Circuits & Districts

Introduction

(Links to all documents pertaining to Clergy Circuits follow the introductory material.)

Bishop Warner H. Brown, Jr., Resident Bishop of the California-Nevada Annual Conference, announced changes in Conference structure in a March 19, 2009 article, Resetting Our Framework for Ministry. 

The letter was sent to all lay and clergy who are serving a church, deacons in primary church appointments, lay members to Annual Conference Session, church lay leaders, and Church Staff Parish Committee chairs.
 
"Called to bring the good news of Christ to a needy world, we must rethink church for this time," the Bishop wrote. "Rethinking Church involves a passionate rededication to being church in the Wesleyan way," he said.
 
As the first step in the process, clergy circuits were established July 1, 2009 as the central place for ministry development. Each pastor and congregation in the Conference has a District Superintendent, but "the spirit and practice of connectional ministry [is] emphasized through the circuits."
 
The Bishop appoints and assigns clergy to both local churches and to circuits.
 
"Guided by circuit leaders, pastors will support, challenge and encourage each other within circuit meetings," the Bishop wrote. "Pastors will collaborate for ministry development, vision-sharing, and strategic discussion toward the making of disciples and extending Christ's service beyond the church.
 
"Superintendents will be freed to use their gifts and graces for leadership development across the Conference," he said.
 
The structure was further detailed by then-Conference Superintendent, the Rev. Ted Virts, in Equipping the Church for Ministry: Clergy Circuits, which includes areas of responsibility and the schedule for meetings within each organizational level.
 
"Spiritually based leadership development will be at the center of our evolving work and changing roles," he wrote. "We will grow into the new direction through prayerful focus, humble listening, gracious forgiveness, and focused discipleship."
 
In June 2010 the Annual Conference Session agreed to reduce the number of districts in the Conference from seven to four. The Cabinet has named the new districts Great Northern, Bridges, El Camino Real, and Central Valley. 
 
Download 2012 Circuits List (updated 4/10/2013)

Download 2010 District/Circuit Map
 
Link to pages:

Information for Circuit Leaders
Material Pertaining to Circuits