¶ 654. 1. The
district lay leader is the elected leader of the district laity. The
district lay leader shall provide for the training of local church lay leaders
for their ministries in the local churches in relation to ¶ 251. The
district lay leader shall have responsibility for fostering awareness of the
role of the laity both within congregations and through their ministries in the
home, workplace, community, and world in achieving the mission of the Church,
and supporting and enabling lay participation in the planning and
decision-making processes of the district and the local churches in cooperation
with the district superintendent and pastors. The district lay leader is a
member of the district conference and shall be a member of the district council
on ministries or alternative structure and its executive committee. The district
lay leader shall also be a member of the committee on district superintendency
of his or her district.
2. There may be an associate
district lay leader within a district. The associate district lay leader shall
be elected as determined by the annual conference. The method of nomination and
term of office shall be determined by the annual
conference.
3. The district lay leader shall
relate to the organized lay groups in the district such as United Methodist
Women, United Methodist Men, and United Methodist Youth and support their work
and help them coordinate their activities.
4. The district lay leader may
designate persons to serve as proxy in any of the above groups except the
district conference, district council on ministries, and the district council on
ministries executive committee.
5. The district lay leader shall
be elected as determined by the annual conference. The method of nomination and
term of office shall be determined by the annual
conference.
6. The district lay leader shall
serve on the district and the annual conference committee on lay
speaking.
7. The district lay leader is a
member of annual conference (see ¶ 30).