The United Brethren Constitution was adopted in 1841. Amendments require a two-thirds vote of UB members plus the final approval of General Conference. Over the years, only a handful of changes have been made. All ecclesiastical power herein granted to make or repeal any rule of discipline is vested in a general conference, which shall consist of elders and laymen, elected by the members in every conference district throughout the society.
General conference is to be held every four years.
All officials elected by the general conference shall be members ex officio of the general conference, the bishops to be considered presiding officers. Each annual conference shall place before the society a list of nominees for election as delegates as provided in the Discipline of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. The general conference shall define the boundaries of the annual conferences. The general conference shall at every session elect one or more bishops from among the elders throughout the church, who have stood six years in that capacity. The General Conference has authority to establish and participate in an international United Brethren church structure, and to edit Constitutional language to reflect the same.