Mission Statement:
Out of obedience to God's Great Commission, to produce disciple making churches that will lead our world to Christ.
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General Information
OF THE DISCIPLINE |
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900 —Administration of Discipline— Complaints and Appeals 901 Statement of faith and practice: One member trespassed against by another must not complain of the offender to an official meeting until he has treated him as prescribed in Matthew 18:15-16: “Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone; if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more; that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.” If this procedure fails, then the following action is to be taken. 902 Definitions: Complaints and Appeals (a) Complaint: A complaint is a charge brought in writing by one party against another before a court. (b) Appeal: An appeal is an application to a higher court to consider the decision of a case that has been tried by a lower court, to whose decision the appellant objects. All parties have the right to appeal. (c) Party: As used in this chapter a party means an individual or an official meeting of the church. (d) Personal Complaint: A personal complaint is one that is made by an individual about an offense committed by another individual against the complaining individual. (e) Official Complaint: An official complaint is one that is made by a party about an offense with which he has cause to be aggrieved, only in common with other members of the church. An official complaint may be made against one individual, several individuals, or an official meeting. (f) Individual: As used in this chapter an individual means a member of the Primitive Methodist Church. (g) Court: The Quarterly Conference, and/or the District Conference, and/or the General Committee, and/or the Conference as applicable, shall hereinafter be known as the Court. (h) Office: The term office as used in this chapter shall be considered, as applicable, membership in the Primitive Methodist Church and/or the ministry on any of its levels. (i) Official Person: An official person is a member of the Primitive Methodist Church who holds one or more offices, other than membership in the church. (j) Notice: All notices shall be deemed to have been given in writing and either hand-delivered to the party concerned or deposited in the United States Mail, postage prepaid, at the last known address of the party concerned as shown on the official records of the Primitive Methodist Church. 903 Complaints against individuals, Local Preachers, Lay Elders must be brought before the complainant’s Quarterly Conference. (a) Complaints against pastors must be brought before the complainant’s District Conference. (b) Complaints against pastors and officers not serving churches must be brought before the complainant’s General Committee. 904 A complaint must state to the proper court, in writing, all the facts of the case without comment, with the names and addresses of all parties and the offices they hold. It must be dated, signed, and sent to the secretary of the court for which it is intended. Notice of this document must be given to the defendant as soon as practicable after receipt by the secretary. 905 A defendant must file his answer to the complaint with the court within 20 days after notice to him of the filing of the complaint with the court. As soon as possible after the answer is received by the court, the court shall set a date, time and place for a hearing, notice of which shall be given to all parties. 906 The defendant and complainant must frankly answer any reasonable questions which the court may propose to them for aiding in its decision of the case. They must also furnish any letters, papers or documents that may be requested. 907 When the court and the defendant determine that it is impracticable for the defendant to attend a hearing because of distance, the court and the complainant may question the defendant in writing, and the defendant may submit his evidence in writing. 908 Any party may be represented at the hearing or an appeal by an attorney duly licensed to practice law. 909 No person who is not a member of a Christian Church shall be allowed to give evidence, except in cases where there is no evidence from members of Christian Churches. In such cases, the evidence of a person whose moral character is determined by the court to be good, and who is known to the court to be favorable to the Christian religion shall be allowed. 910 Appeals must be filed within 10 days of notice of the decision of the lower court. 911 The highest court to which an individual can appeal is the District Conference or the General Committee whose decision shall be final, but official persons or meetings may carry their appeals to the Conference. 912 An appeal to the General Committee of a decision of a lower assembly must reach the secretary of the Committee within the Conference year of the decision, otherwise the appeal must be returned without being examined. 913 A minister or church dissatisfied with the decision of the lower ecclesiastical courts shall have the right to appeal to the Conference, whose decision shall be final. 914 When an appeal is made of a decision of a court to a higher court, no matter not raised at the hearing shall be received by the appellate court. 915 No official assembly may allow an individual to propose, second or vote on any proposition respecting a case in which he is either the complainant or the defendant, in his individual capacity. 916 The attorney for the court shall rule on all questions of procedure and evidence. 917 Every appellant must observe the rules on the duties of a complainant as far as they are applicable to him. NOTE: Refer to Chapter Three, President’s Duties. The President of the Conference may suspend from office, after due consultation with duly authorized officials of the conference, any individual against whom serious charges are made. When a decision has been reached, it shall be announced for each charge separately. Notice of such decisions shall be given to all parties. If the defendant has been found guilty, the presiding officer shall announce the degree of discipline to be imposed. Further publicity can be given to the announcement as the court may direct. When the decision has been announced, the court shall take whatever steps necessary to enforce it. 919 Decision of the trial court is binding unless appealed to a higher court. The final decision of the higher court is binding. 921 Voting: a quorum of the members of the court must be present to decide on any question. Names of absent members of the court are to be recorded. No member absent during a part of a hearing shall be allowed to vote. A majority of those present and voting shall be necessary to render a verdict and, if necessary, to establish a degree of discipline. 922 Closed Sessions: A two-thirds vote of the court is required to exclude persons other than parties or counsel at any stage of a hearing. Any party may request a closed session. 923 Publicity: No party to a trial shall circulate, or cause to be circulated, among members of the court, any printed, written or visual material of any kind or matter pertaining to the case (other than proceedings) before the final disposition of the case. 924 Degree of Discipline upon arriving at a guilty verdict. The court may decree any one or more of the following judgments: a. Rebuke b. Temporary exclusion from exercise of office. c. Removal from membership or ordained office. 924.1 To Be Read By Presiding Officer To Defendant (a) Censure or Rebuke Whereas you . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . have been found guilty of the offense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (insert Offense) and by this offense you have acted contrary to the Discipline of the Primitive Methodist Church in the United States of America, now therefore the . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (name judicatory body) acting in the name of the above named Church expresses its condemnation of this offense and (list the degree of judgment). You are called up to diligently avoid such offenses in the future and to use the means of grace as found in the Lord Jesus Christ to be obedient to your Lord and the Church (This rebuke to be followed by intercessory prayer). (b) Temporary Exclusion The period of censure shall not exceed one year. The offender shall not exercise any duties of his office during the term of the exclusion. The offender shall not have a voice or vote in any official meeting of the church, the District or the Conference. Prayer of intercession shall be made upon reading of the Judgment. (c) Removal of an Elder Under the temporary exclusion, if an appeal is pending, a pulpit may be declared vacant and a new arrangement made. (d) Removal from Office Removal from office can be decreed without removal from membership. (e) Removal from Church Membership Removal from membership in the Primitive Methodist Church includes removal from office and termination of Ordination. All other relationships to the church are set aside and immediately terminated. (f) Degree of discipline imposed shall refer to the case for which it is imposed. The formal declaration shall be followed by intercessory prayer. 925 Responsibility of a Minister Removed from Office. (a) To vacate the pulpit immediately. (b) To vacate the parsonage within one month (30 days). (c) To take care of all financial matters relating to the church, the District and the Conference (Preachers’ Pension Fund, etc.). (d) To accept as final and binding the judgment of the court hereunder as to all matters in any way dealing with the relationship between the minister and the Primitive Methodist Church. (e) To leave quietly and peaceably according to the example and teachings of Jesus Christ. 926 Restoration (a) Application: A person wishing to be restored shall apply in writing to the General Secretary of the Conference. If the censure was a local church Quarterly Conference decision, then application is made to the Church Clerk. (b) Persons may be restored by the body that conducted the trial, once formal request has been made and acted upon. In the case of temporary exclusion, early restoration is permitted. (c) A pastor removed from office must receive a two-thirds vote of the Executive Session before restoration is granted. 927 Acceptance of any level of the ministry is acceptance of this agreement and acceptance of the articles defined in this chapter. 928 A Statement of Compliance must be signed when a person is received into the ministry, either as a Supply, Elder or by Transfer of Credentials, declaring agreement with the above procedures. |
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