ARTICLE III
GRIEVANCE AND APPEAL
The following steps shall be taken to resolve a grievance between ministers.
Section 1. Meeting Together.
First, ministers should meet alone in an effort to resolve a grievance between
them. (See Matthew 18:15.)
Section 2. Filing a Grievance.
1. A grievance may only be filed by one credentialed UPCI minister concerning
another.
2. A credentialed UPCI minister may file a grievance by sending a letter by official
notice to his or her District Superintendent stating the name of the minister
who has allegedly wronged him or her, what that minister has allegedly done,
and when this alleged wrong was committed.
3. Within ten (10) days of receiving the grievance, the District Superintendent
shall send a copy of it by official notice to the minister named in it.
4. The District Superintendent shall attempt to ensure that an informal meeting as
described in Section 1 of this article has occurred.
5. Both ministers are required to follow the Grievance process as outlined below
in this article. Refusal to do so by either one may subject that individual to a
District Board Action for failure to work in cooperation with the District Board.
6. The District Board may be from the district of the minister or from the district
in which the problem, disagreement, or offense allegedly occurred.
Section 3. Arbitration Panel.
1. If the ministers fail to resolve the grievance between them, each minister shall
select an ordained minister who is neutral and unbiased about the grievance and
who is not a member of a District Board to serve as a member of an arbitration
panel. These two (2) selected ministers shall then jointly select a third ordained
minister who is also uninformed about the grievance and who is not a member
of a District Board to serve as the chair of the arbitration panel. He or she shall
affirm that he or she is neutral and unbiased concerning the grievance. Two (2)
additional ministers shall be chosen to serve with the chair on the arbitration
panel. They shall be chosen in the same manner as the chair and shall affirm
that they are neutral and unbiased concerning the grievance.
2. The chair of the arbitration panel shall set the place, date, and time for the arbitration
panel to meet with the two (2) ministers involved in the grievance and
communicate this information to them and to the other four (4) members of the
panel.
3. The arbitration panel shall meet with the two (2) ministers without any other
person present. After hearing each side, it shall present a solution, which shall
be binding upon both ministers. (See Matthew 18:16.)
4. The chair of the arbitration panel shall send by official notice a copy of the
arbitration panel’s decision to the two (2) involved ministers and to the District
Superintendent of each minister.
Section 4. Appeal of Decision.
Either minister may appeal the decision of the arbitration panel to the District
Board, whose decision shall be final. In the event the two (2) ministers are from
two (2) districts, the appeal shall be to the MAC, whose decision shall be final.
The appeal shall be made by notifying the District Superintendent (or Regional
Presiding Officer) by official notice within twenty (20) days after receiving
the decision of the arbitration panel. The District Superintendent (or Regional
Presiding Officer) shall arrange a meeting to hear the appeal. The date for considering
the appeal shall not be less than fifteen (15) days and not more than ninety
(90) days from the time the minister notifies the district superintendent of his or
her appeal. Only the two (2) involved ministers and the chair of the arbitration
panel or a member of the arbitration panel designated by the chair may meet with
the District Board (or the MAC) during the appeal process.
Section 5. Enforcement of the Decision.
Both parties acknowledge that they will accept the decision at the conclusion of
this Grievance process and will not thereafter take the matter before civil courts or
authorities. A credentialed minister doing so may be subject to disciplinary action
as deemed appropriate by the applicable District Board. Failure to abide by the
decision of the arbitration panel, or, in the case of an appeal, the District Board
(or MAC), shall be considered conduct unbecoming a minister, which constitutes
grounds for a District Board Action or a Complaint, as appropriate.
The above is part of the judicial procedure of the United Pentecostal Church International and is provided for informational purposes.
Page Added February 10, 2007 & Updated March 3, 2024