Important Information on Interim District Pastors and Councils



November 12, 2012

Dear Blessed Families and Brothers and Sisters,

Thank you for your efforts during True Mother’s recent visit, and for all that you are doing to strengthen your families and communities as we prepare for Foundation Day.

The following statement defines the role and responsibilities for the Interim District Pastor and Interim District Council, as many of you have asked. Over the next months, a more complete and comprehensive National Charter will be developed with input by the National Council.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE INTERIM DISTRICT PASTOR AND INTERIM DISTRICT COUNCIL

District Pastor

The District Pastor is recommended by the District Council, but is approved and serves at the discretion of the National President of the Unification Church, USA. The District Pastor is ultimately responsible to the President and is the most senior spiritual and administrative leader in the District.

Role and Responsibilities

  1. Empower and care for local Pastors in developing their ministries. District Pastors should not ordinarily give sermons. Instead, sermons should be regularly given by the local Pastors.

  2. Promote church growth, including directing outreach, education, witnessing and establishing new local churches.

  3. Act as the point of contact with the National President and National Headquarters. This involves representing the District to the President and other national leaders and communicating information from the National Headquarters to the District Council, local church leaders and membership.

  4. Run the District administration. The District Pastor is responsible for the District office and staff, District records, membership lists, etc. Review of District and local church records requested by the District Council is to be arranged through permission by the District Pastor.

  5. Participate in meetings of the District Council, receiving input from the Council and advising the Council. He/she also has the privilege of casting the final tie-breaking vote when necessary.

District Council

The District Council is to work hand-in-hand with the District Pastor to guide church development and activities in the District. There is no expectation that the Council will replace or eliminate existing local church organizations or departments that may be presently functioning at the state or more local levels. Rather, the District Council is to work with the District Pastor to encourage further local empowerment.

Composition

  1. The District Council is comprised of eight members, plus a special role for the District Pastor. If necessary, the Council may be temporarily comprised of as few as seven members.

  2. If a seat on the District Council becomes vacant, that seat is to be offered to the person next on the list of results from the most recent District Council election, using the same process of a lottery when needed to resolve a tie. The vacant seat is to be filled by the first person who accepts the offer. The process of filling vacant seats on the Council is administered by the Council and reported to National Headquarters.

  3. The District Council has a Chairperson and Secretary as officers, elected by the Council. Optionally, a Vice-Chairperson may be elected.

  4. For there to be a quorum, no more than two council members may be absent from the District Council meeting.

  5. District Council decisions will be made by simple majority vote.

  6. The District Pastor has a special role on the District Council. He/she is not a member, but is a full participant in the meetings, receiving input from and providing advice to the Council. The District Pastor casts a vote only when a tie-breaking vote is needed. Unless requested otherwise, the District Pastor is excluded from any discussion or vote relating to nomination for the Position of District Pastor.

Role and Responsibilities

  1. Nominate the District Pastor and National Council Representative, for approval by the National President.

  2. Conduct at least one District Council meeting each month. The meeting can be held in person or by conference call, as the Council may decide.

  3. Receive input, suggestions, and recommendations from Unification Church members and Blessed Families of the District.

  4. Based on input received from the members and Blessed Families of the District, provide input, recommendations and support to the District Pastor and National Council Representative in carrying out their duties and responsibilities.

  5. Approve recommendations by the District Pastor regarding establishment or dissolution of a church within the District (“church plantings”) and the installation of the local Pastor for that church.

  6. Oversee management of any funds received at the District level from the District membership. This includes preparation and administration of an annual District budget. The District Council may establish a financial subcommittee to carry out this duty. The Council will prepare a financial report on at least an annual basis. The financial report will include an accounting of sources and uses of funds and will be submitted to the District membership and National Headquarters.

  7. Approve District-level staff or departments proposed by the District Pastor.

  8. Appoint standing or adhoc committees as needed at the District level.

  9. Record minutes of District Council meetings which describe deliberations and decisions, and submit the minutes to National Headquarters.

Other

  1. The National President may veto any District Council decision.

The District Councils are awaiting an initial definition of the role and responsibility of the National Council and National Council Representative. This information will be issued soon for their review. Therefore, the deadline for District Councils to submit their nomination for National Council Representative is being postponed until another date is announced (rather than the original date of November 21).

Sincerely,


Hyung Jin Moon
President, Unification Church, America