SIGNATURES ON CHURCH CHECKS
THE JUDICIAL COUNCIL OF
THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL ZION CHURCH
IN THE MATTER OF
THE PETITION OF EDDIE H. RAY
DECISION No. 1992-004
​
This matter comes before the Council by letter which has been determined by the Council to be a petition for a Declaratory Judgment by Mr. Eddie H. Ray, Member in Good Standing of the A.M. E. Zion Church.
ARTICLE II - JURISDICTION[1]
B. the Judicial Council shall have not original jurisdiction, since decisions are declaratory and final in the interim of the General Conference.
ARTICLE III - DUTIES[2]
2. To hear and make declaratory judgments when petition to do so when any law is subject to more than one interpretation on any paragraph in the Book of Discipline is of doubtful meaning. Any person in good and regular standing in the A.M.E. Zion Church can petition the Judicial Counsel for such a judgment. The Council's decision is final unless revised or reversed by the General Conference.
FACTS OF THE CASE
No testimony was presented to the Council. No hearing requested, as none is needed. The petitioner presented a question to the Council.
QUESTION TO BE DECIDED[3]
Should there be four signatures on all official church checks?
The question presented involves two sections of the Discipline.
Paragraph 385:
All official church checks must be signed by not less than two officers of the Board.
Paragraph 431:
...his accounts for be subject to the inspection of the Pastor in Charge. All official Church checks must be signed by not less than two officers of the bullet.
DECISION
​
The Book of Discipline does not require four signatures on all Official Church Checks. The Discipline requires a minimum of two signatures of officers of the Board on all Official Church Checks. The Discipline does not prohibit a local society from requiring more than two signatures on all of Official Church Checks.
A local Church designed to have more than two signatures on all official checks may ask the Quarterly Conference to determine what number is reasonable.
BY ORDER OF THE JUDICIAL COUNCIL THIS 31st DAY OF DECEMBER, 1992.
JUSTICE WATTS FOR THE JUDICIAL COUNCIL
San Francisco, CA 94118
ALL CONCURRING
Star of Zion January 26, 1993, p 5.
[1] Originally cited incorrectly as Article I.
[2] Originally cited incorrectly as Article VI.
[3] Paragraph title “Question to be Decided“ was not in the original document.
​