For many congregations, this is not an easy threshold to reach. When does a disaffiliating congregation officially end its relationship with the UMC and GNJ? Doing the legwork of someone willing to speak to your congregation may make this offer difficult for your church leadership to decline. The district superintendent may have additional questions for you at that time to make sure you are working from accurate information and a clear sense of the congregations readiness for a vote. What is Lent and why does it last forty days? Ask The UMC: What should United Methodist congregations know about disaffiliation? Additional votes on disaffiliations are expected at this annual conference. Your church likely has a rich history in its connection to the United Methodist Church. You can also reach out to any of the people listed on this page. Successful Guides will be those whose theology or viewpoints are not detected by congregations in the discernment and decision process. Below is a list of strategies to get there. A collection of videos and links as we navigate moving forward. Our mission at UMF remains the same To help Gods people pay it forward. Pastors intent on being part of the GMC may wish to be part of this Conference. Another reason for disaffiliation among United Methodist churches is concerns about the denominations organizational structure and decision-making processes. The Global Methodist Church was established earlier this year in response to the United Methodist Church becoming more progressive in their views on allowing LGBTQ+ members of clergy and performing wedding ceremonies for gay couples. They are also deeply emotional. We also stipulated, in fairness, that should an appointment be made, any unused portion would be returned. Copyright 2023 All rights reserved. BOD 2016, 340 3a, Responsibilities and Duties of Elders and Licensed Local Pastors. While the United Methodist denomination is in a state of change, its important for you to know that your Foundation remains firmly grounded in helping you achieve the dreams God has placed on your heart. Were all standing on the shoulders of those who came before us, and others will soon be standing on our shoulders. Timeline - June through September 2022. This phenomenon is not unique to the UMC and is happening among other mainline denominations as well. According to the United Methodist News Service, as of 2021, there are more than 100 churches have disaffiliated from the United Methodist Church. What will the conference do to ensure the well-being of clergy serving in congregations that decide to disaffiliate but he/she/they decide to stay in the UMC? It will be even more difficult to reach if you actively organize to make sure most everyone in your congregation and their family members are present during this critical meeting. The Annual Conference will be presented a motion detailing the names of the churches that have completed the discernment process, voted to disaffiliate, and have accepted the final term sheet for disaffiliation as presented by GNJs Board of Trustees. No this is false. This disaffiliation process is a journey to find other Wesleyans who hold the same values of scriptural authority and Christocentric theology that we do. What is spiritual discernment? The GNJ terms include requirements of paragraph 2553 and any costs incurred by GNJ. Video here (starts at 40 minutes into presentation): https://vimeo.com/722681837#t=40m. The choice by a local church to disaffiliate with the UMC under this paragraph shall be made in sufficient time for the process for exiting the denomination to be complete prior to December 31, 2023. In general, time is the ally of those wishing to stay in the United Methodist Church. The Woodlands United Methodist and Faithbridge, two large traditional churches near Houston, both voted Aug. 7 for disaffiliation, while a third large church, Wildwood, adopted a resolution to stay in the denomination. Together, guides will journey with the congregation through a spiritual discernment process that helps the church conference listen for the Holy Spirits wisdom and insight in making a decision about your relationship with The United Methodist Church. In other denominations, such votes have resulted in people leaving the church. Advocate for going the extra mile in some of the suggested discernment activities rather than simply meeting the minimum standard. A vote was taken at the church on Monday evening (Oct. 3). We encourage you to read it carefully. excerpt from a story by Heather Hahn, assistant news editor, UM News. Watch a select portion of Tom Berlins Celebrate UMC presentation where he refutes such claims directly. These issues have led to a divide within the denomination, with some churches and members advocating for a more progressive stance while others hold to a more traditional interpretation of scripture. On April 16, 2021, the Judicial Council of the United Methodist Church affirmed the constitutionality of this paragraph, paving the way for annual conferences to implement processes for disaffiliation. Some conferences require a full three years of apportionment payments. Any outstanding loans as identified by GNJ Loan Board; CFA or the GNJ Board of Trustees. This can be seen in the way that the UMC has struggled to articulate a clear and consistent message on social and political issues, which has left many members feeling confused and disconnected from the denomination. Stay UMC can help you connect with someone in your area to speak. Your district superintendent will help your congregation complete an intentional discernment process before a church conference to vote on disaffiliation is scheduled. The 2019 Special Session of the General Conference of the UMC adopted paragraph 2553 in the Book of Discipline - Disaffiliation of a Local Church Over Issues Related to Human Sexuality. Example: If the three-year average of all the church funds is $100,000 and 20% of the members vote against disaffiliation, the terms for disaffiliation include a $20,000 Missional Transitional Support. Yet, at the end(?) This will be decision of the Annual Conference. The decline in membership has led to financial difficulties for many churches, as they struggle to keep their doors open and maintain their facilities. What will be the impact of disaffiliation on our appointed clergyperson? Stay UMC is a grassroots organization and is not involved in conference administration. For congregations that disaffiliate, and their appointed pastor(s) remain(s) in the UMC, the estimated clergy compensation including housing and benefits for 18 months and maximum moving expenses for two moves per individual. Yes. The church court said the Alabama-West Florida Conference Board of Trustees acted unlawfully by closing sale on the property of a church before the annual conference voters ratified the disaffiliation agreement. What is the Church's position on homosexuality? A drastic shift in exit costs That seems very wrong. We cannot speak to the approach used by other conference Board of Trustees to discern and fully vet these costs, as our Trustees did. The United Methodist churches that have disaffiliated are found across the United States, with the majority being located in the South and Midwest. Does the Annual Conference have to approve a Congregations disaffiliation? But do the numbers match the rhetoric? Your district superintendent will work with your congregation at each step of the discernment process. The Brief and Bumpy History of Disaffiliation In addition to the Way Forward Plans, multiple stand-alone disaffiliation plans came to General Conference 2019. All six rulings from the United Methodist Judicial Council stem from questions of law raised aboutthe Book of Disciplines new Paragraph 2553 approved by the 2019 Special General Conference in St. Louis. Discernment comes first before financial discussions. That covenant outlines outlines how to honor one another and what information will be shared with the public and the broader church, and if there is openness to reunification in the future. However, our annual conference policies and processes on disaffiliations will not change with new leadership. For more information see, https://www.umc.org/en/content/articles-of-religion, https://www.umnews.org/en/news/bishop-urges-end-to-falsehoods-pivot-to-future. Disaffiliation is complete only when all payments due are made in full, the annual conference has approved the motion of disaffiliation and the effective date of disaffiliation set by the annual conference is reached. As a part of due diligence, appraisal of all local church properties by a certified appraiser is required. This is an anxious season for the congregation and its leaders. How do you feel about local ghost stories and legends? Three paragraphs in the current Book of Discipline may be used to complete a disaffiliation in which the congregation may retain much or all of its property and assets. A Term Sheet, which is developed by the GNJ Board of Trustees, is an agreement of the basic terms and conditions of the disaffiliation. These liabilities are explained above under the Term Sheet. Ive watched your webinar for EPA conference and was surprised to find out that the term sheet may be revised as needed. What is the Connectional Covenant? First United Methodist Church in Washington will disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church. Your district superintendent can give you the most accurate information so your congregation can make its best decisions informed by the facts. St. Andrew United Methodist, a megachurch in Plano, also announced its. And as the Judicial Council decision clarifies, the "comity agreement" referred to in this paragraph is created by the Council of Bishops and affirmed by General Conference. Pastors and congregation leaders should start with a conversation with their District Superintendent who can help find the best option to accomplish the congregation's goal. General Conference could also fail to produce any exit or extend the expiration of par. The professing membership of a local United Methodist church shall include all baptized people who have come into membership by profession of faith through appropriate services of the baptismal covenant in the ritual or by transfer from other churches. BOD 2016, 215. UMF is a stand-alone corporation with the ability to manage funds for any church organization even those that disaffiliate from the United Methodist denomination. First United Methodist Church in Washington will disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church. *possible* specially called Annual Conference has been announced, https://www.umcna.org/postdetail/16513389, https://cdn.cokesbury.com/images/community/cokesburyportals/2016boderrata.pdf, https://www.umcna.org/files/tables/content/16410823/fields/files/6761ca70658d4a5990ad3f6a68531f76/faq-2022.pdf, https://www.stayumc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/CalltoPrayerandDiscernmentFINAL.pdf. Annual conferences cannot create comity agreements with other denominations. In the case when a church votes to disaffiliate and it is not to a unanimous vote, the Missional Transitional Support help the members who want to stay with GNJ have a path to transition to a new place of worship. This disaffiliation process is a journey to find other Wesleyans who hold the same values of scriptural authority and Christocentric theology that we do. How will the process ensure that only professing members participate/vote in the church conferences? Lets take a look at two examples: Can our congregation receive a term sheet prior to the church council vote to engage in the discernment process?The disaffiliation passage in The Book of Discipline is a result of the current deep conflict within The United Methodist Church around issues of human sexuality. A The Disaffiliation Plan, found in 2553 of The Book of Discipline, provides a procedure for local churches to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church for "reasons of conscience" surrounding the denomination's position on human sexuality issues. Please encourage your leaders and congregations to support the General Administration Fund apportionment at 100 percent. The United Methodist Churchs guidebook, called the Book of Discipline, states any congregation who chooses to disaffiliate will take ownership of the church property. Carrollton, Texas 75010. Any unpaid apportionments for the 12 months prior to the disaffiliation date, as well as an additional 12 months of apportionments. Guides will be impartial and unbiassed. This process is based upon section 2553 of The Book of Discipline. The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a mainline Protestant denomination that has been experiencing a decline in membership and disaffiliation in recent years. Clergy persons who leave The UMC on their own accord or with a disaffiliating congregation, must surrender their membership credentials and join a another denomination or serve an independent congregation and the clergy person will need to be credentialed by the denomination or independent congregation. What are the seven steps to the disaffiliation process? We will likely receive a new presiding bishop on January 1, 2023. In the church, sometimes spiritual discernment is used particularly during deep and challenging decision making. Many WCA/GMC leaders are sharing talking points designed to portray the remaining UMC as engaging in theological drift by abandoning Biblical authority, questioning the resurrection of Jesus Christ, forsaking our doctrinal standards, promoting an open canon, and other similar things. Or is it some percentage of that? The Guides will assist each congregation in discerning its future, not the desires of the Guide, GNJ or the UMC. At our first church meeting yesterday, many members expressed concern that the pastor and his leadership were giving only biased information on disaffiliation and joining GMC. A vote to disaffiliate is a vote to leave relationships with other people and institutions that have helped congregation members grow in Christ over the years. The pastor meets with and participates in the discussions of theboard of trustees, but the pastor is not a voting memberunlessspecifically elected as a trustee. https://www.umc.org/en/content/ask-the-umc-who-has-voice-and-vote-in-a-local-church. This paragraph is about transfer of property. The pastor meets with the committee, but cannot be a voting member. The decision to disaffiliate from the UMC must be approved by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the professing members of the local church present at the church conference. Waiting until the next General Conference could offer a less expensive option for churches to exit the UMC. We are your trusted partner in ministry and are here to help you in any way we can. When all seven steps of disaffiliation are completed and the church makes all required financial payments. Wise congregational leadership will choose not to schedule a church conference to vote on disaffiliation if there is uncertainty about that majority.