CLASS LEADERS TRAINING PART I KNOW YOUR CONNECTIONAL AND LOCAL CHURCH MARCH 19, 2013 PRESENTER REV. BETTY WANNAMAKER

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1 CLASS LEADERS TRAINING PART I KNOW YOUR CONNECTIONAL AND LOCAL CHURCH MARCH 19, 2013 PRESENTER REV. BETTY WANNAMAKER

2 WELCOME BETHEL AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

3 7 TH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT LEADERSHIP BISHOP RICHARD FRANKLIN NORRIS PRESIDING PRELATE MOTHER MARY ANN NORRIS EPISCOPAL SUPERVISOR

4 COLUMBIA LEADERSHIP REV. SANDY W. DRAYTON PRESIDING ELDER MRS. PRADENSIA HUGHES DRAYTON DISTRICT SUPERVISOR

5 P. E. SANDY DRAYTON COLUMBIA DISTRICT P. E. JAMES GLOVER LANCASTER DISTRICT P. E. JOSEPH POSTELL NEWBERRY SPARTANBURG DISTRICT

6 HISTORY FIRST CALLED FREE AFRICAN SOCIETY (FAS) ESTABLISHED IN 1787 RICHARD ALLEN AND ABSALOM JONES AND OTHERS WALKED OUT AFTER BEING DENIED THE RIGHT TO PRAY AT THE ALTAR OF THE ST. GEORGE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

7 HISTORY MOTHER BETHEL A.M.E. CHURCH, PHILADELPHIA, PA WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1793 RICHARD ALLEN AS PASTOR BECAUSE OTHER CHURCHES IN THE AREA WERE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH RACISM THEY STARTED THEIR OWN CHURCHES ALLEN FORMED A NEW COMMUNITY OF WESLEYAN DENOMINATION A.M.E.CHURCH RICHARD ALLEN ORDAINED ELDER AND CONSECRATED FIRST BISHOP OF THE NEW DENOMINATIONS

8 OUR NAME AFRICAN- Our church was organized by people of African descent and heritage. METHODIST- Our church is a member of the family of Methodist Churches. We believe in the plain and simple gospel and an orderly system of rules and regulations. EPISCOPAL- Episcopal refers to the form of government which our church operates. In the Episcopal form of government the Bishop is the chief executive and administrative officer. CHURCH- We are a community of people who believe in God and who accept Jesus Christ our Savior and Master of our lives OUR MOTTO: God Our Father, Christ Our Redeemer, the Holy Spirit Our Comforter, Humankind Our Family.

9 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE A.M.E. CHURCH Connected to make the Whole The General Conference Supreme Legislative Body Bishops, general officers, connectional officers, college presidents & deans, chaplains and an equal number of clergy and lay delegates from each annual conference Elect bishops, general officers, members of various boards, commissions to deal with matters affecting the AME Church. The Bishop s Council Connectional Executive Branch All Bishops Hearing complaints and petitions against the bishops Making assignments of bishops General oversight of the church during the GC and GB The General Board Chief administrative connectional agency Active Bishops, General Secretary, General Treasurer, and Secretary-Treasurer, members of various Commissions and clergy / lay elected from the General Conference. The Episcopal Districts 20 Episcopal Districts 13 in US and 7 located in Africa and overseas The District Conferences Composed of all ministers, officers, evangelists and presidents of local church organizations The General Departments Several departments directed by the General Officers to carry out the A.M.E. Mission The Annual Conferences Basic units of the A.M.E. Church Ministers and Lay Members from each charge The Local Church Quarterly Conference Church Conference Official Board

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11 GENERAL CONFERENCE OF THE A.M.E. CHURCH COUNCIL OF BISHOPS GENERAL BOARD EPISCOPAL DISTRICTS ANNUAL CONFERENCES Palmetto S. Carolina Columbia Central Northeast Piedmont DISTRICT CONFERENCES N /S Lancaster Columbia LOCAL CHURCHES BETHEL

12 SOUTH CAROLINA

13 Connectional Lay Organization Women's Missionary Society Young People's Division (WMS) Connectional Sons of Allen Conn-M-SWAWO + PK s Music and Christian Arts Ministry Women in Ministry (WIM) AME Chaplains Association Social Action Commission AME Service and Development Agency (SADA) The Clergy Family Information Center

14 Connectional Health Commission Connectional Council Richard Allen Young Adult Council (RAYAC) Christian Debutante-Master Presiding Elder s Council Connectional Medical Director

15 About Us Mission Motto Beliefs Structure History District listings PRESIDING BISHOPS GENERAL OFFICERS CONNECTIONAL OFFICERS News/events

16 1. ANNUAL CONFERENCE Composition and Function Presiding Officer Presiding Bishop is the President of Annual Conference All CLERGY, CONFERENCE Lay Organization, CONFERENCE WMS; CONFERENCE DIRECTOR of CED and YPD; 1 elected lay. Duties Report the work of the local churches and carry out the vision and business of the annual conference FMI see the A.M.E. Church Book of Discipline 2. DISTRICT CONFERENCE Composition and Function Presiding Officer Presiding Elder All traveling ministers, local preachers, evangelists, presidents of missionary societies, and one steward Quarterly Conference, Presidents of lay organizations and a youth representative from each church. Consideration and transaction of his/her presiding district 3. QUARTERLY CONFERENCE Composition and Function Presiding Officer Presiding Elder All traveling preachers on the circuit or station, supernumeraries, retired ministers, local preachers, stewards, stewardesses, trustees, class leaders, general officers, deaconesses, licensed missionary workers, evangelists and the superintendent of Church School and all other heads of auxiliaries. Consideration and transaction relative to the state of the local church

17 4. CHURCH CONFERENCE Composition and Function Presiding Officer Local Pastor All clergy and members of the local church Consideration and transaction of local church business Call as often as the pastor desires 5. OFFICIAL Board Composition and Function Presiding Officer Local Pastor All class leaders, exhorters, deaconesses, stewards, trustees, stewardesses and presidents of all organization. Official Legislative Board of the local church. Nothing is official until it is past through the Official Board. It is the accountability board of the local church. Review the status of membership

18 7. Stewards Composition and Function Presiding Officer Local Pastor Stewards are nominated by the Pastor and confirmed by the Quarterly Conference Responsible for assisting the pastor in keeping the membership on a high and sound spiritual level. Everything that is of priority to the pastor should also be a priority to every steward. 8. Trustees Composition and Function Presiding Officer Local Pastor Stewards are elected by members of the church Manage all temporal affairs of the church. Look after the building and other real estate which is own by the church