Transforming lives by sharing the love of Jesus
Local Church Governance and Committees (2025):
Additional information on Committee Roles and Responsibilities may be found at the cited paragraph (¶):
https://globalmethodist.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/2024-GMC-BOOK-OF-DOCTRINES-FINAL.pdf
Find our Church By-Laws at:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LrKhlkXQ3pWwZ1jSAWFgVITLRxhnmcch/view?usp=sharing
Church Council: (Formerly the Governing Board):
Current Chair - Melanie Abernathy melaniesabernathy@gmail.com
¶ 443. THE CHURCH COUNCIL. The church council, or its equivalent governing body, shall provide
for planning and implementing a ministry of evangelizing and spreading scriptural holiness through
nurture, outreach, witness, and resources in the local church. It shall also provide for the
administration of its organization and temporal life. It shall envision, plan, implement, and annually
evaluate the mission and ministry of the church. The church council shall be amenable to and
function as the administrative agency of the charge conference.
Nominations and Leadership Development:
Current Chair - Reverend Dr. Barry Drum pastorbarry@fmcmhnc.org 704-827-4855
¶ 444. NOMINATIONS AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. As the charge conference
determines, there may be elected annually by that conference, a Nominations and Leadership
Development Committee or its equivalent that is composed of professing members of the local
church or the committee’s responsibilities may be assigned to a different group.
Pastor-Parish Relations:
Current Chair - Deborah Cauthen dcauthendiamondc@bellsouth.net
¶ 445. PASTOR-PARISH RELATIONS COMMITTEE. As the charge conference determines, there
may be elected annually by that conference a Pastor-Parish Relations Committee or its equivalent
composed of professing members of the local church or charge, or the committee’s responsibilities
may be assigned to a different group. Where the church employs additional program staff beyond
the pastor in charge, the committee may be structured as the Staff-Parish Relations Committee,
with the same responsibilities.
Trustees:
Current Chair - Karen Hefner kkgnh@aol.com 704-301-4716
¶ 446. BOARD OF TRUSTEES. Unless otherwise provided for in the governance structure of a local
church, within each congregation of the Global Methodist Church there shall be a Board of
Trustees, consisting of at least five professing members of the church representing the gender,
race, and age of the congregation, provided that all members shall be of legal age as determined by
the relevant and controlling civil law.
Finance:
Current Chair - Tina Felton Hgproperties@outlook.com
¶ 447. FINANCE COMMITTEE. As the charge conference determines, there may be elected
annually by that conference a Finance Committee or its equivalent composed of the committee
chairperson, the pastor(s), a lay member of the annual conference, the chairperson of the church
council, the chairperson or designee of the Pastor-Parish Relations Committee, a representative of
the Board of Trustees to be selected by that board, the chairperson of the ministry group on
stewardship (if any), the lay leader, the financial secretary, the treasurer, the church business
administrator (if any), and other members to be added as the charge conference may determine.
¶ 448. OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE AND PROGRAM COMMITTEES. The church council may
recommend such other committees it deems advisable, whose members are to be elected by the
charge conference, including but not limited to: communications committee, discipleship
committee, records and history committee, missions committee, memorial gifts committee, and
ministries that address the unique needs and interests of both women and men.
Worship Committee:
Current Co-Chairs: Diane Carpenter (Idc1026@aol.com), Colby Lowe (colbyacca@gmail.com)
Link to Responsibilities:
Stewardship, Planning and Communications:
Current Chair: Gehrig Wiles gehrig@fmcmhnc.org
Link to Mission, Relationship, and Responsibilities: