The African Methodist Episcopal Church is organized on a connectional model where each church is part of a larger organization referred to as a connection. Bishops serve as chief officers, Presiding Elders serve as regional managers, pastors are assigned to congregations by bishops and the congregations elect lay (non-clergy) members to represent them at regional and national meetings called district, annual, or general conferences at which the business of the church is conducted. This connectional model differs from a congregational model practiced by other denominations.

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The chart below shows the structure of our connection from the General Conference to the local church.