2016 Wesleyan Discipline: 3075
From Wesleyan Discipline
3075. Rights of an Ordained Minister. An ordained minister who maintains spiritual life, moral character, and faithful ministry, and is neither under discipline nor expelled from the ministry shall have the right (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:313):
- (1) To preach the gospel and to administer baptism and the Lord’s Supper, to perform all parts of divine worship and to solemnize the rite of matrimony (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:313:1).
- (2) To be eligible for election to any office in the Church for which ordained ministers are eligible (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:313:2).
- (3) To contract the pastoral relationship with local Wesleyan churches subject to the other provisions of The Discipline (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:313:3).
- (4) To enjoy, if appointed as a pastor, the use for religious meetings of the church building or buildings of the pastoral charge to which assigned by the district conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:313:4); and to serve the assigned pastoral charge without interference by unauthorized activities of another minister of The Wesleyan Church (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:313:5; cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3114–3117).
- (5) To be a voting member of the district conference if under appointment, retired, on reserve, on educational leave or a member of the district board of administration (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:317; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1083:1; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1240:I:A-D) and a nonvoting member if without appointment or in the process of transfer (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1090:1–2); and to have these conference relations changed only after careful investigation by the district board of administration, and interview if possible (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1233:9c).
- (6) To transfer in the manner prescribed by The Discipline from one district to another, subject to the concurrence of the district superintendent over the district into which transfer is sought (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:313:6; cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3100:1).
- (7) To have recourse, even if under discipline, to a proper court of jurisdiction in any matters involving complaint against character or ministerial conduct and to appeal the decision of such court (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:313:7; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5200; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5206–5212).