District Superintendent (Methodism)
A District Superintendent, often abbreviated D.S., in the United Methodist Church is a clergyperson (specifically Elder) who serves in a supervisory position over a geographic District of churches (varying in size) providing spiritual and administrative leadership to those churches and their pastors. According to the Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church,
| “ | The offices of bishop and district superintendent exist in The United Methodist Church as particular ministries. Bishops are elected and district superintendents are appointed from the group of elders who are ordained to be ministers of Word, Sacrament, and Order and thereby participate in the ministry of Christ, in sharing a royal priesthood which has aspostolic roots (I Peter 2:9; John 21:15-17; Acts 20:28; I Peter 5:2-3; I Timothy 3:1-7). | ” |
District Superintendents were once called Presiding Elders in United Methodist Churches, and still are in other Methodist denominations. The term of office for a district superintendent usually is up to six years but he may serve eight consecutive years. She or he may serve no more than eight years in any consecutive eleven years and no more than fourteen years in his lifetime.
Read more about District Superintendent (Methodism): History and Task
Famous quotes containing the word district:
“Most works of art, like most wines, ought to be consumed in the district of their fabrication.”
—Rebecca West (1892–1983)