To grant a retired relation to a minister upon recommendation of the District Ministerial Credentials Board. Any change in status must be approved by the district assembly, upon recommendation by the District Ministerial Credentials Board. (228.8, 534)
Index: retired status
228.8
To recommend to the district assembly retired relationship for a minister requesting such relation and who, in the judgment of the board, is unable to continue in the active ministerial service because of disability (203.27, 534) or who desires to discontinue active ministerial service because of age.
301
The General Assembly shall be composed of ministerial and lay delegates in equal numbers from each Phase 3 district, the district superintendent serving as one of the assigned ordained ministerial delegates, remaining assigned ordained ministerial delegates and all lay delegates elected by district assemblies; general superintendents emeriti and retired; general superintendents; Global Nazarene Missions International president; Global Nazarene Youth International chair; Church of the Nazarene, Inc. officers and directors who report to the plenary of the General Board; one-half of the regional International Board of Education school presidents from each region will be voting members, and the other one-half will be non-voting members, with the number and selection process determined by the International Board of Education; Nazarene Publishing House president; Pensions and Benefits International director; Stewardship Ministries global director; Church of the Nazarene Foundation president; Research Services global director; and one General Board-commissioned missionary delegate per region elected by the assigned contracted missionaries serving in that region. In the absence of such election the missionary representative shall be elected by the Global Mission Committee.
305.4
Place in retired status a general superintendent who has requested such relationship, or who, in the judgment of the General Assembly, has become disqualified by physical disability, or by any other disqualification that would prevent such a person from caring adequately for the work of the general superintendency; and provided that superintendent has served in the office of general superintendent for at least one full term. Should a general superintendent request retirement in the interim of General Assemblies, the request may be granted by the General Board in regular session upon recommendation of the Board of General Superintendents. (314.1)
305.5
Set a suitable retirement pension for each retired general superintendent.
314
All emeriti and retired general superintendents shall be members ex-officio of the General Assembly. (301)
314.1
A general superintendent who has been placed in retired status, or voted emerita/emeritus honor, shall not be a member of the Board of General Superintendents. However, in the event that an active general superintendent should be incapacitated by illness, hospitalization, or other unavoidable emergency necessitating absence from any assignment, the Board of General Superintendents is empowered to call into temporary assignment any retired general superintendent. (305.3–305.5, 900.1)
534
A retired minister is one who has been placed in the retired relation by the district assembly in which he or she holds ministerial membership, upon recommendation by the District Ministerial Credentials Board. Any change in status must be approved by the district assembly, upon recommendation by the District Ministerial Credentials Board.
534.1
Retirement shall not compel cessation from ministerial labors or in itself deprive of membership in the district assembly. A minister who was serving in an “assigned” role at the time of requesting retired relation or at the age for normal retirement may be placed in a “retired assigned” relation. A “retired assigned” minister is a member of the district assembly. However, a minister in an “unassigned” status in either of the above situations will be placed in a “retired unassigned” relation. A “retired unassigned” minister is not a member of the district assembly. (201, 536.9)
536
The following definitions are of terms relating to general regulations for ministers of the Church of the Nazarene:
Members of the Clergy—elders, deacons and licensed ministers.
Laity—Members of the Church of the Nazarene who are not members of the clergy.
Active—fulfilling an assigned role.
Assigned—The status of a member of the clergy who is active in one of the roles listed in paragraphs 505-526.
Unassigned—The status of a member of the clergy who is in good standing but not presently active in one of the roles listed in paragraphs 505-526.
Retired Assigned—The status of a retired member of the clergy who was assigned at the time retirement was requested.
Retired Unassigned—The status of a retired member of the clergy who was not assigned at the time retirement was requested.
Disciplined—The status of a member of the clergy who has been deprived of the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of being a member of the clergy by disciplinary action.
Filed Credential—The status of the credential of a member of the clergy in good standing who, because of inactivity in the ministry, has voluntarily temporarily given up the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of being a member of the clergy by filing his or her credential with the general secretary. A person who files his or her credential remains a member of the clergy and may have the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of being a member of the clergy reinstated by requesting that his or her credential be returned, in accordance with 538.2. (537, 537.2, 537.8)
Surrendered Credential—The status of the credential of a member of the clergy who, because of misconduct, accusations, confessions, result of action by a board of discipline, or voluntary action for any reason other than inactivity in the ministry has been deprived of the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of being a member of the clergy. The person who surrenders his or her credential is still a member of the clergy, under discipline. The rights, privileges, and responsibilities of the member of the clergy may be restored.
Resigned—The status of the credential of a member of the clergy in good standing who, for personal reasons, has decided that he or she no longer wishes to be considered as a minister, and gives up the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of being a member of the clergy to become a layperson on a permanent basis.
A member of the clergy who is not in good standing may also resign his or her credential according to the provisions outlined in paragraph 537.4. (537.1, 537.8)
Removed—The status of the credential of a member of the clergy whose name has been removed from the roll of ministers in accordance with the provisions of 537.3.
Return of Credential—The reinstatement to the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of being a member of the clergy to one who has filed his or her credential.
Restoration of Credential—The reinstatement to the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of being a member of the clergy to one whose credential is surrendered or removed.
Rehabilitation—The process of seeking to bring a minister who has been disciplined or has voluntarily surrendered the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of being a member of the clergy to a place of spiritual, emotional, mental and physical health and to a place of usefulness and constructive activity. Rehabilitation does not necessarily include the restoration of the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of being a member of the clergy.
Accusation—A written document signed by at least two members of the Church of the Nazarene accusing a member of the Church of the Nazarene of conduct which if proven would cause the member to be subject to discipline under the terms of the Manual.
Knowledge—The awareness of facts learned by the exercise of one’s own senses.
Information—Facts learned from others.
Belief—A conclusion reached in good faith based upon knowledge and information.
Investigating Committee—A committee appointed in accordance with the Manual to gather information with regard to alleged or suspected misconduct.
Charges—A written document describing specifically the conduct of a member of the Church of the Nazarene which if proven would be the basis of discipline under the terms of the Manual.
Suspension—A type of disciplinary action which temporarily denies a member of the clergy the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of being a member of the clergy.
Good Standing—The status of a member of the clergy who has no unresolved accusations pending, is not currently under discipline, and whose credential is not surrendered or removed.