2016 Wesleyan Discipline: General Superintendent: Duties and powers

1935. The General Superintendent shall devote full time to supervising, coordinating and promoting the various branches of The Wesleyan Church. The General Superintendent shall be responsible:

Spiritual Responsibilities

(1) To be a steward leader of this Church and its vision.

(2) To maintain personal integrity by establishing a spiritual accountability partner, spending daily time in God’s Word and prayer, and living a balanced and pure life.

(3) To possess compassion for the lost, the poor, and the disenfranchised.

(4) To ensure the implementation of the vision of the Church in collaboration with the Executive Cabinet.

(5) To travel throughout the Church, giving such spiritual leadership and inspirational ministry as the need demands and the opportunity affords. All travel and speaking engagements are coordinated through the office of the General Superintendent.

Executive Responsibilities

(6) To preside as chair over the General Conference, General Board, and Executive Board and to call for a special session of the Executive Board (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1760; cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5279; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5365).

(7) To supervise the General Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer as a direct report.

(8) To act as the President of the Corporation and fulfill the duties thereof.

(9) To network strategically with other denominations, fellowships, and organizations, or appoint representatives to do so.

(10) To mentor/coach and participate in established national/regional conferences (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:2615).

(11) To recommend nominations for Executive Directors of Divisions to the General Board for election by the General Conference.

(12) To recommend nominations for the General Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer to the Committee on Nominations for election by the General Board.

(13) To report to each session of the General Conference concerning official duties (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1590:7); and to report annually to the General Board concerning official duties, personal ministry and the goals, objectives, and plans for The Wesleyan Church (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1655:22, 25).

(14) To work in collaboration with the Executive Cabinet and the General Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer to prepare the annual budget.

Administrative Responsibilities

(15) To maintain professional integrity by attending educational workshops, reviewing publications, and establishing professional networks.

(16) To counsel with the general officials and the executive officers under direct supervision, and to assure general officials administer their work in harmony with The Discipline, the respective Policy of the General Board, and any other directives from the General Conference, the General Board or its Executive Board.

(17) To hold the executive director of each division accountable for goals set in collaboration with the General Superintendent and the Executive Cabinet, and to submit annually to the Executive Board the evaluations of the officers of the Executive Cabinet.

(18) To serve as or to appoint the chair of the General Conference Planning Committee which is comprised of the Executive Cabinet and any others appointed by them (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1570, 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1576).

(19) To work in collaboration with the Executive Director of Global Partners to strategically determine the best use of the General Superintendent’s presence in overseas gatherings.

(20) To supervise subsidiary corporations as specified in The Discipline 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4300-4310.

(21) To recommend to the General Board any modifications to The Discipline made necessary when conflict over church administration arises at the local, district, or General Church level (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1797).

(22) To serve as an ex officio member of the International Conference and International Board of General Superintendents.

(23) To designate the Chief of Staff as the emergency contact person in the absence of the General Superintendent.

(24) To appoint fraternal delegates and representatives for The Wesleyan Church to other denominations or religious organizations unless otherwise provided for by the General Conference or the General Board.

(25) To visit annually and conduct an administrative survey of each educational and benevolent institution; to approve the bylaws (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4350:2); to review, as needed, the records and minutes of affiliate corporations (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4350:7, 9); and to exercise care lest any adjunct entity create the impression of being a part of any entity of The Wesleyan Church (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4370:5).

(26) To meet with any governing board, district board of administration, committee or other official body, at the discretion of the General Superintendent, and make those recommendations deemed necessary to uphold The Discipline and carry out the directives of the General Conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:350:4), the General Board (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1655) or its Executive Board (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1785).

Responsibilities Related to Districts

(27) To exercise general supervision over each district, provisional district and developing district, and the work of its superintendent; to schedule and conduct a minimum of one personal conference each year with each district superintendent, counseling the district superintendent regarding plans and objectives of the district for the year and receiving reports of activities and progress toward objectives during the past year (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1310:30); and to meet periodically with each district board of administration to evaluate the service of and financial provision for the district superintendent (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1218) and to evaluate the performance of the district board of administration.

(28) To arrange the dates for the district conferences, in consultation with district superintendents, so the General Superintendent may be present; to approve a reconvened session of a district conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1115); and to appoint a general official as a General Church representative to a district conference whenever the General Superintendent is unable to attend (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:350:3).

(29) To work with district superintendents and district boards of administration to establish four-year missional goals, and to annually evaluate progress toward meeting those goals.

(30) To conduct a formal evaluation of district superintendents prior to any vote to reelect to office.

(31) To consult with a district board of administration prior to a search for a new district superintendent regarding its vision, the type of leadership necessary to accomplish the vision, and to recommend specific persons capable of accomplishing the vision as nominations for district superintendent to a district conference; to counsel a district board of administration in the appointment of an acting or interim district superintendent (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1303:7); to chair the special nominating committee named to select nominees for the office of district superintendent (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1303:8); and to have charge of the service of installation of a district superintendent (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5930).

(32) To conduct new district superintendent orientations and in-service training; and create on-going mentor/coach relationships, and other judicatory training events, in conjunction with peer-to-peer district superintendents’ meetings.

(33) To recommend to the General Board the reclassification of a provisional district to the status of established district.

(34) To preside over the ordination of ministers (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3070:6; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5750-5792), the commissioning of ministers (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3059:1f; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5800), and lay workers (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5850) or lay missionaries when present (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1310:26; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1405), and to deliver the address or, if absent, to appoint a representative to preside over the ordination service and deliver the address; and to sign all credentials, certificates, and other forms incidental to this office. If the General Superintendent is unable to be present to preside over a district’s service of ordination or commissioning of ministers, first to be considered to represent the General Superintendent will be a former General Superintendent in good standing (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1310:26, 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1405, 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3059, 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3091, 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5752).

(35) To receive recommendations from the Education and Clergy Development Division and respective districts, and give final approval regarding the transfer of any ordained, commissioned or licensed minister into a district (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1915), in concurrence with the district superintendent of that district (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:313:6; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1310:21; cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3100:1), as well as the reception of a minister from another denomination (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3104).

(36) To consult, when needed, with a district board of administration concerning the purchase, location, encumbrance, sale, transfer or other disposition of real property used for district purposes such as a district parsonage, headquarters or campground (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4150; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4840:1); to receive from each district superintendent property conveyance reports on approved forms (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1310:13); and to approve the purchase, conveyance or mortgage of any local or district property of a district placed under discipline (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4870; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5066).

(37) To work with appointed representatives and the Executive Cabinet to recommend to the General Board any merger, division, or realignment of districts (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1060).

Responsibilities toward Educational Institutions

(38)To relate directly to the presidents of Wesleyan educational institutions regarding the vision and goals of their institutions and how these impact The Wesleyan Church.

(39) To attend board of trustees meetings of each educational institution at the discretion of the General Superintendent.

Judicial Supervision

(40) To carry out judicial responsibilities as set forth in the General Board Policy on Church Discipline 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5206; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5209; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5239; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5242; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5245; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5279; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5282; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5365; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5375.

(41) To receive recommendations from the Education and Clergy Development Division and respective districts and give final approval for recommendation to the General Board that the disciplinary requirements have been met for the restoration of a minister, and to forward such request and certification to the Executive Director of Communication and Administration.

(42) To consult with the Executive Board regarding the discipline of ministers, officers, churches, and districts (General Board Policy on Church Discipline 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5245:2).

(43) To consult with the Executive Board before issuing any official ruling on points of Church law and interpretations of The Discipline of The Wesleyan Church when properly requested to do so or whenever deemed necessary for the proper administration of the Church:

(a) A request for such a ruling shall be submitted, in writing, by the following for the work under their jurisdiction: the General Board, the Executive Board (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1785), a general official, the governing board of an institution or subsidiary corporation, a district conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1180:40) or a district board of administration (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1233:27).

(b) A ruling may be appealed to the Board of Review by the party submitting the original request or by the General Board (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:370; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:375:2; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1180:40; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5445:2). All appeals must be filed with the Executive Director of Communication and Administration within sixty days after the date the official ruling is published by the General Superintendent. An official ruling that is not upheld by the Board of Review shall be null and void, unless the action of the Board of Review is overruled by the General Conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:375:2; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:380).

(44) To rule on the legality of an official action by a district conference, any district board or committee, or a district official as follows: Any three or more members of The Wesleyan Church within a district or provisional district may request such a ruling and shall submit their petition in writing, signed by each petitioner (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:323:6). The General Superintendent shall decide if the official act in question, in whole or in part, is deemed properly taken according to the Constitution (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:200-385), or other provisions of The Discipline (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:155-185), stating reasons for the ruling in writing. If the action is ruled as contravening the Constitution, or other provisions of The Discipline, it shall be null and void. Appeals from the decision of the General Superintendent may be made by the petitioners or the district board of administration to the General Board of Review (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:375:2).

(45) To submit a report of all official rulings on points of law, interpretations of The Discipline or other formal judicial acts to the next session of the General Board or its Executive Board for their information, and to the next session of the General Conference for final review and approval (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1590:23). Upon approval by the General Conference, such rulings shall become the law of the Church and shall be incorporated into the appropriate section(s) of The Discipline. A record of such rulings shall be inserted in a special appendix of the next issue of The Discipline as follows:

The General Superintendent on (date) officially interpreted (identify item) and the General Conference on (date) sustained (GC- ), thereby authorizing this provision to mean: (insert the ruling).

(46) To request a ruling from the Board of Review on the constitutionality of an act of the General Conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:375:1), the legality of an act of any General Church board (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:375:3), and the legality of any issues arising between a district and the General Conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:375:6). (Cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5445:1, 3, 4.)

(47) To canvas, with the Executive Cabinet, the vote taken by the several district conferences on an amendment to the Constitution and the Essentials originating in the General Conference and, when the amendment has received the required majority, to declare it effective as constitutional law (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1590:2).