2016 Wesleyan Discipline: Withdrawal: Of special worker

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(29) To approve in writing the temporary service of an ordained minister in a district other than the one in which membership is held (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3100:2); to grant a letter of transfer or standing to any ordained, licensed or commissioned worker in good standing of the district (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:6440; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:6460); to instruct the district secretary to enroll as a member of the district a minister who transfers from another district in the manner prescribed by The Discipline (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:313:6; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3100:1; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:6440-6450), and to order the enrollment of a ministerial student or special worker so transferring (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3015:3c, 5d; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3480; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:6440-6450); to guide a minister or special worker from another denomination seeking recognition and membership in The Wesleyan Church (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3104; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3470; cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3117); and to provide oversight for the restoration of ministers (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5230).

3480. General Regulations for Special Workers. A licensed or commissioned special worker shall be a local church member who meets the leadership qualifications (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:260–268; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:558). A commissioned special worker’s membership must be in a local church within the district that authorizes the service, and shall serve under the direction of the pastor, or upon the call of local churches, or under a district or general agency, as the case may be. The special worker shall be a nonvoting member of the district conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1090:5), and shall report annually to the district conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1390:7). The special worker may be granted a letter of transfer or standing (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:6440–6460). The license or commission of a special worker may only be restored in keeping with the provisions of 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5230–5248. See also the General Board Policy on Ministerial Restoration 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:2002–2022. 5048. Whenever in the course of an investigation or hearing, the accused person shall request a letter of withdrawal from the Church, the same shall be granted and the matter shall end. It shall be noted on the membership records of the local church, and, when the accused is a minister, on the membership record of the district, as “withdrawn under accusation” whenever such request is during the investigation, and “withdrawn under charges” when such request is during the hearing (cf. Disc. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:592). 6460. District Letter of Standing (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3100:3; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3480).

This certifies that ____________ has been up to this date a(n) _______________* in good standing in the ______________ District of The Wesleyan Church, and being desirous of removing from The Wesleyan Church, is hereby released and cordially recommended to the Christian confidence of those to whom this letter may be presented.

By the authority and in behalf of _________________ District of The Wesleyan Church, this ______ day of __________, A.D. ________.

________________________ District Superintendent

It is understood that this letter terminates immediately any relationship the bearer may have had to The Wesleyan Church as a minister or special worker. (*Insert the proper term, namely ordained minister, commissioned minister, licensed minister, ministerial student, commissioned special worker or licensed special worker. If licensed special worker, add the particular type of service, such as licensed special worker—director of music, director of spiritual formation, youth director, song evangelist, children’s worker, spouse in ministry, lay evangelist or social worker.)