2022
United Methodist News Source
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Council of Bishops
Bishops of The United Methodist Church provide spiritual leadership to almost 12 million persons in a broad range of settings on four continents.
General Conference of The United Methodist Church
Sets the rules and establishes procedures for every aspect of the church’s life. Communicates the denomination’s official position on a variety of issues and cultural challenges. Usually meets every four years. Bishops preside over General Conference but have neither vote nor voice in the sessions. Delegates to General Conference are equal numbers of laity and clergy elected by their annual conferences. After several Covid-related postponements, the next General Conference is scheduled for 2024.
Kentucky Annual Conference <kyumc.org>
Resident Bishop: Leonard Fairley
The conference is divided into 9 Districts. Richmond First United Methodist Church belongs to the Lexington District. An annual conference is a regional body of clergy and lay members that meets yearly to worship, enjoy fellowship, and conduct the conference’s busines, including electing delegates to General Conference. Most clergy are members of the Annual Conference. Each church elects one lay delegate for each appointed clergyperson.
Lexington District
Superintendent: The Rev. Dr. Iosmar Alvarez
Groups of churches in a geographic area are organized to form a district. Richmond First United Methodist Church belongs to the Lexington District. Each district is led by a district superintendent, an elder appointed by the bishop. The District Superintendent (DS) oversees the ministry of the district’s clergy and churches, provides spiritual and pastoral leadership, works with the bishop and others in the appointments of ordained ministers to serve the district’s churches, presides at meetings of the charge conference, and oversees programs within the district.
Charge Conference
Presiding officer: the district superintendent
The charge conference is the basic governing body of each United Methodist local church and is composed of all members of the church administrative council. The charge conference meets at least once every year. It reviews and evaluates the mission and ministry of the church, sets salaries for appointed clergy, recommends candidates for ordained ministry, and affirms the local church’s covenant to provide funds for “Our Mission Together,” also known as “Apportionments.”