Sun Lakes United Methodist Church

How We Organize Ourselves as United Methodists

The General Conference, comprised of elected clergy and laity delegates, governs the worldwide United Methodist Church. Our Jurisdictional Conferences bring together United States churches across large geographical areas. Bishops are elected by the delegates of Jurisdictional Conferences and are then assigned to Annual Conferences. Sun Lakes United Methodist Church is in the Desert Southwest Annual Conference, which is part of the Western Jurisdiction. Bishops, together with their cabinets, appoint clergy to local churches or parishes. Individual congregations do not call pastors to their charge, nor do clergy apply for a certain position within the church.

United Methodists have compiled their ideas of how we agree to live together, our understanding of the Church, what is expected of clergy and laity, our theological grounding, and our mission in The Book of Discipline. While we recognize it as our book of law, we do not see it as infallible. The Discipline is amended or clarified at each Gneral Conference.

All members and clergy of Sun Lakes United Methodist Church comprise the Church Conference, which meets once a year. The Church Conference elects officers, leaders and ministry team members. The primary governing body elected by Church Conference is the Church Council , which is the administrative and policy-making body of Sun Lakes United Methodist Church. All of the major ministry areas of the church are represented on Church Council.

Reporting to Church Council are Administrative Ministry Teams and Program Ministry Teams. If you are interested in serving on a Ministry Team, please contact the Nominating Committee .

Administrative Ministry Teams include Board of Trustees, Finance, Lay Ministry, Pastor/Staff Parish Relations, and the Sun Lakes United Methodist Church Foundation. Trustees have responsibility for church property and assets. Finance oversees financial operations of the church. Lay Ministry mobilizes and trains laity for service and ministry, and oversees the nominations task force. Pastor/Staff Parish Relations functions as a personnel body for the non-clergy staff and an advisory team between clergy, staff, congregation, and the Annual Conference. The Sun Lakes United Methodist Church Foundation develops the endowment of the church and to make grants from that endowment.

Our Church Committees are available on our Web page: Church Committees