Chapter Four of the Discipline of the Primitive Methodist Church in the U.S.A.

CHAPTER FOUR OF THE DISCIPLINE
400 THE PASTORAL MINISTRY 401 PASTORAL CANDIDATES Candidates for our Pastoral ministry who are members of a Primitive Methodist Church must have the recommendation of his Quarterly Conference and the District Conference. His name shall be submitted to the Conference and then referred to the Examining Committee of the School of Theology. Candidates who are not members of a Primitive Methodist Church shall be examined, prior to the Annual Conference sessions, by a committee made up of members of the School of Theology. His name shall be submitted to the Conference and then referred to the Examining Committee of the School of Theology. All Candidates shall be required to study the curriculum as prescribed by the School of Theology. Every candidate shall be required to abstain from the use of tobacco and all alcoholic beverages and from using drugs for other than proper medical purposes. 402 STUDENT PASTORS A three-fourths vote of the Conference shall be required to admit a candidate to the Student Ministry. A student Pastor shall be amenable to the Examining Committee and shall meet as required with the Committee. He shall be required to attend the Summer School of Theology and fulfill all requirements as directed by the School of Theology. No Student Pastor shall be given permission to do full-time secular work. The length of his Student Ministry shall be determined by the School of Theology. Upon completion of his Student Ministry, he may apply for ordination as an Elder. Conference wil not recognize as valid the ordination of any student for our ministry by any other denomination or group during the term of his Student Ministry. 403 ELDERS An Elder shall have met all the requirements of the School of Theology and the Conference, and shall have received the rite of ordination. He shall have the full rights and privileges of the Conference and shall be entitled to participate in the system of itinerancy. 404 EVANGELISTS A person seeking the status of an evangelist shall have met all the requirements of an ordained Elder. The candidate shall present a statement to the Examining Committee as to the nature of his call and desire to enter this field of ministry. Upon Conference approval of the Examining Committee report, a license shall be granted. Renewal of said license shall be on an annual basis. The evangelist shall present an annual report of his activities to the Conference. 405 CONFERENCE PASTORAL SUPPLIES A person being received as a Conference Pastoral Suply shall appear before and meet all the requirements of the Examining Committee. Every person employed as a Conference Pastoral supply shall be advised of the temporary nature of the appointment and shall agree to peaceably withdraw from the work if officially required to do so by the Conference. Approval for Conference Pastoral Supplies to serve as President of the Quarterly Conference, and to administer the sacraments, shall be subject to the discretion of the Conference. 406 PASTORAL TRANSFERS A properly credentialed Pastor transferring from another denomination shall be received in the same standing he held in said denomination, upon presentation of his credentials, recommendation of the Examining Committee and a three-fourth (3/4's) vote of the Conference. He will serve two probationary years before being received as an Elder and received into the itinerant system. Previous ordination of Pastoral Transfers shall be publicly recognized without the laying on of hands. A proper certificate of standing shall be presented to him. 407 RETIRED PASTORS A retired Pastor is (1) one who is unable, because of infirmity, to serve a church, or (2) one who has chosen to remove his name from the itinerant system. Retired Pastors in good standing shall have all the rights and privileges of Pastors in full-time work in all official meetings and deliberative bodies, and shall be subject to the same disciplinary regulations as other members. A retired Pastor may be employed by the District, Conference, or Conference Boards. 408 SUPERNUMERARIES A supernumerary is a Pastor under leave of absence from the active Primitive Methodist pastorate. A Pastor may be designated as a supernumerary for the following: (1) because of ill health of personal reasons, (2) for education, (3) to enter any approved church-related ministry. Any Pastor (Elder or Student Pastor) may apply for a supernumerary relationship. His status shall be reviewed annually with a limit of three years. Upon returning to the active pastoral ministry he shall hold the same standing as before his application for this status. 409 DEACONESSES A Deaconess is a woman who, led by the Holy Spirit, gives herself to Christian service under the authority of the church. She must be a member of the denomination for at least two years and exhibit the qualities needful to this office. A woman desiring to become a Deaconess must be recommended the Quarterly Conference. She must enroll in the School of Theology and complete the prescribed course. Upon approval of the Examining Committee and the Conference she shall be licensed as a Deaconess. A service of consecration without the laying on of hands, shall be arranged by the President of the Conference in the church where the Deaconess will serve. Duties of the Deaconess shall be to minister to the spiritual and physical needs of those to whom she shall be directed. Her office shall be under the jurisdiction of the Pastor and the Quarterly Conference, and she shall report to them as required. Any and all financial arrangements will be made through the local church. Upon written notice, the Conference shall release any person desiring to retire from this office. All Deaconesses shall be members of the Quarterly Conference. Upon the transfer of membership of a local church Deaconess, she shall retain her title and license, but her privilege to serve that church shall be contingent upon the approval of the church's Quarterly Conference in which she will hold membership. 410 LOCAL PREACHERS A man applying for a local Preacher's license shall be examined by a committee of three appointed by the Quarterly Conference. The Pastor of the church shall be a member of this committee. The finding of the committee shall be presented to the Quarterly Conference for action. Upon approval of the Quarterly Conference, the candidate shall enroll in the School of Theology, and upon completion of the prescribed course shall be presented with a certificate from the School of Theology. All accredited Local Preachers shall have, with the consent of the local Pastor, authority to baptize, administer the Lord's Supper and conduct funeral services. All accredited Local Preachers are eligible to serve as Conference Pastoral Supplies when so appointed by the Conference. No person using tobacco, intoxicating beverages or narcotics shall be considered as a candidate. 411 DISTRICT PASTORS OR DISTRICT SUPPLY A. District Pastors A District Pastor is a Primitive Methodist retired Elder who is employed by the District Superintendent to fill a vacancy with the approval of the local church and the District. B. District Supply A District Supply is one who is employed by the District Superintendent to fill a vacancy with the approval of the local church and the District. He shall not have the rights of the pastoral ministry (i.e. the administration of the sacraments and the performances of marriages) unless he carries a recognized license or certificate of ordination. The District Superintendent has the authority to grant approval to a District Supply to serve communion in extenuating circumstances. The District Supply shall be directly responsible to the District Superintendent for his conduct and his tenure. 412 STATIONING OF PASTORS Ordained Elders are elected by local congregations, and the election is approved by the Conference Stationing Committee. Elders who have not accepted a call, Student Pastors and Conference Pastoral Supplies shall be appointed by the Conference Stationing Committee. A Pastoral Transfer shall be required to accept appointment to his first pastorate by the Conference Stationing Committee. Appointments by the Conference are binding for one year. Vacancies occurring during the pastoral year are filled under the direction of the District Superintendent in whose District the vacancy occurs. A Pastor refusing to accept Conference appointments shall be left without a pastorate. If a Pastor is more than one year in arrears in Conference obligations he must, upon recommendation of the District Pastoral Ethics Committee, be approved by Conference before being stationed for the coming year. 413 DUTIES OF PASTORS Pastors shall begin their new pastorates on the first Sunday in the month of June. Upon assuming his pastorate, the Pastor shall familiarize himself with the membership and the spiritual and financial condition of the church. In all cases the spiritual interests, and oversight of all departments of his pastorate shall be under his direction. The Pastor is the chairman of the Quarterly Conference and all congregational meetings except the meeting called for the invitation of Pastor. It shall be the duty of Pastors to preach Christ crucified and risen from the dead for our sins; to talk with the members about their spiritual relationship to the Lord; to see that relief and help is given when needed; to strengthen and support those who are discouraged and experiencing tempations; to exhort those who have become cold and indifferent; to take advantage of opportunities to strengthen and instruct all in faith, grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ; to visit the sick and to model the doctrine they preach by a well-ordered and exemplary life. Their business should be to lead as many souls to Christ as possible and to continue to disciple the believer. To this goal they should give themselves unreservedly. They should be faithful in these efforts until our Lord shall come. He shall see that the required training courses for membership are organized. 414 SALARIES AND MOVING EXPENSES Salaries: The amount of money established as the base salary does not include fringe benefits. The Conference shall set the minimum salaries for all levels of the pastoral ministry, and shall have authority to direct payment of unpaid salary. The salary year shall run concurrently with the pastoral year, beginning the first Sunday in June. The Pastor's salaries shall be paid from local church funds. No claim may be made upon any funds of the Conference or Conference boards for payment of a Pastor's salary. Exception: this rule shall not apply to appropriations made by the National Mission Board or by the Conference. If a church fails to pay the salary promised to its pastor, before taking legal proceedings, the case shall be presented to the District Conference. If either the Pastor or the church is not satisfied with the decision of the District Conference, an appeal shall be made to the Conference. A Pastor leaving a church shall follow the above rule before initiating legal action to recover unpaid salary. Violation of this rule may result in disciplinary action by the Conference. Fringe benefits definition: Fringe benefits shall be considered additions over and above the base salary established by the church or the Conference. Pastors' vacation schedule, based on years of service in the denomination: Through ten (10) years: fourteen (14) days. Eleven (11) through twenty-five (25) years: twenty-one (21) days. Over twenty-five (25) years: twenty-eight (28) days. Moving Expenses: The moving expenses of a Pastor shall be paid by the church or circuit to which he moves. The moving expenses of a Pastor to his first charge (including a transfer from another denomination) shall be shared equally by the Pastor and the church or circuit to which he is moving. The reimbursement of personal expenses shall be negotiated between the Pastor and the church. Each Pastor shall have provied for him a well and suitably furnished residence, including such basic items as a refrigerator, washing machine, dryer, stove and adequate carpeting throughout the parsonage. The church shall pay water rates and telephone. In all circuit relationships regarding the providing of the parsonage: all costs and expenses entailed shall be shared according to the proportion of membership involved in each church, unless otherwise determined by mutual consent of the churches involved. 415 SEPARATION OR DIVORCE OF A PASTOR When an active Pastor of a Primitive Methodist Church is in the midst of a marital separation or divorce he will be temporarily removed from his ministerial duties in order to receive professional counsel, support and direction. The local church along with the Primitive Methodist Conference will assist with finances, pulpit supplies and any other special needs deemed necessary by the Executive Council until a common decision about ministry is achieved. 416 SEVERANCE OF RELATIONSHIP A Pastor desiring to sever relationship with the denomination shall present his case to the Quarterly Conference, the District Conference, and the Conference or the General Committee. When Conference is not in session, the request for credentials will be made known to all members of the Executive Session. Objections must be in writing to the General Secretary within 30 days. Objections will be investigated by the Executive Council and a recommendation will be made to the General Committee. The General Committee may vote to grant or deny the request, or refer the decision to the next Annual Conference. Upon approval of the Conference or General Committee, and provided all Conference financial obligations have been met, a Pastor leaving the denomination will be issued a properly signed credential when requested by a denomination or a church or a religious organization. 417 PASTORAL MISCONDUCT Charges of Pastoral misconduct must be presented in writing to the Superintendent of the District in which the Pastor is stationed. The District Superintendent shall appoint a committee of two lay persons and two Pastors to hear the evidence and decide the case. When the complaint is made by a church or Quarterly Conference, it shall be represented by two members of either body. Appeal of the decision may be made to the District Conference or the Conference. If the defendant be the District Superintendent, the President of the Conference shall receive the case. The Conference shall have full power to enact disciplinary action. 418 SPECIAL MINISTRIES The status of Special Ministries may be granted to an ordained Elder leaving the active pastorate of a church to enter a field of Christian service other than our Conference, such as teaching or counseling in a Christian school or college, to enter an industrial or institutional chaplaincy; or any church related work which is in harmony and sympathy with our doctrinal position. Special Ministries must have the confirmation of the Conference, and be renewed annually by the Conference through proper channels: Quarterly Conference, District Conference and written letter to the Preachers' Pension Fund Board. 419 ARMED FORCES CHAPLAIN The candidate must be an ordained Elder in good standing and must have met the educational requirements of the Armed Forces. The candidate must receive the recommendation of his local church Quarterly Conference, the District Conference, and the Conference. The Conference, through the office of the President, will approve the Ecclesiastical endorsement of the individual's application to the particular branch of the Armed Forces. (Note: for endorsing purposes, The Primitive Methodist Church belongs to the Chaplains Commission of the National Association of Evangelicals.) A Pastor leaving the Armed Forces Chaplaincy, under the normal retirement age, shall return to the active pastorate, or to a status satisfactory to the Conference. 420 DESIRING TO RETURN TO THE PASTORATE Any ordained Primitive Methodist Elder not in the itinerant system and desiring to return to the active pastorate must either (1) request permission of the General Committee to have his name placed before the churches as a potential candidate or (2) appear at Conference to be stationed by the Conference Stationing Committee.
Back to the Top Back to the Index to the Discipline

[ Home ] [ History ] [ Ministry ] [ Bible Readings ] [ Calendar of Meetings ] [ Organization ] [ Creed ] [ Insignia ] [ Discipline ] [ Notes and News ] [ Yearbook ] [ Links to Primitive Methodism ]
[ MISSIONS ] :: [ International Mission Board ] [ National Mission Board ] [ The Gleanings ] [ La Gleanings en Español ]
[ DIRECTORY ] :: [ Eastern District ] [ Pittsburgh District ] [ Schuylkill District ] [ Southern District ] [ Western District ] [ Wyoming District ] [ Hispanic Ministries ] [ Chaplains ] [ Special Ministries ] [ Youth Ministries ] [ Retired Ministers ] [ Ministerial Widows ]
[ CAMP ] :: [ Camp Facilities ] [ Camp Program ] [ Camp Retreats ] [ Camp Directions ] [ Camp Schedules ]
[ School of Theology ] [ Board of Christian Ministries ] [ Special Events ] [ General Information ] [ Contact Us ]