National Conference
From the 2005-2007 UB Discipline
Purpose
The United States National Conference shall oversee all affairs pertaining to its leadership teams, conferences, churches, church extension districts, and mission districts. The US National Conference shall establish policies pertaining to the ministry of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, United States of America.
Local Church Covenant
The Local Church Covenant is the church's opportunity to reaffirm its relationship with sister congregations and the US National Conference. Through this covenant, a local church expresses its desire to strengthen and support the ministries of the United Brethren Church in its effort to fulfill the Great Commission.
1. Responsibilities of Individual Congregations
Every congregation shall do the following:
a. They shall reaffirm their support of and membership in the US National Conference by signing a covenant which includes affirmation of these points:
(1) They are committed to the Confession of Faith.
(2) They agree with the core values of the United Brethren in Christ, International.
(3) They agree to abide by the Constitution and Discipline of the US National Conference.
(4)They are passionate about fulfilling the Great Commission through their local church.
(5)They are interested in partnering with other like-minded churches.
(6)They support the ministry and mission of the United Brethren Church, USA, through the annual partnership fee.
(7)They will participate in a cluster.
(8)They support the work of the camps, university, and other ministries of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ.
b. They shall renew the covenant every two years prior to the National Conference session.
c. The covenant shall be approved by vote of the highest governing body within the local church.
d. The covenant shall be signed and dated by the chairman of that governing body and by the senior pastor (or a leading layperson, should the senior pastor be chairman of that body).
e. The covenant shall be submitted to the national office 90 days prior to the National Conference session.
2. Responsibilities of the US National Conference
a. If a church does not sign and submit the covenant to the national office 90 days prior to the National Conference session, the cluster leader (or another elder designated by the bishop) shall hold a specially called congregational meeting of the church membership at least 60 days prior to the National Conference. The purpose of this meeting would be to determine if it is the desire of the membership to sign and continue in a covenant relationship with the United Brethren in Christ USA or to withdraw from said relationship. If a majority of the church's members at a duly called meeting determine not to sign the covenant, then the church shall be considered to have withdrawn from the United Brethren in Christ, USA.
b. Churches that hold title to their property and do not sign the covenant shall be considered to have withdrawn from the denomination.
c. If a church does not keep its commitment to the standards of the local church covenant, the ELT may, with a majority vote, decline to offer a new covenant.
d. The ELT shall handle any situations which may arise concerning the status of churches, but which are not already covered in the Discipline.
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