2016 Wesleyan Discipline: 1003–1034

B. Developing District

1003. Purpose. New work, or other work which does not meet the requirements for a provisional district (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1025), shall be provided for by establishing a developing district.

1006. Authorization. The establishment of a developing district may be authorized by the General Conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1590:11), upon recommendation of the General Board, or, in the interim of General Conference sessions, by the General Board. The authorizing act shall define the boundaries and assign an official name to the developing district. Any proposed boundaries that will alter the bounds of an established district in the interim of General Conference sessions must have the approval of such a district and shall be effected as required in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1060-1065 (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1655:34).

1009. Jurisdiction. A developing district shall be under the jurisdiction of the Church Multiplication and Discipleship Division and shall be organized and administered by the Executive Director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship in accord with The Discipline, the Policy of the General Board for the Church Multiplication and Discipleship Division, and other directives from the General Board or its Executive Board (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1655:27). The Executive Director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship shall be responsible for developing the work as rapidly as possible, in harmony with the missionary objectives of The Wesleyan Church (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:2306), to the status of a provisional district (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1025).

1012. Organization. The superintendent, other officers, and assigned workers shall be appointed by and the granting of ordination and commissioning and issuing of licenses shall be approved by the General Superintendent, for which recommendations shall be submitted by the Executive Director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship.

1015. General Conference Representation. The developing district shall be represented in the General Conference by the Executive Director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship, and by the superintendent of the developing district as a nonvoting member (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1503:2).

C. Provisional District

1. Authorization

1020. Authorization. A provisional district is created by the General Conference, upon recommendation of the General Board (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1590:11), or, in the interim of General Conference sessions, by the General Board. The authorizing act shall define the boundaries of the provisional district and assign to it an official name. Any proposed boundaries that will alter the existing bounds of an established district in the interim of General Conference sessions must have the approval of such district and shall be effected as required in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1060–1065 (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1655:34).

1025. Requirements. The minimum requirements for a provisional district are:

(1) A minimum of five churches and 200 members.

(2) A sufficient number of ordained ministers for a district board of administration (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1203).

(3) The holding of all property in trust for The Wesleyan Church as required in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4610, or steps taken to accomplish the same (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4590-4630; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4650-4780; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4800-4820).

(4) A recommendation by the Executive Director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship for recognition as a provisional district.

2. Organization and Government

1028. Jurisdiction. A provisional district shall be under the jurisdiction of the Executive Director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship, who shall supervise the district in accord with The Discipline, the Policy of the General Board for the Church Multiplication and Discipleship Division, and any other directives of the General Board or its Executive Board (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1655:27; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1785:2). The Executive Director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship shall be responsible for the developing of a provisional district to meet the requirements of an established district as soon as possible (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1036; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4105).

1030. Organization. A provisional district shall be organized in the same manner as an established district as set forth in The Discipline, insofar as possible, but with the following restrictions on its duties and powers:

(1) District Superintendent. The district superintendent of a provisional district shall be elected by the district conference (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1180:31; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1303). The General Superintendent may, however, present one or more nominations, from which the district conference shall elect the district superintendent (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1935:31). The provisional district superintendent shall confer with the Executive Director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship concerning the important plans of the district, including the location of property, the erection of buildings, and financial matters (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1030:3). No property within a provisional district may be received, transferred, bought or sold without the written permission of the Executive Director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship.

(2) District Officers, Boards and Committees. A provisional district shall first be concerned with the election of its district officials (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1255) and district board of administration (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1203). Other district departmental officers, boards, and committees shall be established as qualified personnel are available. It shall be the goal of the officials of a provisional district, in cooperation with the Executive Director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1028), to meet the requirements for a complete district organization as soon as possible (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1038).

(3) Amenability. The minutes of the provisional district conference and its district board of administration shall be reviewed by the Executive Director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship.

3. General Conference Representation

1032. The district superintendent and a lay delegate, elected by ballot and by majority vote, shall be the representatives of a provisional district to the General Conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1503:1a; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1506).

4. Reclassification

1034. Whenever a provisional district falls below the minimum requirements in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1025, it may be reclassified as a developing district by the General Conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1590:11), or, in the interim of its sessions, by the General Board (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1655:25), upon recommendation of the General Superintendent.