Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb’s Hope Ministries

Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb’s Hope Ministries
Our Purpose
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.(Jeremiah 29:11)
GLOBAL Methodist-Nazarene LAMB'S HOPE MINISTRY CONSTITUTION
Article I. Name
The name of this organization shall be Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministry (GMNLHM) of the United Methodist Church and the Global Church of the Nazarene.
Article II. Purpose
The purpose of this organization shall be to mobilize the entire church in active mission involvement, in united prayer, and in the study of the salvation needs of the world's population with disabilities; promote a wider knowledge of the mission fields of the United Methodist Church and The Global Church of the Nazarene for the full and active inclusion of all people with a disability and their families whether they are deaf, blind, paraplegic, quadriplegic, cognitive, physical, and emotional or mental illness; inspire and challenge youth, children, and adults to be open to God’s call for missionary service, and to facilitate the mentoring of children, youth, and adults in their calls; raise funds, as elsewhere provided for in this Constitution, for extending the kingdom of Jesus Christ around the world. The inclusion of people who are differently abled as active laity or clergy where God has called each of them to contribute to His Kingdom.
Article III. Structure
Section 1. Local
The local Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministry (GMNLHM) shall be an organization of the local church and shall work cooperatively with the pastor and church board through the local GMNLHM council.
A local GMNLHM may choose to have one or more groups to further the purpose of GMNLHM (e.g., Sunday School classes, children’s church, youth groups, chapters, special missions emphasis focus, assistant living facility, inclusiveness within the church and community, etc.). Such groups and the appointment/election of officers shall be authorized by the local GMNLHM council with approval by the pastor and the respective related leaders.
Section 2. District
The Conference Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministry (GMNLHM) shall be an organization of the _______________ Conference/District and work cooperatively with the Bishop, District Superintendents, and General Superintendents Conference/Assembly advisory board, and other Conference/assembly related leaders through the Conference/Assembly GMNLHM council.
All local GMNLHM organizations within the boundaries of ______________ Conference/Assembly shall constitute the Conference/Assembly GMNLHM.
Section 3. General
The General Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministries (GMNLHM) shall be an organization of the United Methodist Church and The Global Church of the Nazarene and work cooperatively with the General GMNLHM Council [similar to the United Methodist Women], the Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministries Department, the Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministries Committee of the General Board, and the Bishops/General Superintendents in jurisdiction.
All conference/assembly and local GMLHM organizations shall constitute the general GMNLHM. It shall be auxiliary to the United Methodist Church and The Global Church of the Nazarene.
Article IV. Membership
A. Members: Any person who is a member or regular attender of the United Methodist Church & The Global Church of the Nazarene and supports the Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministries (GMNLHM) purpose may be a member of GMNLHM in that local church.
1. Voting and holding office shall be limited to members who are 15 years of age or older, except in children’s, youth, and adult groups.
2. Unless otherwise stated in this constitution, reference to “members” means GMNLHM members who are members of the church.
B. Associate Members: Any person who is not a member of the United Methodist Church & The Global Church of the Nazarene and supports the GMNLHM purpose may be an associate member of GMNLHM.
Article V. Councils and Officers Section 1. Local Council
A. Purpose: The local council shall promote the purpose of Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministries (GMNLHM) in the local church.
B. Composition
1. The council shall have four officers: a president, a vice president, a secretary, and a treasurer.
2. Council members shall be responsible for ministries education, prayer and fasting, ministers call, Ministries Health Care, Work & Witness, publicity, United Methodist Committee on Relief and The Nazarene Compassionate Ministry, children’s ministries, youth ministries, adult ministries, and/or any other emphasis deemed necessary by the local council. Chapter chairperson shall be members of the local GMNLHM council. A council member may hold more than one position but only have one vote.
3. Executive committee shall be the pastor (ex-officio), GMNLHM officers, and two other council members.
4. Any Conference/assembly GMNLHM council member shall be an ex-officio member of the local GMNLHM council with the approval of the local GMNLHM council.
C. Nominations, Elections, Appointments, and Vacancies
1. Nominations: The council shall be nominated by a committee of not less than three and no more than seven members of the GMNLHM. The pastor or the Staff and Parish Committee shall appoint the nominating committee and serve as the committee chairman. All nominees shall be GMNLHM members of the local United Methodist Church and The Global Church of the Nazarene.
2. Elections: The officers and a minimum of two additional council members shall be elected at the church conferenceassembly and shall begin serving on the first day of the new church year after the election. If a local church has a unified treasurer who accounts for church funds, including GMNLHM monies, and who has been elected by the church board, that person shall be the GMNLHM tresurer as an ex-officio member of the local GMNLHM council with all rights and duties, unless otherwise specified by the local council.
a. President
(1) The nominating committee shall submit one or more names for the office of president, subject to the approval of the staff and parish committee.
(2) Incumbent nominees may be reelected by a yes/no ballot when such election is recommended by the nominating committee and approved by the pastor.
(3) The president shall be elected by a majority vote by ballot of the members present and voting for a term of service of one or two church years. The GMNLHM council and the pastor or the staff and parish committee shall recommend the length of the term of service.
b. Each of the remaining officers shall be elected by ballot for a term of service of one or two church years, the length of the term to be recommended by the GMNLHM council and the pastor, by
(1) A plurality vote; or
(2) A yes/no vote, when such a vote is recommended by the nominating committee and approved by the pastor or the staff and parish committee.
c. Additional council members, whose length of service shall be one church year, may be:
(1) Elected to specific responsibilities, or
(2) Elected to the council as a whole with responsibilities to be determined later, or
(3) Appointed by the executive committee.
d. Delegates and alternates to the annual conference/district assembly shall be elected by ballot at the church conference/assembly meeting by a plurality vote. Alternates may be elected on a separate ballot, or at the recommendation of the local council on the same ballot as the delegates. (See Article VI, Section 2, A.3 for determining the number of delegates.)
3. Appointments: In consultation with the pastor or the staff and parish committee, additional council members may be appointed by the executive committee to a term of service of one church year and shall begin serving on the first day of the new church year or at any time after the appointment is made.
4. Vacancies
a. President: The executive committee shall nominate one or more names with the approval of the staff and parish committee. Election shall be by ballot with a majority vote of the GMNLHM members at any regular or called meeting.
b. Other executive committee members: The executive committee shall nominate one or more names. Election shall be by ballot by a plurality vote of the local GMNLHM members at any regular or called meeting. If a local church has a unified treasurer, that vacancy shall be filled by the staff and parish committee.
c. Other council members: The executive committee shall fill any vacancy by appointment.
D. Duties of Council Members
1. President
a. Directs the work of GMNLHM in the local church.
b. Presides at all regular and special meetings of GMNLHM.
c. Promotes, or delegates responsibility for, all emphases not assigned by election or council action and employees of the GMNLHM.
d. Prepares an annual budget for approval by the local GMNLHM council and church board.
e. Submits annually written reports to the local GMNLHM, the church conference meeting, the pastor of the local church, and the conference GMNLHM secretary.
f. Serves as an ex-officio member of the church board, Sunday School Ministries board, conference/assembly GMNLHM convention, and the annual conferenceassembly. In the case where the pastor’s spouse serves as the local president, if he or she so desires not to serve on the staff and parish committee, the vice president is authorized to serve on the staff and parish committee in the president’s place.
2. Vice President
a. Performs all duties of the president when the president is absent.
b. Serves in other areas as assigned by the local GMNLHM council.
3. Secretary
a. Conducts the correspondence of the GMNLHM, keeps statistical records, and records the minutes of all business meetings.
b. Keeps a complete list of all GMNLHM members/employees.
4. Treasurer
a. Keeps an accurate account of all funds collected and expended.
b. Ensures all offerings are sent to the designated treasurers in a timely manner.
c. Furnishes the council and, where applicable, the local church treasurer with all reports.
d. Assures the employees are paid on a timely manner as twice a month in a check or direct deposit where taxes are taken out and paid the correct government agency.
5. Executive Committee
a. Appoints additional council members or fills vacancies on the council.
b. Transacts business between council meetings.
c. Nominates one or more names for president if a vacancy occurs between church conferences.
d. Asist in the hiring of employees on the full-time or part-time basis to live in community with the people who are differently abled.
6. Other Council Members
a. Promotes the emphases and/or responsibility to which they are assigned (see GMNLHM Handbook[will be written according the laws and constitution of te church and government).
Section 2: Conference Council
A. Purpose: The Conference/Assembly council shall promote the purpose of Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministries within the Conference.
B. Composition
1. The council shall have four officers: a president, a vice president, a secretary, and a treasurer.
2. Council members shall be responsible for mission education, prayer and fasting, ministries call, Ministries Health Care, Work & Witness, Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope  Ministries, publicity, United Methodist Committee on Relief/Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, children’s ministries, youth ministries, adult ministries deputation, GMNLHM zone or area coordinators, or any/other emphasis deemed necessary by the Conference/Assembly council. A council member may hold more than one position but have only one vote.
3. Executive Committee shall be the Bishop/General Superintendent, GMNLHM officers, and two other council members.
C. Nominations, Elections, Appointments, and Vacancies
1. Nominations: The council shall be nominated by a committee of not less than five (5) members of the GMNLHM. The conference/assembly executive committee shall appoint the nominating committee. The Bishop/General Superintendent shall serve as the committee chairman for the nomination of the conference//assembly president. Upon approval of the bishop/general superintendent, the district GMNLHM president may serve as chairman of the nominating committee for other nominations. All nominees shall be GMNLHM members of a local United Methodist Church/The Global Church of the Nazarene on the conference/assembly where they will serve.
2. Elections: The president and at least four additional council members, one of which will be designated as vice president, shall be elected by ballot at the annual conference/assembly. (These four council positions do not include the secretary and treasurer. See Article V, Section 2, C.2.c.) The term of service shall be one or two conference/assembly years. A conference year is from the adjournment of the annual conference/assembly to the adjournment of the next annual conference/assembly.
a. President
(1) The nominating committee shall submit at least two or more names for the office of president except when nominating an incumbent president for another term.
(2) Incumbent nominees may be reelected by a yes/no ballot when such election is recommended by the conference/assembly council and approved by the bishop/general superintendent.
(3) The president shall be elected by a two-thirds favorable vote of the members present and voting for a term of service of one or two conference/assembly years or until the successor has been elected. The conference/assembly GMNLHM council and the bishop/general superintendent shall recommend the length of the term of service.
b. Vice president shall be elected by ballot in one of the following ways:
(1) To the specific responsibility with two names submitted for the office; or
(2) To the council as a whole with specific council positions to be determined by the council; or
(3) A yes/no vote upon the recommendation of the nominating committee and approval of the bishop.
c. Secretary and treasurer shall be elected by ballot by
(1) The annual conference/assembly. With the recommendation of the nominating committee and approval of the conference/assembly, election may be by a yes/no ballot for one or two conference/assembly years; or
(2) The newly elected conference/assembly council upon the recommendation of the nominating committee and approval of the bishop/general superintendent. With the recommendation of the nominating committee and approval of the bishop/general superintendent, election may be by a yes/no ballot for one or two conference years.
(3) If a conference/assembly has a unified treasurer who accounts for conference/assembly funds, including GMNLHM monies, that person shall be the GMNLHM treasurer as an ex-officio member of the conference/assembly GMNLHM council with all rights and duties, unless otherwise specified by the conference/assembly council.
d. Three council members, in addition to the officers, shall be elected by ballot for one or two conference/assembly years with responsibilities to be determined by the council. The nominating committee and the bishop shall recommend the length of the term of service.
e. Additional council members, including GMNLHM zone or area coordinators, may be
(1) Elected to specific responsibilities; or
(2) Elected to the council as a whole with responsibilities to be determined later by the council; or
(3) Appointed by the executive committee or conference/assembly council as determined by the executive committee. The term of service shall be one or two conference/assembly years. The nominating committee and bishop/general superintendent shall recommend the length of the term of service.
f. Youth representatives
(1) The annual conference/assembly may elect by ballot one and not more than two youth members to the conference/assembly council; or
(2) The newly elected conference/assembly council may elect one and not more than two youth members to the conference/assembly council.
(3) Nominations may be requested from the conference Methodist Youth Fellowship executive committee/Nazarene Youth International.
(4) Term of service shall be for one conference/assemby year.
g. The two executive committee members other than the officers shall be elected by ballot by the conference/assembly council for a term of service of one conference/conference year or until their successors are elected and anointed/ordained.
h. Delegates and alternates to the General Conference/Assembly shall be elected by ballot at a annual conference/assembly. Alternates may be elected on a separate ballot, or at the recommendation of the conference/assembly council on the same ballot as the delegates. (See Article VI, Section 3, A.3.b. for determining the number of delegates and time of election.)
3. Appointments: In consultation with the bishop/general superintendent, additional council members may be appointed by the executive committee or conference/assembly council as determined by the executive committee.
4. Vacancies
a. President: The executive committee shall nominate two names. Election shall be by ballot with a majority vote of the conference/assembly council present and voting. The person elected shall serve until the adjournment of the next annual conference/assembly.
b. Other council members: The executive committee or annual conference/assembly shall fill any vacancy by appointment. The newly appointed council members shall serve until the adjournment of the next annual conference/assembly.
c. Unified treasurer: If a conference/assembly has a unified treasurer, that vacancy shall be filled by conference/assembly advisory board.
D. Duties of Council Members
1. President
a. Directs the work of GMNLHM on the conference/assembly.
b. Presides at all meetings of the conference/assembly council, executive committee, and the annual conference/assembly.
c. Promotes, or delegates responsibility for, all emphases not assigned by election or council action.
d. Prepares an annual budget for approval by the conference/assembly finance committee.
e. Submits annually a written report to the conference/assembly GMNLHM conference/assembly and to the General GMNLHM Council regional representative.
f. Serves as an ex-officio member of the conference/assembly advisory council, conference/assembly Sunday School Ministries board, conference/assembly GMNLHM conference/assembly, and annual conference/assembly.
2. Vice President
a. Performs all duties of the president when the president is absent.
b. Serves in other areas as assigned by the conference/assembly GMNLHM council.
3. Secretary
a. Conducts the correspondence of the GMNLHM and records the minutes of all business meetings.
b. Sends report forms annually to local GMNLHM presidents.
c. Compiles statistical records and submits an annual report to the conference/assembly president, general GMNLHM director, General Council representative, and where applicable the GMNLHM program coordinator for Global Mission regions/conferences.
4. Treasurer
a. Keeps an accurate account of all funds collected and spent.
b. Remits funds to designated treasurers in a timely manner.
c. Furnishes regular itemized reports to the conference/assembly council and prepares an annual report for the conference/assembly convention.
d. Arranges with appropriate conference/assembly personnel the annual audit of the conference/assembly GMNLHM treasurer’s books.
5. Executive Committee
a. Appoints additional conference/assembly council members or fills vacancies on the council.
b. Transacts business between council meetings.
c. Nominates two names for president if a vacancy occurs between annual conferences/assemblies.
6. Other Council Members
a. Promote the emphases and/or responsibility to which they are assigned (see GMNLHM Handbook).
Section 3: General Council
A. Purpose: The General GMNLHM Council shall promote the purpose of Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministries.
B. Composition
1. General director, general president, and one representative from each region in the United Methodist Church/The Global Church of the Nazarene.
2. Executive Committee shall be the general director, the general president, the vice president, and two other council members.
3. The director of the Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministries Department shall be a member of the General Council and the Executive Committee.
C. Nominations, Elections, and Vacancies
1. Nomination and Election of General Director
a. The general director shall be nominated by the director of the Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministries Department in jurisdiction for the Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministries Department.
b. The General Council shall approve the nominated general director by a majority vote by ballot.
c. The Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministries Committee of the General Board shall approve the nomination by a majority vote by ballot and recommend the nominee to the Council of Bishops/Board of General Superintendents.
d. The Council of Bishops/Board of General Superintendents shall elect the general director.
2. Nomination and Election of General President
a. A nominating committee composed of the general director, three regional representatives from the General Council, and five non-General Council members shall be appointed by the executive committee. No two members of the nominating committee may be from the same region.
b. The general director shall serve as chairman of the nominating committee.
c. The committee shall submit the names of two and not more than three persons for general president. The nominees shall be approved by the Council of Bishops/Board of General Superintendents.
d. From these nominees the General Conference/Assembly shall elect a general president by a two-thirds vote by ballot.
e. The general president shall serve from the adjournment of the General Conference/Assembly until the adjournment of the next General Conference/Assembly or until his or her successor has been elected and qualified/anointed.
f. The general president shall be limited to two full terms of service. A term of service shall be one quadrennial. If a person is elected to fill a vacancy in the office of general president, that person is also eligible to serve two full terms.
3. Nomination and Election of General Council Members
a. Each Conference/Assembly GMNLHM council may submit one or two names to the General GMNLHM Office from its region as the regional representative for a nominating ballot.
(1) These persons shall be members and residents of the region they will represent. (In the case where a council member moves from that region within 6 months prior to the next General Conference/Assembly, that council member will complete the term.)
(2) This provision does not apply to anyone whose home residence is just across a regional boundary from the place of church membership.
b. From these names on the nominating ballot, each region in caucus at the general GMNLHM conference/assembly shall choose by ballot two nominees. The two with the highest number of votes shall be declared the nominees; however, the two nominees shall not be from the same conference/assembly. If this happens, the person with the second highest number of votes is replaced by the person with the next highest number of votes from a different district/conference/assembly.
c. The region in caucus shall then elect one person by a majority vote to represent the region on the General Council.
d. Council members shall serve from the adjournment of the General Conference/Assembly until the adjournment of the next General Conference/Assembly or until their successors have been elected and qualified/anointed.
e. The term of service shall be limited to two full terms. A term of service shall be one quadrennial. If a person is elected to fill a vacancy of a General Council member, that person is also eligible to serve two full terms.
4. Nomination and Election of Executive Committee
a. The General Council shall in its first meeting nominate and elect a vice president and two additional members for the executive committee.
b. Election shall be by ballot by a majority vote of those present and voting.
5. Nomination and Election of GMNLHM Representative to General Board
a. The General Council shall nominate two members of the council to represent GMNLHM on the General Board of the United Methodist Church/The Global Church of the Nazarene.
b. The General Conference/Assembly shall elect the GMNLHM representative by ballot.
6. Vacancies
a. If a vacancy occurs in the office of general president between General Conference/Assembly, a new general president shall be elected from nominees selected by the executive committee in consultation with the Council of Bishops/Board of General Superintendents in jurisdiction by a two-thirds vote of the General Council. The person will perform the duties of the general president until adjournment of the next General Conference//Assembly. The question of calling for an election to fill the vacancy shall be decided by the General Council in consultation with the bishop in jurisdiction.
b. If a vacancy occurs on the council between General Conference/Assembly, each conference/assenbky executive committee on the region concerned shall be requested to submit one nominee from the region to the general executive committee. From these names, the general executive committee shall present two names as nominees. The vacancy shall then be filled by a majority vote by the conference/assembly GMNLHM presidents on the region. The question of calling for an election to fill the vacancy shall be decided by the General Council executive committee in consultation with the Bishop/General Superintendents in jurisdiction.
c. If a vacancy occurs in the office of general director, the same process will be followed for the nomination and election of the general director (see Article V. Section 3. C. 1).
d. If a vacancy occurs in the executive committee between General Conferences/Assemblies, the General Council shall nominate two people. The vacancy shall be filled by a majority vote by ballot of the General GMNLHM Council.
e. If a vacancy occurs in the GMNLHM representative to the General Board, the general executive committee shall submit two nominees after consultation with the Bishop/General Superintendent in jurisdiction and the approval of the Council of Bishops/Board of General Superintendents. The General GMNLHM Council shall elect the General Board representative by a majority vote.
D. Duties
1. General Council Members
a. Cooperate with the general GMNLHM director in developing GMNLHM policy and program.
b. Promote the total program of the GMNLHM in the geographic region they represent.
c. Submit a report of the GMNLHM work in the region to each General Council meeting.
d. Nominate two members of the council for election by the General Conference/Assembly as the GMNLHM representative on the General Board.
e. Act on any legislation passed by the General Conference/Assembly relevant to regional representation.
f. Elect a vice president and two other members from the council to the executive committee.
2. General Director
a. Serves as the executive officer of GMNLHM.
b. Advances the mission interests of GMNLHM throughout the Conferences/Assemblies around the world in cooperation with the General Council.
c. Interprets the GMNLHM Handbook and Constitution.
d. Directs the personnel and business of the general office.
e. Serves as editor-in-chief of all GMNLHM publications.
f. Directs the compilation and maintenance of records and reports.
g. Makes an annual financial and statistical report to the General Council, the Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministries Committee, and the General Board.
h. Prepares a condensed report of business transacted in each meeting of the council for approval by the Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministries Committee of the General Board.
i. Directs the organization and program of the General Conference/Assembly in collaboration with the General Council.
j. Prepares the General Conference/Assembly report, both financial and statistical, with a condensed version through the Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministries Department for the General Conference/Assembly.
k. Serves as an ex-officio member of the General Conference.
3. General President
a. Presides at the meetings of the General Council, executive committee, and the General Conference/Assembly.
b. Promotes the purpose and programs of GMNLHM.
4. Vice President
a. Performs the duties of the president when the president is absent.
5. Executive Committee
a. Transacts business between council meetings.
b. Nominates two names for general president if a vacancy occurs between General Conferences/Assemblies.
c. Nominates two names for a vacancy on the executive committee.
d. Appoints the nominating committee for general president.
Article VI. Meetings Section 1. Local Meetings
A. Monthly There shall be one or more meetings for mission information, inspiration, and prayer held each calendar month.
1. Meetings may take the form of mission services, mission speakers, mission lessons, mission activities and events, mission moments, GMNLHM emphases, etc.
2. The GMNLHM president and the council shall work in cooperation with the pastor in planning mission education and involvement for the local church.
B. Annual
1. The annual meeting shall be held no later than 30 days prior to the annual conference/ to elect the executive committee/council for the next church year and the delegates to the annual conference.
2. Voting and election to the local council shall be limited to GMNLHM members who are 15 years of age or older.
C. Council Meetings The local council shall meet at least quarterly to plan, report, evaluate, inform, inspire, and carry out the work of the local organization. A majority of council members shall constitute a quorum.
Section 2. Conference/Assembly Meetings
A. Conference/Assembly
1. There shall be an annual conference/assembly to report, pray, inform, inspire, present plans, and conduct business pertaining to the organization.
2. The time and place of the conference/assembly shall be decided by the conference/assembly council in consultation with the Bishop/General Superintendent and shall be held within 30 days prior to the annual conference/assembly.
3. Membership
a. Only members of the respective conference/assembly shall be eligible to serve as ex-officio or elected delegates.
b. Ex-officio members of the convention shall be conference GMNLHM council; Bishop/General Superintendent; all assigned ministers and full-time salaried associate ministers of local churches; lay members of the conference/assembly advisory board; the local GMNLHM presidents of the conference/assembly year just ending, and newly elected GMNLHM presidents or newly elected vice presidents if the newly elected president cannot attend; General GMNLHM Council member; retired assigned ministers; retired missionaries, missionaries on home assignment, and missionary appointees; and any former conference/assembly presidents who reside on the conference/assembly that they served.
c. Elected delegates from each local church shall be GMNLHM members (15 years of age or older). The number of elected delegates shall be based on the following formula: two delegates (excluding associate members) from each local GMNLHM of 25 members or fewer, and one additional delegate for each additional 25 members or major portion thereof.
4. The delegates present shall constitute a quorum.
B. Council The conference/assembly council shall meet at least biannually to transact business in the interim between the annual conferences/assemblies. A majority of council members shall constitute a quorum.
Section 3. General Meetings
A. Conference
1. There shall be a General Conference/Assembly of Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministries immediately preceding the General Conference/Assembly to report, pray, inform, inspire, present plans, and conduct business pertaining to the organization. A majority of registered delegates shall constitute a quorum.
2. The time and place of the conference/assembly shall be decided by the General Council in consultation with the Council of Bishops/Board of General Superintendents in jurisdiction.
3. Membership
a. Ex-officio members of the General Conference/Assembly shall be members of the General Council; GMNLHM program coordinators of Global Mission regions/conferences; Conference/Assembly GMNLHM presidents, or in the event a Conference/assembly president cannot attend, the Conference/Assembly vice president may be allowed to represent that Conference/Assembly; and the GMNLHM president of each Phase 1 Conference/Assembly, or if the president cannot attend, the president, with the approval of the Bishop may designate an alternate to be seated.
b. Elected delegates to the General Conference/Assembly shall be based on the following formula: two delegates from each Phase 3 and Phase 2 Conference/Assembly of 1,000 or fewer GMNLHM members, excluding associates, and one additional delegate for each additional 700 members or major portion thereof.
c. One global missionary delegate for every Global Mission region/conference of 50 or fewer missionaries, or two global missionary delegates for each region/conference with 51 or more missionaries shall be elected by the Regional/Conference Advisory Council in each region.
d. Delegates are to be elected by ballot by the Annual Conference/Assembly within 16 months of the General Conference/Assembly or within 24 months in areas where travel visas or other unusual preparations are necessary.
e. Any elected delegate shall be residing at the time of the General Conference/Assembly on the Conference/Assembly where he or she held membership at the time of election. If any elected delegate moves off the Conference/Assembly, the privilege of representing the former Conference/Assembly is forfeited. This provision does not apply to anyone whose home residence is just across a Conference/Assembly boundary from the place of church membership.
B. Council Meetings The General Council shall meet a minimum of three times during the quadrennial to transact business pertaining to the organization. A majority of council members shall constitute a quorum.
Article VII. Funds Section 1. Raised by Local Churches
A. Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministries Fund
1. All funds raised for the Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministries Fund shall be sent to the general treasurer.
2. Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministries Fund (GMNLHMF) shall be raised in the following manner:
a. Regular GMNLHMF offerings
b. Disability Sundays offerings
c. The GMNLHMF portion of Church Budget giving
d. Prayer and Fasting offerings
B. Approved Ministries Specials
1. Opportunity shall be given to contribute to Approved Ministries Specials (such as Disability Sundays Offerings,  United Methodist Committee on Relief/Nazarene Compassionate Ministry, Deputation, Ministry Health Care, Work & Witness, GMNLHM International Student Scholarship Fund, Approved Grants[Government or Corporations or Endowments], etc.) over and above GMNLHMF giving.
2. Additional Approved Ministries Specials may be approved and authorized by appropriate personnel at General Board of the United Methodist Church/The Global Church of the Nazarene.
3. The General GMNLHM Council shall authorize all Approved Ministries Specials that are promoted and raised through GMNLHM from the general level.
C. Funds Exclusive
1. An approved part of the Global Methodist-Naarene Lamb's Hope Ministries Fund and Approved Ministries Specials shall be used for local or district/conference expenses or charitable purposes.
D. Local Expense
1. A local expense fund shall be provided for GMNLHM as determined by the local GMNLHM council and approved by the staff and parish committee.
2. A portion of the local expense shall be designated for the expenses of the Annual Conference/Assembly delegates.
Section 2. Raised by the Districts
A. Conference/Assembly Expense
1. A Conference expense fund shall be provided for GMNLHM as determined by the Conference GMNLHM council and approved by the Conference/Assembly finance committee.
2. A portion of the Conference/Assembly expense fund shall be designated to pay for Conference/Assembly delegate expenses to the General Conference/Assembly.
3. Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministries Fund and Approved Ministries Specials shall not be used for Conference/Assembly expense.
Section 3. Remuneration
A. The ministry of GMNLHM shall be a love service to the church. Salaries shall be paid at any level-local, district/conference/assembly, and general-including the general director, who is employed by the General Board.
B. Adequate remuneration shall be provided for the expenses of council members at all levels-local, conference/assembly/district, and general.
Article VIII. Policies and Procedures
The General GMNLHM Council shall establish additional policies, procedures, and job descriptions for GMNLHM to be contained in the GMNLHM Handbook along with the GMNLHM Constitution.
Article IX. Parliamentary Authority
The rules contained in the current edition of open forum, when not in conflict with applicable law, the Articles of Incorporation of the United Methodist Church, the GMNLHM Constitution, and any other rules of order that GMNLHM may adopt, shall govern the organization.
Article X. Amendments
The GMNLHM Constitution may be amended by two-thirds favorable vote of members present and voting at a General Conference/Assembly of Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministries and by the approval of the Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministries  Committee of the General Board.[Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church/Manual of The Global Church of the Nazarene]

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