1996 Book of Discipline: Paragraph 15| General Conference 2000

¶ 15. Article IV.--The General Conference shall have full legislative power over all matters distinctively connectional, and in the exercise of this power shall have authority as follows:¹⁹

[FTN] 19. See Judicial Council Decisions 96, 232, 236, 318, 325, 544.

1. To define and fix the conditions, privileges, and duties of Church membership, which shall in every case be without reference to race or status.²⁰

[FTN] 20. See Judicial Council Decision 558.

2. To define and fix the powers and duties of elders, deacons, supply preachers, local preachers, exhorters, and deaconesses.²¹

[FTN] 21. See Judicial Council Decisions 58, 313.

3. To define and fix the powers and duties of annual conferences, provisional annual conferences, missionary conferences and missions, and of central conferences, district conferences, charge conferences, and congregational meetings.²²

[FTN] 22. See Judicial Council Decision 411.

4. To provide for the organization, promotion, and administration of the work of the Church outside the United States of America.²³

[FTN] 23. See Judicial Council Decision 182; amended 1976.

5. To define and fix the powers, duties, and privileges of the episcopacy, to adopt a plan for the support of the bishops, to provide a uniform rule for their retirement, and to provide for the discontinuance of a bishop because of inefficiency or unacceptability.²⁴

[FTN] 24. See Judicial Council Decisions 35, 114, 312, 365, 413.

6. To provide and revise the hymnal and ritual of the Church and to regulate all matters relating to the form and mode of worship, subject to the limitations of the first and second Restrictive Rules.

7. To provide a judicial system and a method of judicial procedure for the Church, except as herein otherwise prescribed.

8. To initiate and to direct all connectional enterprises of the Church and to provide boards for their promotion and administration.²⁵

[FTN] 25. See Judicial Council Decisions 214, 364, 411.

9. To determine and provide for raising and distributing funds necessary to carry on the work of the Church.²⁶

[FTN] 26. See Judicial Council Decision 30.

10. To fix a uniform basis upon which bishops shall be elected by the jurisdictional conferences and to determine the number of bishops that may be elected by central conferences.²⁷

[FTN] 27. See Judicial Council Decisions 598, 735.

11.[]To select its presiding officers from the bishops, through a committee; provided that the bishops shall select from their own number the presiding officer of the opening session.²⁸

[FTN] 28. See Judicial Council Decision 126.

12. To change the number and the boundaries of jurisdictional conferences upon the consent of a majority of the annual conferences in each jurisdictional conference involved.²⁹

[FTN] 29. See Judicial Council Decisions 55, 56, 215.

13. To establish such commissions for the general work of the Church as may be deemed advisable.

14. To secure the rights and privileges of membership in all agencies, programs, and institutions in The United Methodist Church regardless of race or status.³⁰

[FTN] 30. See Decisions, 4, 5, Interim Judicial Council; Judicial Council Decisions 427, 433, 442, 451, 540, 558, 567, 588, 594.

15. To enact such other legislation as may be necessary, subject to the limitations and restrictions of the Constitution of the Church.³¹

[FTN] 31. See Judicial Council Decision 215.



	1996 Discipline ¶ 15
	`¶ 15. Article IV.--The General Conference shall have full legislative power over all matters distinctively connectional, and in the exercise of this power shall have authority as follows:¹⁹` `[FTN] 19. See Judicial Council Decisions 96, 232, 236, 318, 325, 544.` `1. To define and fix the conditions, privileges, and duties of Church membership, which shall in every case be without reference to race or status.²⁰` `[FTN] 20. See Judicial Council Decision 558.` `2. To define and fix the powers and duties of elders, deacons, supply preachers, local preachers, exhorters, and deaconesses.²¹` `[FTN] 21. See Judicial Council Decisions 58, 313.` `3. To define and fix the powers and duties of annual conferences, provisional annual conferences, missionary conferences and missions, and of central conferences, district conferences, charge conferences, and congregational meetings.²²` `[FTN] 22. See Judicial Council Decision 411.` `4. To provide for the organization, promotion, and administration of the work of the Church outside the United States of America.²³` `[FTN] 23. See Judicial Council Decision 182; amended 1976.` `5. To define and fix the powers, duties, and privileges of the episcopacy, to adopt a plan for the support of the bishops, to provide a uniform rule for their retirement, and to provide for the discontinuance of a bishop because of inefficiency or unacceptability.²⁴` `[FTN] 24. See Judicial Council Decisions 35, 114, 312, 365, 413.` `6. To provide and revise the hymnal and ritual of the Church and to regulate all matters relating to the form and mode of worship, subject to the limitations of the first and second Restrictive Rules.` `7. To provide a judicial system and a method of judicial procedure for the Church, except as herein otherwise prescribed.` `8. To initiate and to direct all connectional enterprises of the Church and to provide boards for their promotion and administration.²⁵` `[FTN] 25. See Judicial Council Decisions 214, 364, 411.` `9. To determine and provide for raising and distributing funds necessary to carry on the work of the Church.²⁶` `[FTN] 26. See Judicial Council Decision 30.` `10. To fix a uniform basis upon which bishops shall be elected by the jurisdictional conferences and to determine the number of bishops that may be elected by central conferences.²⁷` `[FTN] 27. See Judicial Council Decisions 598, 735.` `11.[]To select its presiding officers from the bishops, through a committee; provided that the bishops shall select from their own number the presiding officer of the opening session.²⁸` `[FTN] 28. See Judicial Council Decision 126.` `12. To change the number and the boundaries of jurisdictional conferences upon the consent of a majority of the annual conferences in each jurisdictional conference involved.²⁹` `[FTN] 29. See Judicial Council Decisions 55, 56, 215.` `13. To establish such commissions for the general work of the Church as may be deemed advisable.` `14. To secure the rights and privileges of membership in all agencies, programs, and institutions in The United Methodist Church regardless of race or status.³⁰` `[FTN] 30. See Decisions, 4, 5, Interim Judicial Council; Judicial Council Decisions 427, 433, 442, 451, 540, 558, 567, 588, 594.` `15. To enact such other legislation as may be necessary, subject to the limitations and restrictions of the Constitution of the Church.³¹` `[FTN] 31. See Judicial Council Decision 215.`
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1996 Discipline ¶ 15