2016 Wesleyan Discipline: Delegates to district conference: Function and general regulations

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(7) To be represented in the voting membership of its district conference, if not under discipline.

317. The General Conference shall organize the work at large into districts, which shall operate under its jurisdiction and promote the interests of the denomination, and whose voting membership shall include the following: All ordained ministers on the appointed, retired, reserve, and educational leave lists; licensed ministers elected to ordained minister’s status; all commissioned and licensed ministers serving as pastors of Wesleyan churches; all commissioned and licensed ministers serving as associate or assistant pastors of Wesleyan churches; members of the district board of administration who are not members by some other right; and lay delegates elected as provided in The Discipline. In addition the district conference shall include such nonvoting members as The Discipline shall provide. The principle of equal representation of the ministry and the laity in the district conference shall be maintained. 1086. Laity. The lay members of the district conference with voting rights are those elected as delegates by the churches or circuits of that district (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:315:7; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:317; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1100-1109) and the lay members of the district board of administration (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:317). The total number of lay members with voting rights shall be determined as set forth in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1100:1 while maintaining the principle of equal representation of the ministry and the laity. Each established church or circuit is entitled to a minimum of one lay delegate as its constitutional right (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:315:7; cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:503), and, according to its number of members, to additional lay delegates allotted by the district board of administration (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1100:1-5). A developing church which is judged to be qualified may be allotted one lay delegate (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:510:5; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1100:2; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1103).