CHAPTER V
DISTRICT ELDERS
¶ 208. It shall
be the duty of the district elder:
1. To look after the spiritual and temporal
interests of the church within his district; to take the charge of all
circuits without a preacher, and the oversight of the work on his district,
according to the Discipline.
2. To see that every part of the Discipline
is duly enforced.
3. To visit every circuit on his district
whenever be may judge it expedient. The district elder is especially directed
and required to visit any circuit in his district, when so requested by
the official board, in case of any dispute or difficulty, or any emergency
that may arise. In such cases he shall have power to call an official,
society or circuit meeting, and to preside over the same. The circuit sending
for him shall pay his traveling expenses.
4. It shall be the duty of the district
elder to hold four district meetings on his district during the year and
a quarterly meeting on each circuit once in three months, except where
the conditions are such that the annual conference shall by a two-thirds
majority decide that the work can be better conserved by two or three such
meetings during the year. He shall also make a statement of the growth
and progress of the work on the district at each general quarterly meeting.
5. It shall be the duty of the district
elder to labor as an evangelist within his district, if in the judgment
of the annual conference the cause of God can be best served thereby.
6. When a district has a traveling district
elder he may hold an official, circuit or society meeting on each Circuit,
in connection with his quarterly meetings; or he may appoint a supply,
subject to the approval of the pastor.
7. To appoint, receive, suspend and change
preachers in his district or districts in the intervals of the conference
sessions; provided lie shall not change any preacher contrary to his wishes,
unless by the request of two-thirds of the members of the circuit; provided
also that a preacher shall not be appointed to a circuit without the concurrence
of the official board of that circuit.
8. To see that deeds of lands upon which
it may be proposed to build any church or parsonage within the bounds of
his district are properly made out and recorded, or that a good and sufficient
bond or contract is given for such deed before such building is begun.
9. To give the bishop all the necessary
information of the state of his district.
10. The district elder shall not have power
to employ a preacher who has been rejected by the annual conference, without
permission of said conference.
11. The district elder may, with the consent
of the preacher in charge and the official board, divide a circuit in the
intervals of the annual conference, if the interests of the work require
it.
12. No district elder shall preside over
the same district in the same conference more than four years in succession,
except that in conferences having only one district elder he may serve
eight years in succession; nor shall any minister serve in the office of
district elder in any conference for a term exceeding eight consecutive
years.
13. Both traveling and stationed district
elders shall be elected by ballot in open conference, without debate, and
shall be assigned to their respective districts either by an election to
the districts direct or by appointment by the stationing committee, as
the conference shall decide.
14. In case there should be a vacancy in
the office of district elder during the interval of the sessions of any
annual conference, the bishop who presided (or who was to have presided)
or his successor, shall have power to fill such vacancy, subject to the
approval of the ensuing quarterly conference of the district; but if such
vacancy should he filled after the last session of the quarterly conference
of the conference year. then the secretary of the quarterly conference
shall have power to call a special session for the sole purpose of confirming
the appointment of the president.
15. Whenever in the judgment of an annual
conference the interests of the work can he best sub-served thereby, the
same district elder may be appointed to more than one district at the same
time.
16. The district elder shall be a member
of the quarterly conference on the district which he serves; and, in case
he be appointed to two or more districts, the stationing committee shall
fix his quarterly conference relation.
17. The district elder shall be supported
by the conference or district to which he is elected, each circuit contributing
its proportion as agreed upon by the annual or quarterly conference. In
case he is elected stationed district elder he shall he supported by the
circuit to which he is appointed. The district shall assist, when necessary.
We recommend a conference or district budget for the traveling district
elder’s support.
|