Our SYMBOLS & STRUCTURES
Conference Badge
The Conference Badge
The Conference badge was designed by the Rev. Dr. Claude L. Cadogan and has become the most recognizable symbol of the MCCA. It is used on all official documents of the MCCA at the Connexional, District, Circuit and Congregational levels. It has also been used on various paraphernalia of the church. The composition of the badge proclaims the understanding of the MCCA about itself.
The badge is made up of the following parts:
The CROSS CROSSLET - four Latin crosses on a common base pointing North, South, East and West, indicate that the mission of the Church is in all directions. The world is the field.
The SHIELD - per pale per chevron in its divisions - bears the ‘ancestral' shield of Methodism on the top right with the top left in bleu celeste (sky blue) which is a blend of the white (argent) and blue (azure) of the other sections.
The SUN - with the circle of eternity enclosing the IHS - Jesus - is the Sun of Righteousness reflecting Malachi 4:2 (cf. also Wesley's hymns 63 and 495 in Voices in Praise). Our territories are the Lands of the Sun. He is risen upon us.
The WESLEY or METHODIST Shield, with its scallop shells of Pilgrimage, holds our ‘ancestry'. We are of the Methodist family.
The FISHERMAN'S BOAT - or SHIP - symbol of the Church which sails even on the troubled seas. This is appropriate for our area where there is so much sea and the ‘fishers of men' must sail on the mission of the Church.
The MOTTO on the scroll - "THE LOVE OF CHRIST CONSTRAINS US" indicates our motivation and power. The test is centered in the Conference Hymn written by the late Rev. Dr Hugh B. Sherlock, O.B.E.
Taken as a whole the Crest proclaims the message that "moved by the Love of Christ constraining us, we sail as a Church under the aegis of Christ our Head, and Methodism our heritage into the cardinal points of the world to fulfill our mission."
Connexional President's Badge
The Connexional President's Badge
The Connexional President's badge was designed by the Rev. Dr. Claude L. Cadogan. It may be used on all official documents sent from the office of the Connexional President and also appears on the stole of the Connexional President. The composition of the crest tells the understanding of the church about the office of the Connexional President.
The badge is made up of the following parts:
The CROSS FITCHEE - cross crosslet with the lower arm sharpened - is said to have been used by the Crusaders who, in the journeys created their ‘chapels' everywhere by simply sticking such a cross in a piece of ground, thereby "hallowing" the spot for worship. Wherever the President goes, there is his chapel for he belongs to the whole Area.
The SHIELD - per pale per chevron in its divisions - has top left section in colour bleu celeste and top right in colour blue (azure) and lower section in purple.
The SUN and BOAT are from the Conference Badge to indicate Jesus Christ the Head of the Church and the Church still sails to "fish for people" at His command.
The SHEPHERD'S STAFF and the GAVEL under the CROSS are symbolic of the President's Office as Shepherd of the Flock, and its Presiding Officer. He works, glorifying the cross.
The MOTTO on the scroll - YOUR SERVANT FOR JESUS' SAKE - from 2 Corinthians 4:5 indicates the role of the President in the Conference and the Church.
Structures
The Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas (MCCA) is an autonomous Conference of the Methodist Church. The MCCA is comprised of about 600 Congregations in 8 Districts.
MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the MCCA is through baptism. There are two types of members in the MCCA, viz 1) Members in Training and 2) Confirmed Members.
Those who are baptised and not yet confirmed are called members in training. After a period of training, and upon the acceptance of the Congregational Pastoral Council, a service of Confirmation is held. Persons who are confirmed become confirmed members and can hold office in the MCCA.
THE CLASS
The Class is the basic pastoral unit of the Methodist Church. All members are allocated to a Class under the pastoral care of a Class leader and an Assistant Class Leader. The Classes are the principal meetings of the Congregation for fellowship and mutual encouragement and growth in the faith.
THE CONGREGATION
A Congregation is the whole body of members of the Methodist Church linked with a particular place of worship or church building.
The Congregation exercises the whole ministry of Christ. Worship, fellowship, pastoral care, mission and service are essential features of that ministry. Each Congregation is under the care of a Presbyter. The Congregational Council (which is different from the Congregational Pastoral Council) is the executive body of the Congregation and acts on behalf of the Congregation. The chief lay executive officers of the Congregation are the Congregational Stewards.
THE CIRCUIT
One or more Congregations in a defined area make up a Circuit. The Circuit is the primary unit of administration in the MCCA and expresses the primary level of interconnectedness of the Congregations. The chief lay executive officers of the Circuit are the Circuit Stewards.
Ministers (Presbyters and Deacons) are stationed by the Districts to Circuits.
The responsibilities of the Circuit are exercised through the Circuit Pastoral Council and the Circuit Council. The Circuit is under the general oversight of a Superintendent who is one of the Presbyters stationed in the Circuit.
THE DISTRICT
Circuits are grouped together to form Districts. For each District there is a District President (known as the Bishop) whose job it is to lead, to stimulate the spiritual life of the District, to lead in evangelism and to give counsel to the ministers stationed in the District. Each District has a District Conference. Its primary purpose is to decide on policy for the District.
The District Conference is presided over by the District President who is a Methodist Presbyter. The District President is supported by the Secretary of the District Conference, who is also a minister, and District Treasurer, who is a lay person. They are further supported by a team of Secretaries for the Standing Committees of the District Conference.
Each District Conference meets in two Sessions: Representative Session and Ministerial Session.
The Representative session is the meeting of both lay delegates and the Ministers. This session is usually convened two days after the Ministerial Session has been convened. Membership in the Representatives Session is made up of the Ministers, all Circuit Stewards in the District, representatives from the Circuits in the District, elected members of the Standing Committees of the District Conference, and members of the District Stationing Committee. Persons may be admitted as visitors to this session.
The Ministerial Session of the District Conference is usually held two days prior to the Representative Session, but will have some meetings during the week of the Representative Session. All ministers stationed or residing in the District are members of the Ministerial Session, as well as of the Representative Session. The Ministerial Session is a closed meeting and may be called at various times during the meeting of the District Conference.
Districts may choose whether to hold a District Conference annually or triennially. If it is held triennially a smaller District Council is appointed to meet in the intervening years and to fulfil the responsibilities of the District Conference.