The other 33 rules for UPC preachers -In the interest of being fair and balanced...

In the interest of being fair and balanced... and to give some perspective... Given some recent statements on another thread, if a preacher is “lying” about the television issue, here is a complete list of the other rules in the same section of the manual that he may or may not be lying about. For consistency's sake, let's make sure we call them liars if they do not comply with any of the other 33 rules not involving television and video. (paraphrased by me to be less boring)

1. Ministers cannot accept an invitation to preach by a member of a church without the local pastor's consent.
2. Ministers are not allowed to hold a meeting in a town with out the local pastor's consent.
3. No minister can start a church without the written consent of the District Board.
4. No minister or church pastored by a minister can relocate to a neighborhood where there is another church without written permission of the district board.
5. Ministers cannot accept an invitation to preach at any church that is “held in question” without getting the consent of the District Superintendent.
6. Ministers and saints of different congregations cannot interact in volunteer services or religious activities without the saint's pastors approval.
7. Any minister who resigns a church must sever all connection with that church or any of its members without the new pastor's consent.
8. Each minister holding a local license is required to pay their annual dues.
9. Each minister holding a general license is required to pay their annual dues.
10. Each ordained minister is required to pay their annual dues.
11. All ministers accepted into the fellowship must pay their dues beginning from the first of the quarter during which they are accepted.
12. All ministers are to pay their budget fee on at least a quarterly basis in advance.
13. All ministers have to pay their local district dues.
14. All ministers have to sign their affirmation statement stating their loyalty to the Fundamental Doctrine and the Holiness Standards every two years.
15. Ministers over 65 are eligible to become honorary ministers.
16. Any minister holding or seeking to hold credentials who speaks or writes in opposition to any Articles of Faith shall be called before the District Board.
17. No minister can be in a secret society except for labor unions.
18. No minister can mix bathe outside of the immediate family.
19. Ministers holding local licenses can't perform marriage ceremonies without permission.
20. Any minister who has been dropped or disfellowshipped shall not be received back for 1 year (not sure I paraphrased this one right, it is kinda confusing)
21. If a minister withdraws or is dropped from fellowship under questionable conduct, no other minister is allowed to let him preach or participate in any form in services except funerals or weddings.
22. Any minister who gets in trouble in another district can be tried in that district.
23. Any minister who commits an offense that affects more than one district may be refered to the General Board.
24. Any minister committing sins that are a great hindrance to the body shall be “silenced indefinitely” (that sounds kind of ominous!)
25. Any minister who knows the minister in rule 24 and lets him preach shall be “silenced” until proper restitution is made.
26. Any minister who used to have a license and has been dropped or withdrawn under question, falling into sin, etc. and seeks reinstatement later must prove himself for 2 years and then get endorsements and stuff.
27. All ministers not actively engaged in pastoring, evangelizing or teaching has to go to a church pastored by a UPC minister.
28. All ministers shall affiliate with the district in which they labor and reside.
29. A minister has to get a certificate of transfer to change districts.
30. A minister who is a student at a bible school cannot transfer into the district where he or she is going to school.
31. A minister cannot have a television in his home or advertise or minister on television.
32. No video except family pictures and church activities, etc. You must modify all video receivers so that they cannot receive television channels.
33. A minister cannot accept a member into his church who came from another UPC church without a letter of release or transfer from his old church.
34. A minister can't own the church building.
35. A minister must keep confidential information confidential and not tell ANY other person!

That is the “Obligations and Rules” section in a nutshell. Obviously there is more legalese in there to clarify stuff further...

You seriously have WAY too much time on your hands!

Originally Posted by Steadfast

You seriously have WAY too much time on your hands!

I know, that took me like 45 minutes to type up!

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by Sheltiedad

In the interest of being fair and balanced... and to give some perspective... Given some recent statements on another thread, if a preacher is “lying” about the television issue, here is a complete list of the other rules in the same section of the manual that he may or may not be lying about. For consistency's sake, let's make sure we call them liars if they do not comply with any of the other 33 rules not involving television and video. (paraphrased by me to be less boring)

13. All ministers have to pay their local district dues.

That is the “Obligations and Rules” section in a nutshell. Obviously there is more legalese in there to clarify stuff further...

Many years ago when I had first gone full time and had begun tithing to the district, a presbyter who was sitting next to me in a district business meeting showed me his "Personal and Confidential" report from the district secretary. The district's "Financial Plan" called for all full time ministers to tithe to the district on their ministerial income.

This report detailed how much he had paid to the district in the preceeding year. I still have no idea what his motivation was in showing me his report. Was he "bragging" or was he trying to show me that I should "wise up?" I just glanced down at the report and saw that this district boardmember had paid less than $500.00 to the district for that entire year. Had he made only $5,000 dollars that year from his work as a full time pastor of a church running at least 200?

I had paid more than 3x's what he did - I was only "full time" for the last couple of months of that year and making a small fraction of what he must have been.

[Praxeas]

A minister cannot accept a member into his church who came from another UPC church without a letter of release or transfer from his old church.

That one gets ignored all the time fo shure

[BoredOutOfMyMind]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

A minister cannot accept a member into his church who came from another UPC church without a letter of release or transfer from his old church.

That one gets ignored all the time fo shure

I have seen Pastors who would not give them......

They are supposed to.

You left off the one that any minister who is put out under question for ANY sexual sin can NEVER NEVER NEVER be licensed by the UPCI no matter how bad he wants to be and no matter the circumstances surrounding the situation.

I have often wondered if pornography is considered fornication and if so, how is that handled.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by BoredOutOfMyMind

I have seen Pastors who would not give them......

They are supposed to.

I've seen Pastors that would not ask

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by philjones

You left off the one that any minister who is put out under question for ANY sexual sin can NEVER NEVER NEVER be licensed by the UPCI no matter how bad he wants to be and no matter the circumstances surrounding the situation.

That's the one rule that the UPC should trumpet. I know it's controversial and I believe in redemption and second chances. But I also feel good about having a line drawn that no should step over.

[FRINGE_NUTTER]

Originally Posted by Sheltiedad

In the interest of being fair and balanced... and to give some perspective... Given some recent statements on another thread, if a preacher is “lying” about the television issue, here is a complete list of the other rules in the same section of the manual that he may or may not be lying about. For consistency's sake, let's make sure we call them liars if they do not comply with any of the other 33 rules not involving television and video. (paraphrased by me to be less boring)[LIST=1][*]Ministers cannot accept an invitation to preach by a member of a church without the local pastor's consent.[*]Ministers are not allowed to hold a meeting in a town with out the local pastor's consent.[*]No minister can start a church without the written consent of the District Board.[*]No minister or church pastored by a minister can relocate to a neighborhood where there is another church without written permission of the district board.[*]Ministers cannot accept an invitation to preach at any church that is “held in question” without getting the consent of the District Superintendent.[*]Ministers and saints of different congregations cannot interact in volunteer services or religious activities without the saint's pastors approval.[*]Any minister who resigns a church must sever all connection with that church or any of its members without the new pastor's consent.[*]Each minister holding a local license is required to pay their annual dues.[*]Each minister holding a general license is required to pay their annual dues.[*]Each ordained minister is required to pay their annual dues.[*]All ministers accepted into the fellowship must pay their dues beginning from the first of the quarter during which they are accepted.[*]All ministers are to pay their budget fee on at least a quarterly basis in advance.[*]All ministers have to pay their local district dues.[*]All ministers have to sign their affirmation statement stating their loyalty to the Fundamental Doctrine and the Holiness Standards every two years.[*]Ministers over 65 are eligible to become honorary ministers.[*]Any minister holding or seeking to hold credentials who speaks or writes in opposition to any Articles of Faith shall be called before the District Board.[*]No minister can be in a secret society except for labor unions.[*]No minister can mix bathe outside of the immediate family.[*]Ministers holding local licenses can't perform marriage ceremonies without permission.[*]Any minister who has been dropped or disfellowshipped shall not be received back for 1 year (not sure I paraphrased this one right, it is kinda confusing)[*]If a minister withdraws or is dropped from fellowship under questionable conduct, no other minister is allowed to let him preach or participate in any form in services except funerals or weddings.[*]Any minister who gets in trouble in another district can be tried in that district.[*]Any minister who commits an offense that affects more than one district may be refered to the General Board.[*]Any minister committing sins that are a great hindrance to the body shall be “silenced indefinitely” (that sounds kind of ominous!)[*]Any minister who knows the minister in rule 24 and lets him preach shall be “silenced” until proper restitution is made.[*]Any minister who used to have a license and has been dropped or withdrawn under question, falling into sin, etc. and seeks reinstatement later must prove himself for 2 years and then get endorsements and stuff.[*]All ministers not actively engaged in pastoring, evangelizing or teaching has to go to a church pastored by a UPC minister.[*]All ministers shall affiliate with the district in which they labor and reside.[*]A minister has to get a certificate of transfer to change districts.[*]A minister who is a student at a bible school cannot transfer into the district where he or she is going to school.[*]A minister cannot have a television in his home or advertise or minister on television.[*]No video except family pictures and church activities, etc. You must modify all video receivers so that they cannot receive television channels.[*]A minister cannot accept a member into his church who came from another UPC church without a letter of release or transfer from his old church.[*]A minister can't own the church building.
[*]A minister must keep confidential information confidential and not tell ANY other person![/LIST] That is the “Obligations and Rules” section in a nutshell. Obviously there is more legalese in there to clarify stuff further...

That's hilarious. Sorry. It just is.