annual conference; the chairperson of the committee on finance; the chairperson (or representative, if the chairperson is from another church on a multichurch charge) of the committee on pastor-parish relations; the chairperson of the board of trustees; representatives of the nurturing, outreach, and witness ministries of the church; and such other persons as the charge conference may determine. The employed professional staff who are members of the church council shall not vote on matters pertaining to their employee relationship.

2. a) The nurturing ministries of the church shall give attention to the educational, worship, and stewardship components of ministry.

b) The outreach ministries of the church shall give attention to local and larger community ministries of compassion and advocacy, church and societal issues, global ministries concerns, health and welfare ministries, Christian unity and interreligious concerns, religion and race, and status and role of women.

c) The witness ministries of the church shall give attention to evangelistic outreach to persons, membership care, spiritual formation, communications, lay speaking ministries, and witnessing through the sharing of personal and congregational stories of Christian experience, faith, and service.

3. Meetings--a) The council shall meet at least quarterly. Special meetings may be called by the chairperson or pastor.

b) In order that the council may give adequate consideration to the missional purpose of the local church, it is recommended that the first agenda item at each of its meetings shall be related to its ministries of nurture, outreach, and witness. The administrative and supportive responsibilities of the church will then be given attention. It is also recommended that the council use a consensus/discernment decision-making style.

c) The council shall annually plan for the congregation's future mission and ministry.

4. If a church chooses to have a church council, it shall provide for the planning and implementing of the mission and ministry of the local church and for the administration and organization of its temporal life. It shall initiate planning, establish objectives, adopt goals, authorize action, determine policy, receive reports, evaluate the church's ministries, and review the mission and ministry of the church.

a) The church council shall be amenable to and function as the administrative agency of the charge conference.

b) The church council shall:

(1) review the membership of the local church;

(2) fill vacancies occurring among the lay officers of the church;

(3) establish the budget on recommendation of the committee on finance and ensure adequate provision for the financial needs of the church;

(4) recommend to the charge conference the salary and other remuneration of the pastor(s) and staff persons after receiving recommendations from the committee on pastor-parish relations.

c) Membership--The charge conference will determine the size of the church council. The membership of the council may consist of as few as eight persons or as large as the charge conference deems appropriate. The council shall include persons who represent the program ministries of the church as outlined in ¶ 245. The membership shall include but not be limited to the following:

(1) the chairperson of the church council;

(2) the lay leader;

(3) the chairperson of the pastor-parish relations committee;

(4) the chairperson of the committee on finance;

(5) the chairperson of the board of trustees;

(6) the church treasurer;

(7) a lay member to annual conference;

(8) the pastor(s).

d) Quorum--The members present and voting at any duly announced meeting shall constitute a quorum.



	1996 Discipline ¶ 254
	`THE CHURCH COUNCIL` ¶ 254. 1. The church council shall provide for the planning and implementing of a program of nurture, outreach, witness, and resources in the local church and for the administration of its organizational and temporal life. The church council shall be amenable to and function as the executive agency of the charge conference (¶ 249). Its membership shall include the chairperson of the church council; the pastor(s); the lay leader; the lay member(s) of the annual conference; the chairperson of the committee on finance; the chairperson (or representative, if the chairperson is from another church on a multichurch charge) of the committee on pastor-parish relations; the chairperson of the board of trustees; representatives of the nurturing, outreach, and witness ministries of the church; and such other persons as the charge conference may determine. The employed professional staff who are members of the church council shall not vote on matters pertaining to their employee relationship. `2. a) The nurturing ministries of the church shall give attention to the educational, worship, and stewardship components of ministry.` `b) The outreach ministries of the church shall give attention to local and larger community ministries of compassion and advocacy, church and societal issues, global ministries concerns, health and welfare ministries, Christian unity and interreligious concerns, religion and race, and status and role of women.` `c) The witness ministries of the church shall give attention to evangelistic outreach to persons, membership care, spiritual formation, communications, lay speaking ministries, and witnessing through the sharing of personal and congregational stories of Christian experience, faith, and service.` `3. Meetings--a) The council shall meet at least quarterly. Special meetings may be called by the chairperson or pastor.` `b) In order that the council may give adequate consideration to the missional purpose of the local church, it is recommended that the first agenda item at each of its meetings shall be related to its ministries of nurture, outreach, and witness. The administrative and supportive responsibilities of the church will then be given attention. It is also recommended that the council use a consensus/discernment decision-making style.` `c) The council shall annually plan for the congregation's future mission and ministry.` `4. If a church chooses to have a church council, it shall provide for the planning and implementing of the mission and ministry of the local church and for the administration and organization of its temporal life. It shall initiate planning, establish objectives, adopt goals, authorize action, determine policy, receive reports, evaluate the church's ministries, and review the mission and ministry of the church.` `a) The church council shall be amenable to and function as the administrative agency of the charge conference.` `b) The church council shall:` `(1) review the membership of the local church;` `(2) fill vacancies occurring among the lay officers of the church;` `(3) establish the budget on recommendation of the committee on finance and ensure adequate provision for the financial needs of the church;` `(4) recommend to the charge conference the salary and other remuneration of the pastor(s) and staff persons after receiving recommendations from the committee on pastor-parish relations.` `c) Membership--The charge conference will determine the size of the church council. The membership of the council may consist of as few as eight persons or as large as the charge conference deems appropriate. The council shall include persons who represent the program ministries of the church as outlined in ¶ 245. The membership shall include but not be limited to the following:` `(1) the chairperson of the church council;` `(2) the lay leader;` `(3) the chairperson of the pastor-parish relations committee;` `(4) the chairperson of the committee on finance;` `(5) the chairperson of the board of trustees;` `(6) the church treasurer;` `(7) a lay member to annual conference;` `(8) the pastor(s).` `d) Quorum--The members present and voting at any duly announced meeting shall constitute a quorum.`
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1996 Discipline ¶ 254