2016 Wesleyan Discipline: Property, Local Church: Developing church

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(3) As soon as qualified members are available, the district superintendent, in cooperation with the pastor, may appoint a local advisory council of three to five members. The pastor shall serve as chair of this council (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:807; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1310:17). The council shall exercise the duties and powers of a local board of administration (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:782), making all recommendations to the district superintendent or the district board of administration instead of the local church conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1310:17). All investments in land, buildings, and equipment (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1233:33; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4650–4670), matters involving employed staff, and other major decisions must be authorized by the district board of administration; and all actions of the local advisory council shall be subject to the review and approval of the district superintendent. The local advisory council shall be responsible to assist the district superintendent in qualifying the church as quickly as possible for organization as an established church.

(4) All property of a developing church shall be held by the district, with titles secured as given in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4660.

4650. Developing District and Provisional District. Developing churches within the bounds of a developing district or provisional district shall be under the jurisdiction of the Church Multiplication and Discipleship Division as set forth in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4800 and 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4810–4820. 4660. District. The regulations concerning property for a developing church within the bounds of an established district are:

(1) The district board of administration shall be vested with power and authority to purchase, manage, sell, encumber, transfer, and dispose of any and all property of a developing church, whether real, personal or mixed (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:510:4; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1233:13–14), and shall direct the pastor and the local advisory council concerning the same in keeping with The Discipline (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1233:1, 31).

(2) The pastor and local advisory council of a developing church shall be responsible to supervise, control, and maintain the property under their care as directed by the district superintendent and the district board of administration (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:510:3–4; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1233:1, 31).

(3) All property of a developing church shall be held by the district in trust for the use and benefit of the members and ministers of The Wesleyan Church as required in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:323:8 and shall contain the trust clause as given in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4610 (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4140; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4590–4630; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4830).

(4) Whenever a developing church has been organized as an established church (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:518–520), the district board of trustees may transfer the property to the local board of trustees as set forth in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4680, provided that the property is free of debt.

4670. Reclassification. Whenever an established church is reclassified as a developing church as set forth in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:518:5; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1180:24; and 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1233:30, the office of the members of the local board of administration and the local board of trustees shall thereupon cease (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:859:5) and the district board of administration shall be responsible for the property as set forth in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4660:1–4 (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:510:4). Whenever the property of such a church has been held by the local trustees, it shall be conveyed or transferred to the district to be held as set forth in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:4830 (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:859:5).