2023 Clergy Session

Clergy Session Agenda

Wednesday, June 8, 2023 - 6:30-8:00 pm

Introduction and Opening Prayer

*Hymn: “Be Thou My Vision” (see other side)

Who may be present at clergy session (voice/vote)?

Bishop Lanette

Brandon Vetter

Brandon Vetter

Brandon Vetter

Paragraphs 33, 368.1, 602, 605 (2016 BOD): Clergy membership consists of deacons and elders in full connection, provisional members, associate members, affiliate members, and local pastors under full-time and part-time appointment to a pastoral charge—all of whom have voice. (Exception: those clergy members who have been placed in involuntary retirement) Only the ordained clergy in full connection and the members of the Board of Ordained Ministry may vote on matters of ordination, character, and conference relations of clergy. Provisional Members, associate members, affiliate members, and local pastors may not vote on matters of ordination, character, and conference relations of clergy unless they are a member of the Conference BOM.

Explanation and Process for voting on Candidates

Brandon Vetter

Candidates will come before the Clergy Session individually. They will introduce themselves and will briefly answer two questions relevant to their particular membership and ordination track. After responding to their questions, they will leave the room; an advocate from BOM will pray then we will vote

Election for Provisional Membership on Elder and Deacon Track—Par. 324.4a, b (Q24, Q25d) (v)

Elder Track

Don Dinger

Krista Ducker

Deacon Track

Amber Laffey

From Other Denomination

Andrea Johnson

Election as Elder in Full Connection (Q32b) (v 2/3)

Matt Morrison

Approve for Ordination as Elder (Q34a, b) (v 2/3) After provisional membership—Par. 335:

Matt Morrison

Character of Clergy – Par. 604.4, 605.7 (Q13)

Dakotas Clergy Ethics Statement

Acknowledgment of Withdrawals

Items from the Bishop

Closing Prayer

Kris Mutzenberger

Brandon Vetter

Bishop Lanette

Bishop Lanette

Bishop Lanette

Clergy Session Agenda

Thursday, June 9, 2023 - 4:30-5:30 pm

Convene

Opening Prayer

*Covenant Prayer in the Wesleyan Tradition

Bishop Lanette

Brandon Vetter

Brandon Vetter

Acknowledgement of Retirees & Prayer Howard Grinager

Acknowledgement of Retiring Licensed Local Pastors & Prayer Rick Craig

Acknowledgement of Memorialized & Prayer Howard Grinager

Approval of Appointments as FTLP & PTLP—Par. 318.1, 318.2 (Q17a, 17b) (v. within BAC) Rick Craig

Approval of ODs to Serve Appointments in DAC—Par. 331.8, 346 (Q21) (v. within BAC) Brandon Vetter

Conference Relations Issues (All votes within BAC) Gary Ball-Kilbourne

• Approval of Medical Leave—Par. 356 (Q48)

• Approval of Retirements—Par. 357 (Q49 a & c)

• Approval for LTFT Service for AM, PE, FE—Par. 338.2, 342.2, 1506 (Q67a)

• Approval of Extension Ministry outside connectional structure (Q71c)

Corrections & Updates to BAC and Questions for BOM about BAC

Final Approval of BAC Items Relating to Ordination & Clergy Membership

*Hymn: “And Are We Yet Alive”

Closing Prayer – Oldest clergy present

Brandon Vetter

Brandon Vetter

(vs. 1) Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart! naught be all else to me save that thou art Thou my best thought, by day or by night, waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

(vs. 2) Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word; I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord. Thou and thou only, first in my heart, great God of heaven, my treasure thou art.

(vs. 3) Great God of heaven, my victory won, may I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heaven’s Sun! Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, sLll be my vision, O Ruler of all.

A Covenant Prayer In The Wesleyan Tradition

I am no longer my own, but thine. Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee, exalted for thee or brought low by thee. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and hearLly yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal. And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be raLfied in heaven. Amen.

“And Are We Yet Alive”

(vs. 1) And are we yet alive, and see each other’s face? Glory and thanks to Jesus give for his almighty grace!

(vs. 2) Preserved by power divine to full salvaLon here, again in Jesus’ praise we join, and in his sight appear.

(vs. 3) What troubles have we seen, what mighty conflicts past, fighLngs without, and fears within, since we assembled last!

(vs. 4) Yet out of all the Lord hath brought us by his love; and sLll he doth his help afford, and hides our life above.

(vs. 5) Then let us make our boast of his redeeming power, which saves us to the uZermost, Lll we can sin no more.

(vs. 6) Let us take up the cross Lll we the crown obtain, and gladly reckon all things loss so we may Jesus gain.

Dakotas Clergy Ethics Statement

“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same funcOon, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” - Romans 12.4-5

In the maZer of clergy ethics, we must seek to begin in the basic ChrisLan ethic of integrity and discipleship. As United Methodist Clergy, we covenant to live within the doctrines, disciplines and ethics of our denominaLon. We do this through our commitment to the Triune God through the three General Rules of our Church. (¶104).

• To do no harm.

• To do good.

• And to aZend upon the ordinances of God.

It is the first rule that we, as ChrisLans, oben falter. Clergy are, however, called to a specific standard connected to the authority of the role. In seeking to ‘do no harm’ we affirm our covenant to: (¶340, ¶341 and ¶2702)

• Speak, write, post and share with integrity, speaking the truth and seeking to verify before speaking.

• Set clear boundaries between relaLonships - both within and beyond the church, avoiding the use of manipulaLon, inLmidaLon, guilt or using the office of clergy for personal gain - whether through relaLonships, poliLcal power, financial gain or influence.

• Honor our connecLon to fellow clergy through respecLng the integrity of each other’s ministry. (i.e. refraining from returning to previous churches or communiLes, refraining from spreading rumors, etc.)

• As clergy, we represent and proclaim the Good News to the world. We cannot do so through pathways that harm. We, as clergy in the Dakotas Annual Conference seek to live as examples of Christ. In our speech, our acLons, our lives and especially in our ministry.