STRUCTURE STRUCTURE OF THEOF THE

AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHCHURCH

4TH EPISCOPAL DISTRICTDepartment of Christian Education

CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

The Rt. Rev. John R. Bryant, Presiding Bishopand Senior Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal ChurchThe Rev. Dr. Reginald Blount, Director of Christian Education

The Rev. Ernest J. Garrison, Dean of Christian EducationThe Rev. Anita Marshall-School Superintendent

The Rev. Walter R. Bauldrick, Host Presiding Elder, Milwaukee DistrictThe Rev. Theonita Bedford, Director of Christian Education, Milwaukee District

Ernest J. Garrison, Facilitator

THE A.M.E. CHURCHSTRUCTURE

• LET’S REVIEW HOW THE CHURCH ESTABLISHES ITS STRUCTURE

– The Connectional Church comes together every 4 year to elect Bishops, General Officers and vote on legislation of our church

– Once a Bishop is elected, he/she will is consecrated to service for life. But can only preside over an Episcopal District until the General Conference preceding their 75 birthdate.

– A Bishop is also assigned, by the Episcopal Committee to preside over an Episcopal District for the next quadrennial. The Bishop can be reassigned to that Episcopal District but only once. A Bishop can not serve an Episcopal District more than 8 years.

– A Bishop is also appointed Chairperson of a General Office such as Christian Education, Missions, Annuities, etc.

THE A.M.E. CHURCHSTRUCTURE

• LET’S REVIEW HOW THE CHURCH ESTABLISHES ITS STRUCTURE– Also at the General Conference, the Church comes

together to elect General Officers and vote on legislation of our church

– The candidate for General Offices can be a layperson or clergy

– The term of each general office is 4-years and the person can be elected at each General Conference and can be re-elected until the General Conference preceding their 75th birthdate.

OUR STRUCTURE

•The African Methodist Episcopal Church is a connectional organization. Each local church is a part of the larger connection.

• The Bishops are the Chief Officers of the Connectional Organization. They are elected for life by a majority vote of the General Conference which meets every four years. Bishops are bound by the laws of the church to retire upon the General Conference preceding their 75th birthday.

PRESIDING ELDER• Presiding Elders are the assistants, like middle management, whom the

Bishops appoint to supervise the preachers in a Presiding Elder’s District. A Presiding Elder District is one portion of an Annual Conference, which in turn is one part of the Episcopal District over which a Bishop presides. In the Presiding Elder District, the appointed Presiding Elder meets with the local churches, that comprise the District, at least once every three months for a Quarterly Conference. The Presiding Elder also presides over a District Conference and a Sunday School Convention in his or her District. At the end of an Annual Conference year, the Presiding Elder reports to the Bishop at the Annual Conference and makes recommendations for pastoral appointments.

PASTOR

• Pastors receive a yearly appointment to a charge (church), on the recommendation of the Presiding Elder and with the approval and final appointment of the Bishop. The pastor is in full charge of the Church and is an ex-official member of all boards, organizations and clubs of that Church.

STRUCTURE OF A.M.E. CHURCH

GENERAL CONFERENCEDelegates from Episcopal Districts

Council of Bishops

General Conference Commission Committees

Judicial CouncilBoard of Trustees General Board

Commissions

Departments

Episcopal District

Annual Conference

Presiding Elder District

Local Church/Station

THE CONNECTIONAL CHURCH

1) THE GENERAL CONFERENCE

The General Conference is the supreme body of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. It is composed of the Bishops, as ex-officio presidents, according to the rank of election, and an equal number of ministerial and lay delegates, elected by each of the Annual Conferences and the Lay Electoral Colleges of the Annual Conferences. Other ex-officio members are: the General Officers, College Presidents, Deans/Presidents of Theological Seminaries; Chaplains in the Regular Armed Forces of the U.S.A. The General Conference meets quadrennially (every four years), but may have extra sessions in certain emergencies.

THE COUNCIL OF BISHOPS

2) COUNCIL OF BISHOPS

The Council of Bishops is the Executive Branch of the Connectional Church. It has the general oversight of the Church during the interim of General Conferences. The Council of Bishops shall meet annually at such time and place as the majority of the Council shall determine and also at such other times as may be deemed necessary in the discharging its responsibility as the Executive Branch of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The Council of Bishops shall hold at least two public sessions at each annual meeting. At the first, complaints and petitions against a Bishop shall be heard, at the second, the decisions of the Council shall be made public. All decisions shall be in writing.

GENERAL BOARD

3) BOARD OF INCORPORATORS

The Board of Incorporators, also known as the General Board of Trustees, has the supervision, In Trust, of all Connectional property of the Church and is vested with authority to act in behalf of the Connectional Church wherever necessary.

GENERAL BOARD

4) THE GENERAL BOARD

The General Board is in many respects the administrative body and is comprised of various departmental Commissions made up of the respective Executive-Director, the General Secretary of

the AME Church, the Chief Financial Officer, the members of the various Commissions, and one Bishop as presiding officer with the other Bishops associating.

SUPREME COURT OF THE CHURCH

5) JUDICIAL COUNCIL

The Judicial Council is the highest judicatory body of the African Methodist Episcopal

Church. It is an appellate court, elected by the General Conference, and is amenable to it.

GENERAL BOARD

Bishops, General OfficersEpiscopal District Delegates

General Secretary

STRUCTURE OF A.M.E. CHURCH

GENERAL CONFERENCE

Delegates from Episcopal Districts

Sunday School UnionTreasurer

Church Growth&Development

Annuity & Investments Christian

Education

ChristianRecorder

Missions & Global Witness

BOARD OF BISHOP

Bishops of the Church

Historiographer

General Officers are elected to Head Ministries of the Church for a term of 4 years.

General Officers can be re-elected each quadrennial until age 75.

The Members of the General Board are the Bishops, General Officers and delegates (Clergy & Lay) from each Episcopal District.

They are to serve for a quadrennial which is 4 years. They can be re-elected until age 75.

General Officers of the Church

GENERAL BOARD

Bishops, General OfficersEpiscopal District Delegates

Women Missionary

Society

STRUCTURE OF A.M.E. CHURCH

GENERAL CONFERENCE

Delegates from Episcopal Districts

Social Action

Lay Organization

YoungPeopleDivision

Women InMinistry

JudicialCouncil

Clergy FamilyOrganization

Presiding Elders

BOARD OF BISHOP

Bishops of the Church

Council

Each connectional officer can not serve for more then two terms, or eight years.

Connectional Officers are elected by their respective Ministries at the seat of their respective Connectional Conventions or Convocations.

Connectional Officers of the Church

Fellowship Church

Educators

BISHOP

The Rev. Rev. John Richard BryantPresiding Prelate

The Rev. Dr. Cecilia W. BryantEpiscopal Supervisor

STRUCTURE OF 4TH EPISCOPAL DISTRICTOF THE A.M.E. CHURCH

WOMENMISSIONARY

SOCIETYJoyce Keys

HEALTHCOMMISSION

Vickie McCullough

4TH DISTRICTADMINISTRATORJo Ann Hawkins White

4th DISTRICTOFFICE

SECRETARYLajuna Edge

CHRISTIANEDUCATION

Rev. Reginald Blount

EVANGELISM

Rev. Jerry Hatter

YOUNG ADULTNETWORK

J. Fidal Young

LAYORGANIZATION

Madge White

WOMEN INMINISTRY

Rev. Debra Williams

CLERGYFAMILY ORG.

Anita Lemmons

The Bishop will then appoint and assign Department Heads to the ministries of the District.

BISHOP

The Rev. Rev. John Richard BryantPresiding Prelate

The Rev. Dr. Cecilia W. BryantEpiscopal Supervisor

INDIANASouth District

Samuel L. Sumner

STRUCTURE OF 4TH EPISCOPAL DISTRICTOF THE A.M.E. CHURCH

CHICAGOSt. Paul

MinneapolisAlphonse Reff, Sr.

ILLINOISSouth District

Gary McCants

MICHIGANNorth District

H. Michael Lemmons

CANADIANCONFERENCE

Tracey Thomas

CHICAGOMilwaukee District

Walter R. Bauldrick

CHICAGONorth District

Albert D. Tyson, III

CHICAGOSouth District

Thomas M. Hughes

INDIANANorth District

Ann Henning Byfield

ILLINOISNorth District

Tyson Parks

MICHIGANSouth DistrictNorman V.

Osborne

They become more/less an immediate supervisor or the pastors in the Conference

They are required to meet quarterly with each church to report on the status and condition of each congregation and minister

The Bishop is then authorized to appoint the Presiding Elders whose job is to oversee the business of the Conferences during the absence of the Bishop.

PRESIDING ELDER

DISTRICT

STRUCTURE OF 4TH EPISCOPAL DISTRICTOF THE A.M.E. CHURCH

WOMENMISSIONARY

SOCIETYOptional

HEALTHCOMMISSION

CHRISTIANEDUCATION

EVANGELISM YOUNG ADULTNETWORK

LAYORGANIZATION

Optional

WOMEN INMINISTRY

CLERGYFAMILY ORG.

Optional

The Bishop will then appoint and assign Department Heads to the ministries of the District.

OFFICAL BOARDExhorters Class Leader

Deaconess StewardsTrustees Stewardess

Presidents of all organizations* Local Preachers are honorary members

STRUCTURE OF THE LOCAL A.M.E. CHURCH

PASTOR The Official Board shall be composed of all the Class Leaders, Exhorters, Deaconess. Stewardess, Trustees, Stewardesses and Presidents of all organizations including the Lay Organization (Pg. 83, Paragraph B.)

1stCHRISTIAN EDUCATION

USHER BOARD

YOUNG PEOPLEDIVISION

SUNDAYSCHOOL

MUSIC

STEWARDBOARD

CLASSLEADERS

TRUSTEEBOARD

WOMENMISSIONARY

SOCIETY

LAYORGANIZATION

The Official Board is responsible for theday-to-day operation of the church as directed by the pastor.

PASTOR

STEWARDSHIP&

FINANCE

STRUCTURE OF THE LOCAL A.M.E. CHURCH

QUARTERY CONFERENCE

Presiding Elder

STEWARDESSBOARD

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

HEALTHMEMBERSHIPEVANGELISM

SOCIALACTION

MISSIONS &WELFARE

PUBLICRELATIONS

PRAISE &WORSHIP

STEWARD BOARD

Board of Trustees

STRUCTURE OFTRUSTEE BOARD

Chairperson

Pastor

BUILDINGGROUNDS

TRANSPORTATIONKITCHEN SANCTUARYOTHER

THE COMMISSION STRUCTURE OFLOCAL CHURCH

There may be constituted in each local church the following commission, whose respective duties are hereinafter defined:

(1)The Commission on Membership and Evangelism(2) The Commission on Christian Education (3) The Commission on Missions and Welfare (4) The Commission on Stewardship & Finance (5) The Commission on Public Relations (6) The Commission on Christian Social Actions(7) The Commission on Health

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The 2012 Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church

THE COMMISSION STRUCTURE OFLOCAL A.M.E. CHURCH

• The pastor shall be the chairperson of the Commission on Stewardship and Finance and the ex-officio chairperson on the other commissions. The chairperson of each commission shall be a steward and therefore a member of the Official Board and Quarterly Conference to which he or she is amenable, with the exception of the Commission on Missions and Welfare, whose chairperson may be either a steward or a trustee. They shall make monthly reports to the Official Board and also quarterly reports to the Quarterly Conference. The members shall be elected by the church conference, except that of the Commission on Christian Education.

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The 2012 Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church

COMMISSION STRUCTURE OFLOCAL A.M.E. CHURCH

• Each commission shall be composed of no fewer than three nor more than seven members who are in good and regular standing in the A.M.E. Church and eighteen years of age or over. This rule may not apply in the case of mission charges, and does not apply to the Commission on Stewardship and Finance, which shall be composed of an equal number of stewards and trustees plus Official Board members-at-large. The total number of persons on this commission shall not be fewer than three (3) nor more than nine (9). Each commission shall cooperate with the Connectional and Annual Conference Commissions.

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