CHAPTER 16
The US Bishop
The US National Conference shall elect an ordained minister to serve as US bishop for a four-year term. This person must have served as a United Brethren elder for at least six years. The bishop shall reside in the area of Huntington, Indiana.
¶511 Election of the US Bishop
1. Nominating Committee
The Executive Leadership Team shall appoint a nominating committee and approve the ballot for submission to the US National Conference.
2. Duties of the Nominating Committee
a. The nominating committee shall consider all elders eligible for election to the office of bishop. (See ¶11.1a.)
b. The nominating committee shall confer with persons they desire to nominate to determine if there are circumstances which would prevent them from serving, if elected.
c. The nominating committee shall notify the membership of the US National Conference of its nominations at least 60 days prior to the US National Conference.
3. Amendments to the Report
The nominating committee report may be amended by addition from the floor of the US National Conference if there is only one name on the ballot.
4. Election
The election shall be conducted immediately after the report is adopted. Persons elected must receive a majority of the votes cast by ballot.
¶512 Duties of the Bishop
1. Administrative
The bishop shall be responsible for the general administration of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA. The bishop will:
a. Preside at meetings of the US National Conference.
b. Oversee the work of the directors, the staff, and the national leadership teams.
c. Ensure that accountability procedures are established for all directors, leadership teams, cluster leaders, and staff of the US national church.
d. Create any leadership teams, beyond those specified in the Discipline, needed to better serve the churches and ministries of the US National Conference.
e. Maintain a manual stating job descriptions and operating procedures of the national office, staff, and leadership teams.
f. Fill vacancies on leadership teams.
2. Ministers
a. Station senior pastors in conjunction with others assigned to that task.
b. Be responsible to appoint cluster leaders.
c. Ensure that local churches are assigned to a cluster relationship.
d. Conduct ordination services or assign this responsibility to another ordained minister.
3. Beliefs and Practices
a. Interpret the Discipline. The bishop’s ruling shall stand until the next meeting of the US National Conference or the Executive Leadership Team.
b. Develop and communicate the vision of the church in cooperation with the Executive Leadership Team.
c. Promote and communicate the Core Values of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, International, and the Discipline of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA.
4. Partnerships
a. Ensure that US National Conference entities comply with any joint ministry agreements with other United Brethren national conferences.
b. Oversee United Brethren relationships with parachurch and inter-denominational ministries, and with other evangelical denominations.
c. Encourage and promote continuing relationships with the international conferences.
d. Serve as an ex-officio member of the US delegation to the General Conference.
e. Appoint the appropriate number of delegates to represent the US National Conference to the General Conference. [See ¶33, International Bylaws]
¶513 Accountability
1. The bishop shall be accountable to the Executive Leadership Team for ministry performance and moral and personal conduct. An annual evaluation will be conducted according to provisions established by the Executive Leadership Team.
2. If the bishop becomes involved in immoral or imprudent conduct or otherwise proves to be incompetent in that office, the Executive Leadership Team will request the bishop’s resignation or may remove the bishop from office by a two-thirds vote.
¶514 Succession
If a vacancy occurs in the office of bishop due to death, disability, resignation, or removal, the Executive Leadership Team shall appoint an elder to serve as acting bishop until the next meeting of the US National Conference.
