What is a "connectional" church system?

The Free Methodist church government is a "hybrid" system blending valuable features of hierarchical and congregational systems. Hierarchical church governments, such as Roman Catholic and Episcopal, govern local churches through "higher"archies which oversee and rule over the affairs of the local church. Pastors are appointed by overseeing bodies; they are not "called" by local congregations. This is one trait the Free Methodist church shares in common with hierarchical churches. Congregational forms of church government are purely local in scope. Each congregation is "autonomous" and any associations they have with other churches is purely voluntary. They write their own constitutions and administrate their own local ministry independent of any overseeing body. In this regard local Free Methodist churches have a great deal of liberty to set their local mission and devise methods and ministries that fulfill that mission. However, the historic conviction of the Free Methodist church is ... more