Chapter 2. Membership

¶221. All persons who have been saved from their sins, who believe in Jesus Christ as God's only begotten Son, that He was born of a virgin, that He died for our sins, that He was buried and the third day rose from the dead, that He ascended into heaven and is coming again, and who have confessed Him as their Lord and Saviour before men, and who are willing to walk in the light as given by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God may be considered for membership in the Evangelical Methodist Church.

¶222. When the pastor is satisfied that the candidates for membership are born-again Christians, when they have been baptized, and have taken the vows of church membership, and have knowledge of and have expressed willingness to keep the doctrines, rules, and regulations of the Evangelical Methodist Church, he shall receive them into membership and present them to the church.

¶223. Members in good standing in any evangelical church who desire to unite with us may be received into membership by taking the vows and after having given satisfactory evidence of their willingness to support and be loyal to the Evangelical Methodist Church.

¶224. When requested by a member, or his delegated representative, a certificate of transfer shall be granted and sent to the pastor, or secretary, of the church to which he is transferring, by the pastor or secretary.

¶225. A letter of withdrawal shall be issued when requested by an individual, and the reason for withdrawal recorded in the membership roll book.

¶226. Anyone joining another denomination without a certificate of transfer shall be recorded as having withdrawn.

Chapter 3. Annual Church

Conference

¶231. The District Superintendent shall set the time for the Annual Church Conference in consultation with the pastor.

¶232. The date of the Annual Church Conference shall be published at least two Sundays prior to said meeting, and the voting members present, who shall be at least sixteen years of age, shall constitute a quorum.

¶233. The District Superintendent, if it is possible for him to be present, or his appointed representative shall preside, otherwise the pastor shall act as chairman of the meeting. The church secretary shall keep the minutes and reports. Any member who absents himself/herself for a period of six months, except for sickness or an excused absence by the Board of Stewards, shall forfeit the right to vote.

¶234. The Annual Church Conference shall receive written reports from the pastor, chairman of the board of trustees, chairman of the board of stewards, Sunday School superintendent, financial secretary, treasurer, president of Evangelical Methodist Men, president of Evangelical Methodist Women, president of Evangelical Methodist Youth, and all committees necessary.

¶235. The Annual Church Conference, after receiving the report of the Nominating Committee and after giving the opportunity for nominations to be made from the floor, shall elect persons to the following offices: Board of Trustees (one-third each year), Board of Stewards, Sunday School Superintendent, Youth Counselor(s), Church Secretary, Financial Secretary and/or Treasurer.

The Annual Church Conference shall also elect the following committees: Christian Education Committee, Evangelism Committee, Finance Committee, Nominating Committee, Pastoral Relations Committee, and World Missions Committee.

The Annual Church Conference may also elect as many of the other committees described in paragraphs 271-289 as are deemed necessary. The Annual Church Conference may also elect lay delegates and alternate lay delegates to the General and District Conferences, or this may be done at a later time by a special church conference called for that purpose.

¶236. No person shall be elected to an office, board or committee in the church who is not a member in good standing (with the one exception indicated in ¶301) or who opposes the doctrine of entire sanctification as a second work of grace, or who is bound by habits detrimental to the highest Christian witness and testimony. The eligibility of divorced and remarried persons to hold office shall be determined by the local church.

¶237. All local church and Sunday School officers shall be elected at the Annual Church Conference and shall take office immediately upon election. Officers of all organizations within the church shall be elected by the time of the Annual Church Conference. A public installation service is recommended.

¶238. The Annual Church Conference may conduct any other business which shall be in keeping with the Discipline.

¶239. The roll of members may be called at the Annual Church Conference, and they may, by majority vote of those present and voting, strike off the name of any who, on account of change of residence or other cause other than sickness, have absented themselves for six months from the services of the church, provided, however, that such member has been contacted by the pastor or chairman of the Membership Committee, if possible, and informed of such proposed action. Such persons so discontinued shall be notified.

¶240. The following is a suggested order of business for the Annual Church Conference.

(1) Devotional service and prayer.

(2) Review and reports of all the work of the church, including reports from the pastor, chairman of the board of trustees, chairman of the board of stewards, Sunday School superintendent, financial secretary and/or treasurer, president of the Evangelical Methodist Men, president of the Evangelical Methodist Women, president of Evangelical Methodist Youth, and all committees necessary to report.

(3) Receive the reports of the Nominating Committees and elect officers, teachers, and committees for the coming year.

(4) Presentation of the new budget.

(5) Recommend proper persons to the District Conference.

¶241. It shall be the duty of the church secretary to present the register and records of the church to the Annual Church Conference for inspection. All records and books kept by the officers of the local church and Sunday School shall be the property of the Evangelical Methodist Church, and shall be surrendered at the end of ones tenure in office.

¶242. The Annual Church Conference, or a Special Church Conference, shall issue lay exhorter's license* to proper persons, and shall recommend proper persons to the District Conference, or the District Board of Ministerial Relations, for license to preach, for admission into the District Conference, and for deaconess's orders.

*Lay Exhorters. Let the congregation encourage young men of zeal and sincerity to serve Christ and the church. Those limited in their ability because of education, economics, or other reasons may seek license as lay exhorters and be granted the same under the authority of the local church and the supervision of the pastor. Such license shall be granted at the Annual Church Conference, or Special Church Conference, and shall be renewed annually according to the discretion of the local church.

¶243. A Special Church Conference may be called by the pastor (or if there is no pastor, the District Superintendent), trustees, stewards, or Pastoral Relations Committees (according to ¶251). The time for such meetings shall be set in consultation with the District Superintendent and the time and purpose of the meeting shall be published at least two Sundays prior to said meeting. The District Superintendent, if it is possible for him to be present, or his appointed representative shall be in charge of such meetings, in whose absence the pastor shall preside, except in the case of a meeting to determine the pastoral question of ¶251, 252, at which time, if it is impossible for the District Superintendent or his appointed representative to preside, the chairman of the Pastoral Relations Committee shall be in charge.

¶244. No meeting to transact business pertaining to the church shall be held without the pastor's knowledge except when a church is without a pastor. The pastor shall have the privilege of attending all such meetings except those of the Pastoral Relations Committee. The Pastoral Relations Committee may invite the pastor for purposes of consultation.