▁Method ist ▁Church , ▁whereas ▁each ▁annual ▁conference ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁one ▁epis cop al ▁area ▁( though ▁that ▁area ▁may ▁contain ▁more ▁than ▁one ▁conference ). ▁ ▁The ▁African ▁Method ist ▁Epis cop al ▁Church ▁has ▁a ▁similar ▁structure ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁Method ist ▁Church , ▁also ▁using ▁the ▁Epis cop al ▁Area . ▁Note ▁that ▁the ▁b ish ops ▁govern ▁the ▁church ▁as ▁a ▁single ▁ben ch . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁British ▁Method ist ▁Church ▁and ▁Irish ▁Method ist ▁Church , ▁the ▁closest ▁equivalent ▁to ▁a ▁dioc ese ▁is ▁the ▁' circ uit '. ▁Each ▁local ▁church ▁belongs ▁to ▁a ▁circuit , ▁and ▁the ▁circuit ▁is ▁over seen ▁by ▁a ▁super int endent ▁minister ▁who ▁has ▁past oral ▁charge ▁of ▁all ▁the ▁circuit ▁churches ▁( though ▁in ▁practice ▁he ▁or ▁she ▁deleg ates ▁such ▁charge ▁to ▁other ▁pres by ters ▁who ▁each ▁care ▁for ▁a ▁section ▁of ▁the ▁circuit ▁and ▁chair ▁the ▁local ▁church ▁meet ings ▁as ▁deput ies ▁of ▁the ▁super int endent ). ▁This ▁echo es ▁the ▁practice ▁of ▁the ▁early ▁church ▁where ▁the ▁bishop ▁was ▁supported ▁by ▁a ▁ben ch ▁of ▁pres by ters . ▁Circ uits ▁are ▁grouped ▁together ▁to ▁form ▁District s . ▁All ▁of ▁these , ▁combined ▁with ▁the ▁local ▁membership ▁of ▁the ▁Church , ▁are ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁the ▁" Con nex ion ". ▁This ▁ 1 8 th - century ▁term , ▁end ors ed ▁by ▁John ▁Wes ley , ▁describes ▁how ▁people ▁serving ▁in ▁different ▁ge ographical ▁cent res ▁are ▁' connected