Chapter 1. Composition

¶501. The Evangelical Methodist Church shall be composed of the following conferences: General Conference, Mission Conferences, District Conferences, and Annual Church Conference in all local churches. The General Conference adopts programs of a general nature whereby the local churches may carry out cooperatively their Divine commission to all the world.

¶502. The General Conference shall meet once in every four years, the place to be determined by the General Conference or by the General Council. A special session of the General Conference may be called by the General Council when deemed advisable.

¶503. The General Conference shall be composed of all elders, members on trial, one representative each from the Sunday School, stewards, Evangelical Methodist Men, Evangelical Methodist Women, Evangelical Methodist Youth, all General Conference officers, and one elected delegate 18 years of age or older from each local church for every 30 members or fraction thereof. Members on trial shall not have voting privileges. Each Mission Conference shall be allowed to send five ministerial and five lay delegates.

¶504. The ministerial and lay members shall deliberate as one body. They shall vote as one body, but a separate vote shall be taken on any question when requested by one-third of either order or delegates present and voting. In all cases of separate voting it shall require the concurrence of a majority of each order to adopt the proposed measure.

¶505. There shall be a Cabinet composed of the General Superintendent and the District Superintendents. It shall have no executive or legislative authority, but it shall function in an advisory capacity with respect to church policy and in a promotional capacity with respect to church program.

¶506. The General Council shall be composed of:

(1) General Superintendent(s).

(2) General Conference Secretary-Treasurer.

(3) General Conference Lay Leader.

(4) Chairpersons of General Conference boards.

(5) District Superintendents.

(6) General Conference Presidents of Evangelical Methodist Men, Women, and Youth.

(7) Mission Conference General Superintendent(s).

¶507. The duties and authority of the General Council shall be defined by the General Conference. The General Council shall be amenable to the General Conference. A quorum shall be a majority of the total number of General Council members.

¶508. The duties of the General Council shall be:

(1) To give direction to the church by presenting creative and practical programs to the General Conference for adoption, seeking to anticipate the future needs and continued growth of the church.

(2) To fill vacancies in the General Conference during the quadrennium.

(3) To implement and coordinate legislation and programs adopted by the General Conference in cooperation with General Conference boards, departments and committees.

(4) To perform such other duties commonly cared for by an executive body.

(5) To distribute copies of the minutes and voting record of the sessions to the local churches and key personnel of the denomination immediately following the meetings.

¶509. The General Council shall not reverse the action of the General Conference nor begin new programs without General Conference approval. Actions taken by the

General Council shall not continue in effect beyond the next General Conference unless approved by the General Conference.

¶510. No Board, Department or Committee has the power to create an indebtedness of more than $10,000.00 on behalf of the General Conference without the approval of the General Council.

¶511. Procedure for conducting General Council business by correspondence shall be as follows:

(1) A General Superintendent, or five members of the body, shall be empowered to properly set a matter before the General Council.

(2) The General Conference Secretary shall process the transaction of business.

(3) All ballots must be returned within four weeks from the date of mailing.

(4) Notice of any action taken shall be sent to each minister and church.

¶512. An Investment and Disbursement Committee shall act in the investment and disbursement of any undesignated gifts received through wills, trusts, and other forms of giving. It shall be composed of the chairman of the Board of Finance, head of the Department of Stewardship & Development, General Conference Secretary-Treasurer and two members-at-large elected by the General Council. The General Superintendent will serve on this committee in an ex-officio capacity. All investments shall be in insured accounts to protect the principal.

¶513. The country of Mexico shall be designated as the Mexican Mission Conference. Its chief administrative officer shall be a Mission Conference General Superintendent. The Mission Conference General Superintendent and any assistants shall be elected by the Mexican Mission Conference and confirmed by the General Conference.