¶ 23. Article I.-The jurisdictional conferences shall be composed of as many representatives from the annual conferences and missionary conferences44 as shall be determined by a uniform basis established by the General Conference, provided that no jurisdictional conference shall have fewer than 100 delegates.The missionary conferences shall be considered as annual conferences for the purpose of this article.45
¶ 24. Article II.-All jurisdictional conferences shall have the same status and the same privileges of action within the limits fixed by the Constitution. The ratio of representation of the annual conferences and missionary conferences46 in the General Conference shall be the same for all jurisdictional conferences.
¶ 25. Article III.-The General Conferences shall fix the basis of representation in the jurisdictional conferences; provided that the jurisdictional conferences shall be composed of an equal number of clergy and lay delegates to be elected by the annual conferences, the missionary conferences47 and the provisional annual conferences.
¶ 26. Article IV.-Each jurisdictional conference shall meet at the time determined by the Council of Bishops or its delegated committee, each jurisdictional conference convening on the same date as the others and at a place selected by the jurisdictional committee on entertainment, appointed by its College of Bishops unless such a committee has been appointed by the preceding jurisdictional conference.
¶ 27. Article V.-The jurisdictional conferences shall have the following powers and duties and such others as may be conferred by the General Conferences:
1. To promote the evangelistic, educational, missionary, and benevolent interests of the Church and to provide for interests and institutions within their boundaries.48
2. To elect bishops and to cooperate in carrying out such plans for their support as may be determined by the General Conference.
3. To establish and constitute jurisdictional conference boards as auxiliary to the general boards of the Church as the need may appear and to choose their representatives on the general boards in such manner as the General Conference may determine.49
4. To determine the boundaries of their annual conferences; provided that there shall be no annual conference with a membership of fewer than fifty clergy in full connection, except by the consent of the General Conference.
5. To make rules and regulations for the administration of the work of the Church within the jurisdiction, subject to such powers as have been or shall be vested in the General Conference.
6. To appoint a committee on appeals to hear and determine the appeal of a traveling preacher of that jurisdiction from the decision of a trial committee.
44. Amended 1976.
45. Amended 1976.
46. Amended 1976.
47. Amended 1976.
48. See Judicial Council Decision 67.
49. See Judicial Council Decision 183.
From The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church - 2012. Copyright 2012 by The United Methodist Publishing House. Used by permission.
