The General Conference, which is comprised of elected clergy and laity, delegates and governs the worldwide United Methodist Global Church. United Methodist Churches within the United States are organized geographically by Jurisdictional Conferences. The delegates of Jurisdictional Conferences elect Bishops who are appointed to Annual Conferences. South United Methodist Church is in the North Eastern Jurisdiction and a member of the New England Annual Conference.  Our presiding Bishop is Peter D. Weaver.  Bishops, together with their cabinets, appoint clergy to local churches or parishes.  Individual congregations do not call pastors to their charge, nor do clergy apply for a certain position within the church.    

United Methodists have compiled their ideas of how we agree to live together, our understanding of the Church, what is expected of clergy and laity, our theological grounding, and our mission in The Book of Discipline. While we recognize it as our book of law, we do not see it as infallible. The Discipline is amended or clarified at each General Conference. (The Book of Dicipline,United Methodist Publishing House. Nashville, TN 2004.)