1996 Book of Discipline: Paragraph 356| General Conference 2000

¶ 356. Honorable Location--1. An annual conference may grant clergy members in full connection certificates of honorable location at their own request; provided that the board of ordained ministry shall have first examined their character and found them in good standing; and provided that the clergy session shall also pass on their character after the request is made; and provided further, that this relation shall be granted only to one who intends to discontinue service in the itinerant ministry. The board of ordained ministry shall provide guidance and counsel to the locating member and family as they return to a new relationship in the local church.⁵² Upon recommendation of the board of ordained ministry, an annual conference may offer transition assistance.

[FTN] 52. See Judicial Council Decision 366.

2. Location shall be certified by the presiding bishop. Associate members or clergy members in full connection located according to the provisions of this paragraph shall not continue to hold membership in the annual conference. After consultation and with the written consent of the pastor in charge, and with the approval of the district superintendent and the staff-parish relations committee of a local church, located clergy members shall designate the local church in which they shall hold membership. Documentation of this consent and approvals shall be filed with board of ordained ministry. As clergy members of the charge conference, they shall be permitted to exercise ministerial functions only with the written permission of the pastor in charge. They shall have all the privileges of membership in the church where they elect to hold charge conference membership, except as set forth in the Book of Discipline. When approved by the executive committee of the board of ordained ministry, a person on honorable location may be appointed ad interim by the bishop as a local pastor. A copy of the annual report to the charge conference shall be forwarded to the registrar of the board of ordained ministry in order for location to be continued. Failure to submit the report for two consecutive years shall result in termination of orders without further process. They shall report to the charge conference and the pastor all marriages performed, baptisms administered, and funerals conducted and shall be held amenable for their conduct and the continuation of their ordination rights to the annual conference within which the charge conference membership is held. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to persons granted involuntary location prior to the General Conference of 1976. The names of located members after the annual passage of their character shall be printed in the journal.

3. Ordained ministers on honorable location may request the annual conference to grant them the status of honorable location--retired.⁵³ Requests for retired status shall be stated in writing to the bishop, cabinet, and registrar of the board of ordained ministry at least ninety (90) days prior to the annual conference session. Those granted honorable location retired status shall be accountable for all ministerial services performed to the charge conference in which they hold membership. If such services have been performed, they shall report to that charge conference and exercise their ministry under the supervision of the pastor in charge therein as outlined in ¶ 356.2. They shall continue to be held amenable for their conduct, through accountability to their charge conference, to the annual conference in which charge conference membership is held.

[FTN] 53. See Judicial Council Decision 717.



	1996 Discipline ¶ 356
	¶ 356. Honorable Location--1. An annual conference may grant clergy members in full connection certificates of honorable location at their own request; provided that the board of ordained ministry shall have first examined their character and found them in good standing; and provided that the clergy session shall also pass on their character after the request is made; and provided further, that this relation shall be granted only to one who intends to discontinue service in the itinerant ministry. The board of ordained ministry shall provide guidance and counsel to the locating member and family as they return to a new relationship in the local church.⁵² Upon recommendation of the board of ordained ministry, an annual conference may offer transition assistance. `[FTN] 52. See Judicial Council Decision 366.` 2. Location shall be certified by the presiding bishop. Associate members or clergy members in full connection located according to the provisions of this paragraph shall not continue to hold membership in the annual conference. After consultation and with the written consent of the pastor in charge, and with the approval of the district superintendent and the staff-parish relations committee of a local church, located clergy members shall designate the local church in which they shall hold membership. Documentation of this consent and approvals shall be filed with board of ordained ministry. As clergy members of the charge conference, they shall be permitted to exercise ministerial functions only with the written permission of the pastor in charge. They shall have all the privileges of membership in the church where they elect to hold charge conference membership, except as set forth in the Book of Discipline. When approved by the executive committee of the board of ordained ministry, a person on honorable location may be appointed ad interim by the bishop as a local pastor. A copy of the annual report to the charge conference shall be forwarded to the registrar of the board of ordained ministry in order for location to be continued. Failure to submit the report for two consecutive years shall result in termination of orders without further process. They shall report to the charge conference and the pastor all marriages performed, baptisms administered, and funerals conducted and shall be held amenable for their conduct and the continuation of their ordination rights to the annual conference within which the charge conference membership is held. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to persons granted involuntary location prior to the General Conference of 1976. The names of located members after the annual passage of their character shall be printed in the journal. 3. Ordained ministers on honorable location may request the annual conference to grant them the status of honorable location--retired.⁵³ Requests for retired status shall be stated in writing to the bishop, cabinet, and registrar of the board of ordained ministry at least ninety (90) days prior to the annual conference session. Those granted honorable location retired status shall be accountable for all ministerial services performed to the charge conference in which they hold membership. If such services have been performed, they shall report to that charge conference and exercise their ministry under the supervision of the pastor in charge therein as outlined in ¶ 356.2. They shall continue to be held amenable for their conduct, through accountability to their charge conference, to the annual conference in which charge conference membership is held. `[FTN] 53. See Judicial Council Decision 717.`
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1996 Discipline ¶ 356