Ministerial Appointments Committee
¶5220
A. Each annual conference shall elect a standing
Ministerial Appointments Committee (MAC) composed at least of the bishop as
chair, a superintendent as vice chair, and one lay member. An annual conference
may, as it deems necessary, increase the number of MAC members by electing
additional elders and lay members. Each annual conference may define sub-groups
within the membership of the MAC and may define the scope of responsibility of
each group according to that annual conference’s structure of regional oversight
and the superintendency. Elections may be for three-year terms with provision
for rotation and continuity.
The annual conference may ask the Nominating
Committee or the Board of Administration to prepare nominations for election of
the MAC and to delineate the scope of responsibilities within the MAC
membership according to that annual conference’s structure of oversight and the
superintendency. The slate of nominees is to be brought before the annual
conference for election.
When a new conference superintendent(s) is elected, the immediate
past superintendent may not serve on the Ministerial Appointments Committee for
the succeeding year.
B. If for any reason a member is unable to serve during the
conference session, the Board of Administration may appoint an elder or lay
member to serve. No person who is recommended to the annual conference to be
received as a conference ministerial candidate, nor a licensed pastor (see
¶5640), though acting as a delegate, shall be eligible to serve on the
Ministerial Appointments Committee.
C. The committee shall serve until the close of the following annual
conference.
D. The committee shall appoint pastors for an indefinite tenure. The
committee shall monitor progress and make changes at each annual conference
when deemed necessary.
E. To assist in the assessment of the work, pastors shall be offered
an opportunity to express themselves and shall be given opportunity every three
years to participate in a ministry effectiveness evaluation (see ¶5800), which
shall be considered by the Ministerial Appointments Committee.
F. Proposed changes shall be discussed with both pastors and
delegates of churches involved.
G. In the event a change in pastoral leadership becomes necessary
between annual conferences, the committee shall have authority to make
appointments. Delegates of churches involved shall be consulted, but final
authority rests with the Ministerial Appointments Committee.
H. The Ministerial Appointments Committee report
of appointments shall be announced at the annual conference session.
I. The Committee may initiate church planting
appointments, either by requesting a society to sponsor a church planting
project or by creating a new church planting project by appointing a church
planter in consultation with the conference Administrative Committee.
J. The Committee shall follow the restrictions regarding divorced
ministers or spouses (see ¶5650).
K. The Committee shall have authority to suspend any conference
appointee for cause (see ¶7130) according to due process (see ¶7150). This is
not to be construed as conflicting with an ordained minister’s rights as
outlined in Chapter 7.
L. The Committee planning to recommend that a
pastor not receive a pastoral appointment the ensuing year shall notify that
pastor at least sixty days prior to the session of the annual conference.
M. When a pastor’s appointment is concluded at a
local society (e.g., retired, left without appointment, requests release from
appointment) he/she, along with their his/her immediate family, is to withdraw
from the life of that society. This would include serving in official or
unofficial capacities, attending worship services or activities of the society,
or entertaining communication with staff, constituents or the larger community
regarding the society’s leadership, practices, or health. The former pastor
and/or family, however, may re-engage with the local society with the consent
of conference superintendent in consultation with the newly appointed pastor.
