STEWARDS AND STEWARDESSES
Ques. 1. How are Stewards and Junior Stewards to be appointed?
Ans. The preacher in charge shall have the right of nomination, subject
to the confirmation or rejection of the Quarterly Conference.
Ques. 2. What are the regulations concerning Stewards and Junior
Stewards?
Ans. 1. Let them be men of solid piety, who both know and love the
Methodist doctrine and discipline, and of good natural and acquired
ability to transact temporal business of the Church.
2. It shall be the duty of the Stewards to make estimates of expenses
and provision for the support of the gospel; to take an exact account of
all moneys collected or other provisions made for the support of the
ministry; expenditure of money, whether for the support of the ministry
or the relief of the sick, or the poor; to seek the needy and distressed
in order to relieve and comfort them; to inform the preachers of any
sick or disorderly persons; to tell the preachers what they think wrong
in them; to attend the official meetings and the quarterly meetings; to
give advice, if asked, in planning the circuit; to attend committees for
the application of money to churches; to give counsel in matters of
arbitration; to provide elements for the Lord's Supper; to appoint some
one, whenever necessary, to receive contributions for the support of the
ministry and other purposes, and to obtain from each collector thus
appointed the money received by him, that it may be reported to the
Quarterly Conference; to take up collections quarterly in every
congregation, if it be necessary, and to write circular letters to the
societies to be more liberal, if need be; and to let them know, when
occasion requires, the financial state of the Church, as reported at the
Quarterly Conference. They shall elect their own chairman, secretary and
treasurer.
3. The Stewards of each circuit and station shall be a standing
committee (where there is no parsonage) to provide houses for the
families of married preachers, or to assist the preachers to obtain
houses for themselves when they are appointed to labor among them.
Ques. 3. To whom are Stewards accountable for the faithful performance
of their duties?
Ans. To the Quarterly Conference, which shall have power to remove them
from office.
Ques. 4. What shall be the number of Stewards in each circuit or
station?
Ans. 1. Every pastoral charge shall be entitled to one Steward for every
thirty members, to be elected annually: =provided=, nevertheless, that
each society in a circuit shall have one Steward, and each circuit or
station may have at least seven.
2. When two or more circuits or stations are united, the Stewards shall
hold office till the first Quarterly Conference elects a new Board.
Ques. 5. What directions are given concerning Junior Stewards?
Ans. They shall be auxiliary to Stewards and their number and manner of
election shall be the same.
Ques. 6. What are the duties of a Recording Steward?
Ans. To preserve the records of the Quarterly Conference, and to report
to the Joint Board of Finance of the Annual Conference a full account of
the acts of his Board of Stewards the preceding year.
Ques. 7. What are the regulations concerning Stewardesses and Junior
Stewardesses?
Ans. There shall be a Board of Stewardesses and Junior Stewardesses in
each circuit, station or mission, whose number and mode of election
shall be the same as Stewards.
2. Junior Stewardesses shall be auxiliary to Stewardesses.
3. It shall be the duty of the Stewardesses to serve the table of the
Lord, the table of the poor, and the table of the ministry; to assist in
the collection of the General Funds, Presiding Elder's and Pastor's
salary, and to do any other work that may be assigned to them by the
pastor in charge or Board of Stewards of the Church.