Decision Number 234

Decision

The Central West Annual Conference of the Central Jurisdiction may be transferred to the South Central Jurisdiction and conjointly merged with the Missouri East Annual Conference and Missouri West Annual Conference, provided that the procedure is mutually agreed upon and ratified by two-thirds or more of the total Annual Conference members present and voting in the Annual Conferences of each of the two jurisdictions, and provided further that the College of Bishops of the two jurisdictions certify to that effect. In that event, no vote of approval is required from the Jurisdictional Conference of either jurisdiction.

The Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference has recommended that each of its Annual Conferences approve the transfer into the Southeastern Jurisdiction of such Annual Conferences of the Central Jurisdiction as lie within the geographical bounds of the Southeastern Jurisdiction, such transfers to be made upon the condition that the merging of Annual Conferences within that Jurisdiction would be worked out when such mergers were mutually agreeable to the Annual Conferences concerned, the boundaries of the transferring Annual Conferences to remain intact until changed by voluntary action of the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference pursuant to its Constitutional power over the names, number and boundaries of its constituent Annual Conferences. The procedures embodied in this plan of action are mandated under existing church law; and the constitutionality of the plan is, therefore, sustained.