1. STRUCTURE OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
4TH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT
Department of Christian Education
CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
The Rt. Rev. John R. Bryant, Presiding Bishop
and Senior Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
The Rev. Dr. Reginald Blount, Director of Christian Education
The Rev. Ernest J. Garrison, Dean of Christian Education
The Rev. Anita Marshall-School Superintendent
The Rev. Walter R. Bauldrick, Host Presiding Elder, Milwaukee District
The Rev. Theonita Bedford, Director of Christian Education, Milwaukee District
Ernest J. Garrison, Facilitator 1

2. THE A.M.E. CHURCH STRUCTURE
LET’S REVIEW HOW THE CHURCH ESTABLISHES ITS STRUCTURE
The Connectional Church comes together every 4 year to elect Bishops, General Officers and vote on legislation of our church
Once a Bishop is elected, he/she will is consecrated to service for life. But can only preside over an Episcopal District until the General Conference preceding their 75 birthdate.
A Bishop is also assigned, by the Episcopal Committee to preside over an Episcopal District for the next quadrennial. The Bishop can be reassigned to that Episcopal District but only once. A Bishop can not serve an Episcopal District more than 8 years.
A Bishop is also appointed Chairperson of a General Office such as Christian Education, Missions, Annuities, etc. 1

3. THE A.M.E. CHURCH STRUCTURE
LET’S REVIEW HOW THE CHURCH ESTABLISHES ITS STRUCTURE
Also at the General Conference, the Church comes together to elect General Officers and vote on legislation of our church
The candidate for General Offices can be a layperson or clergy
The term of each general office is 4-years and the person can be elected at each General Conference and can be re-elected until the General Conference preceding their 75th birthdate. 1

4. OUR STRUCTURE
The African Methodist Episcopal Church is a connectional organization. Each local church is a part of the larger connection.

5. The Bishops are the Chief Officers of the Connectional Organization
The Bishops are the Chief Officers of the Connectional Organization. They are elected for life by a majority vote of the General Conference which meets every four years. Bishops are bound by the laws of the church to retire upon the General Conference preceding their 75th birthday.

6. PRESIDING ELDER
Presiding Elders are the assistants, like middle management, whom the Bishops appoint to supervise the preachers in a Presiding Elder’s District. A Presiding Elder District is one portion of an Annual Conference, which in turn is one part of the Episcopal District over which a Bishop presides. In the Presiding Elder District, the appointed Presiding Elder meets with the local churches, that comprise the District, at least once every three months for a Quarterly Conference. The Presiding Elder also presides over a District Conference and a Sunday School Convention in his or her District. At the end of an Annual Conference year, the Presiding Elder reports to the Bishop at the Annual Conference and makes recommendations for pastoral appointments.

7. PASTOR
Pastors receive a yearly appointment to a charge (church), on the recommendation of the Presiding Elder and with the approval and final appointment of the Bishop. The pastor is in full charge of the Church and is an ex-official member of all boards, organizations and clubs of that Church.

8. STRUCTURE OF A.M.E. CHURCH
GENERAL CONFERENCE
Delegates from Episcopal Districts
General Conference
Commission
Committees
Board of Trustees
Judicial Council
Council of Bishops
General Board
Episcopal District
Commissions
Annual Conference
Departments
Presiding Elder District
Local Church/Station 1

9. THE CONNECTIONAL CHURCH
1) THE GENERAL CONFERENCE
The General Conference is the supreme body of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. It is composed of the Bishops, as ex-officio presidents, according to the rank of election, and an equal number of ministerial and lay delegates, elected by each of the Annual Conferences and the Lay Electoral Colleges of the Annual Conferences. Other ex-officio members are: the General Officers, College Presidents, Deans/Presidents of Theological Seminaries; Chaplains in the Regular Armed Forces of the U.S.A. The General Conference meets quadrennially (every four years), but may have extra sessions in certain emergencies.

10. THE COUNCIL OF BISHOPS
2) COUNCIL OF BISHOPS The Council of Bishops is the Executive Branch of the Connectional Church. It has the general oversight of the Church during the interim of General Conferences. The Council of Bishops shall meet annually at such time and place as the majority of the Council shall determine and also at such other times as may be deemed necessary in the discharging its responsibility as the Executive Branch of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The Council of Bishops shall hold at least two public sessions at each annual meeting. At the first, complaints and petitions against a Bishop shall be heard, at the second, the decisions of the Council shall be made public. All decisions shall be in writing.

11. GENERAL BOARD 3) BOARD OF INCORPORATORS
The Board of Incorporators, also known as the General Board of Trustees, has the supervision, In Trust, of all Connectional property of the Church and is vested with authority to act in behalf of the Connectional Church wherever necessary.

12. GENERAL BOARD
4) THE GENERAL BOARD The General Board is in many respects the administrative body and is comprised of various departmental Commissions made up of the respective Executive-Director, the General Secretary of the AME Church, the Chief Financial Officer, the members of the various Commissions, and one Bishop as presiding officer with the other Bishops associating.

13. SUPREME COURT OF THE CHURCH
5) JUDICIAL COUNCIL The Judicial Council is the highest judicatory body of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. It is an appellate court, elected by the General Conference, and is amenable to it.

14. STRUCTURE OF A.M.E. CHURCH
GENERAL CONFERENCE
Delegates from Episcopal Districts
The Members of the General Board are the Bishops, General Officers and delegates (Clergy & Lay) from each Episcopal District.
They are to serve for a quadrennial which is 4 years. They can be re-elected until age 75.
General Officers are elected to Head Ministries of the Church for a term of 4 years.
General Officers can be re-elected each quadrennial until age 75.
GENERAL BOARD
Bishops, General Officers
Episcopal District Delegates
BOARD OF BISHOP
Bishops of the Church
General Officers of the Church
General
Secretary
Treasurer
Historiographer
Sunday School
Union
Missions &
Global Witness
Annuity &
Investments
Christian Education
Church Growth
&Development
Christian
Recorder 1

15. STRUCTURE OF A.M.E. CHURCH
GENERAL CONFERENCE
Delegates from Episcopal Districts
Connectional Officers are elected by their respective Ministries at the seat of their respective Connectional Conventions or Convocations.
Each connectional officer can not serve for more then two terms, or eight years.
GENERAL BOARD
Bishops, General Officers
Episcopal District Delegates
BOARD OF BISHOP
Bishops of the Church
Connectional Officers of the Church
Women
Missionary
Society
Lay
Organization
Council
Social
Action
Presiding
Elders
Women In
Ministry
Judicial
Council
Clergy Family
Organization
Fellowship Church Educators
YoungPeople
Division 1

16. STRUCTURE OF 4TH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT OF THE A.M.E. CHURCH
BISHOP
The Rev. Rev. John Richard Bryant
Presiding Prelate
The Rev. Dr. Cecilia W. Bryant
Episcopal Supervisor
The Bishop will then appoint and assign Department Heads to the ministries of the District.
CHRISTIAN
EDUCATION
Rev. Reginald Blount
EVANGELISM
Rev. Jerry Hatter
YOUNG ADULT
NETWORK
J. Fidal Young
LAY
ORGANIZATION
Madge White
WOMEN
MISSIONARY
SOCIETY
Joyce Keys
CLERGY
FAMILY ORG.
Anita Lemmons
HEALTH
COMMISSION
Vickie McCullough
WOMEN IN
MINISTRY
Rev. Debra Williams
4TH DISTRICT
ADMINISTRATOR
Jo Ann Hawkins White
4th DISTRICT
OFFICE SECRETARY
Lajuna Edge 1

17. STRUCTURE OF 4TH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT OF THE A.M.E. CHURCH
BISHOP
The Rev. Rev. John Richard Bryant
Presiding Prelate
The Rev. Dr. Cecilia W. Bryant
Episcopal Supervisor
They become more/less an immediate supervisor or the pastors in the Conference
They are required to meet quarterly with each church to report on the status and condition of each congregation and minister
The Bishop is then authorized to appoint the Presiding Elders whose job is to oversee the business of the Conferences during the absence of the Bishop.
CANADIAN
CONFERENCE
Tracey Thomas
CHICAGO
Milwaukee District
Walter R. Bauldrick
CHICAGO
North District
Albert D. Tyson, III
CHICAGO
South District
Thomas M. Hughes
INDIANA
North District
Ann Henning Byfield
CHICAGO
St. Paul
Minneapolis
Alphonse Reff, Sr.
ILLINOIS
North District
Tyson Parks
ILLINOIS
South District
Gary McCants
INDIANA
South District
Samuel L. Sumner
MICHIGAN
North District
H. Michael Lemmons
MICHIGAN
South District
Norman V.
Osborne 1

18. STRUCTURE OF 4TH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT
OF THE A.M.E. CHURCH
PRESIDING
ELDER
DISTRICT
The Bishop will then appoint and assign Department Heads to the ministries of the District.
CHRISTIAN
EDUCATION
EVANGELISM
YOUNG ADULT
NETWORK
LAY
ORGANIZATION
Optional
WOMEN
MISSIONARY
SOCIETY
Optional
CLERGY
FAMILY ORG.
Optional
HEALTH
COMMISSION
WOMEN IN
MINISTRY 1

19. STRUCTURE OF THE LOCAL A.M.E. CHURCH
PASTOR
The Official Board shall be composed of all
the Class Leaders, Exhorters, Deaconess.
Stewardess, Trustees, Stewardesses and
Presidents of all organizations including the
Lay Organization (Pg. 83, Paragraph B.)
The Official Board is responsible for the
day-to-day operation of the church as directed by the pastor.
OFFICAL BOARD
Exhorters Class Leader
Deaconess Stewards
Trustees Stewardess
Presidents of all organizations
* Local Preachers are honorary members
STEWARD
BOARD
CLASS
LEADERS
TRUSTEE
BOARD
LAY
ORGANIZATION
MUSIC
1st
WOMEN
MISSIONARY
SOCIETY
CHRISTIAN
EDUCATION
USHER BOARD
YOUNG PEOPLE
DIVISION
SUNDAY
SCHOOL 1

20. STRUCTURE OF THE LOCAL A.M.E. CHURCH
QUARTERY CONFERENCE
Presiding Elder
PASTOR
STEWARD BOARD
PUBLIC
RELATIONS
CHRISTIAN
EDUCATION
STEWARDESS
BOARD
STEWARDSHIP
&
FINANCE
MEMBERSHIP
EVANGELISM
SOCIAL
ACTION
MISSIONS &
WELFARE
PRAISE &
WORSHIP
HEALTH 1

21. STRUCTURE OF TRUSTEE BOARD
Chairperson
Pastor
Board of Trustees
BUILDING
GROUNDS
KITCHEN
TRANSPORTATION
SANCTUARY
OTHER 1

22. THE COMMISSION STRUCTURE OF LOCAL CHURCH
There may be constituted in each local church the following commission, whose respective duties are hereinafter defined:
The Commission on Membership and Evangelism
(2) The Commission on Christian Education
(3) The Commission on Missions and Welfare
(4) The Commission on Stewardship & Finance
(5) The Commission on Public Relations
(6) The Commission on Christian Social Actions
(7) The Commission on Health
Page 74-80, “Optional Local Church Organization
Commission in the Local Church
The 2012 Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church 1

23. THE COMMISSION STRUCTURE OF LOCAL A.M.E. CHURCH
The pastor shall be the chairperson of the Commission on Stewardship and Finance and the ex-officio chairperson on the other commissions. The chairperson of each commission shall be a steward and therefore a member of the Official Board and Quarterly Conference to which he or she is amenable, with the exception of the Commission on Missions and Welfare, whose chairperson may be either a steward or a trustee. They shall make monthly reports to the Official Board and also quarterly reports to the Quarterly Conference. The members shall be elected by the church conference, except that of the Commission on Christian Education.
Page 74, “Optional Local Church Organization
Commission in the Local Church
The 2012 Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church 1

24. COMMISSION STRUCTURE OF LOCAL A.M.E. CHURCH
Each commission shall be composed of no fewer than three nor more than seven members who are in good and regular standing in the A.M.E. Church and eighteen years of age or over. This rule may not apply in the case of mission charges, and does not apply to the Commission on Stewardship and Finance, which shall be composed of an equal number of stewards and trustees plus Official Board members-at-large. The total number of persons on this commission shall not be fewer than three (3) nor more than nine (9). Each commission shall cooperate with the Connectional and Annual Conference Commissions.
Page 74, “Optional Local Church Organization
Commission in the Local Church
The 2012 Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church 1