Bethlehem 101

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Comunicación y Gerencia

Bethlehem First United Methodist ChurchMarch 2010

Session Three – Polity, BFUMC Overview

• United Methodist Polity

The United Methodist Church is a Connectional Church system. AllChurches, Districts, andConferences are interconnectedInto one body.

Polity – Organization or StructureOf operation

•United Methodists often joke about the many organizational layers of church life, but, as members of other denominations have been heard to say: “If you want something done, get the United Methodists to do it.” Followers of the Wesleys are indeed “methodical” about the ways they approach mission and ministry

There is no Headquarters, and there is no one person in chargeof the United Methodist Church

Local Church (Charge Conference)

District – Athens Elberton – Gary Whetstone, D.S., - Athens, GA

Annual Conference – North GA – (Delegates…both Pastors and Laity from each church – Bishop Michael Watson presides

Jurisdictional Conference – Southeastern – meets every 4 years –U.S. is divided into 5 conferences –elects and assigns Bishops

General Conference – the Legislative body of the UMC – meets Every 4 years – the only body that can speak officially for theChurch…made up of Clergy and lay delegates – by petition, Discussion, and agreement revisions are made to the Book ofDiscipline

• UMC Governing Body

• 63/53

1000 Delegates

• Apportionments – amount assigned to each church tofund the budget of the broader United Methodist Church’s Operations, missions, and projects

• Giving is part of connectionalism• Individuals joining a United Methodist Church are

asked to support the church with: • Prayers• Presence• Gifts • Service

• Special And Specific Funding Opportunities

• Education Support• United Methodists support 11 historically black colleges

and universities, 13 United Methodist seminaries, Africa University, the work of our bishops around the world, administrative oversight of the church, ecumenical endeavors with the global Christian community and much more.

• Conference and general church apportionments are just one way people are connected through their giving.

• United Methodist churches observe six church wide special Sundays with offerings, such as Native American Ministries Sunday and Peace with Justice Sunday.

United Methodist churches and individuals can designate which mission projects their dollars go through the following opportunities:• Advance for Christ and His Church• World Service Special Gifts, and • Churchwide special appeals for disasters and other emergency

causes.

• Itinerancy – began on horseback

• Appointment Process

• Ordination Process• Elder (word/service/table)• Deacon (word/service)

• Laity – • We are all called to serve• Lay Leaders/Lay Delegates/Lay Pastors

• Service for the Lord

• In The United Methodist Church, it is believed that we are all called to be in ministry. This is sometimes referred to as the “priesthood of all believers.”

• Laypeople may also be called to serve in ministry through an annual conference. Local pastors are lay people with special conference-approved training who serve as pastors of congregations, assigned there by a district superintendent. They have pastoral duties and may administer the sacraments, but only in the churches they are appointed to serve.

Annual clergy appointment

• United Methodist clergy are members of annual conferences, not local churches. As such, clergy are subject to annual appointment to a local charge (one or more local churches) or to other forms of ministry, such as chaplain in the military. Unique to the United Methodist system, all local churches are ensured pastors and all ordained elders in good standing receive appointments.

• An average appointment lasts four years. There is not a limit on how long a clergy person can serve the same church.

• United Methodists call this an “itinerant” system because the clergy move from place to place. In some other denominations, congregations “call” (select their own) pastors and may ordain them in the local congregation.

• While most clergy primarily serve local churches, there is an expectation that they also provide leadership in the annual conference, such as serving on a conference board.

• Church Clergy and Staff

• Senior Pastor• Associate Pastor Contemporary Service and Youth Ministry• Executive Pastor of Pastoral Care• Administrative Assistants• Music Director• Christian Education Director• Youth Leaders• Preschool Director• Nursery Supervisor• Bookkeeper/Treasurer• Organist• Pianist• Custodian

• PEOPLE – Over 130 help keep BFUMC running!!!!!

• Church Lay Leadership

• Lay Leader• Church Council Chair• Staff/Pastor/Parish Relations Committee Chair• Board of Trustees Chair• Finance Committee Chair• Lay Leadership Chair• Other, Para church Committee Chairs

• Nurture• Missions• Worship• Stewardship, Outreach, Etc.

• United Methodist Men President• United Methodist Women President• S.T.A.R.S Coordinator• Children’s Moment Leader• Ushers Coordinator• Acolytes Coordinator• Holy Communion Stewards• Etc. as needed

• Ways YOU Can Serve

112 IndividualsSERVE as Chairs

or CommitteeMembers

• Summary

• It is the organization of The United Methodist Church that creates a structure for connectionalism, but it is individuals, the people called United Methodists, who make possible the connection of hearts, minds, hands and lives as the body of Christ around the world. One way we do that is through apportioned giving.

• United Methodists are generous with their prayers, presence, gifts and service, which make possible ministries and outreach through the World Service Fund and specific funding opportunities.

• Questions and Comments

• Have you filled out the Ministry Opportunity Menu?

• Prayer needs• Closing Prayer

1. Prospective Membership Forms- Return next week2. Ministry Opportunity Menu – Turn in or put on the Altar3. Pray about beginning a new Sunday School Class

• Comments/Questions/Beliefs