Our staff, Dr. Jim Dean, Pastor and Music Director Kathy Wiggins. No comity agreement exists between The United Methodist Church and the Global Methodist Church. A vote was taken at the church on Monday evening (Oct. 3). While the Trustees, received input, ultimately it was their decision. If this is the case the church should move forward with discernment process. It creates a right for congregations to request such transfer of property, and then only where local laws require the congregation's involvement in the transfer. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. Holy conversation that listens to understand, responds with grace and respect for God and one another and recognizes that we are in conversation with one another and with God. Originally created by Reynoldsburg UMC in Ohio. In 2019, the Judicial Councilupheld Paragraph 2553as in line with the denominations constitution. You can also reach out to any of the people listed on this page. https://www.umc.org/en/content/ask-the-umc-what-should-united-methodist-congregations-know-about-disaffiliation. (Concerns of disillusion of younger disciples). United Methodist Foundation, Inc. The term sheet is reviewed by the Disaffiliating Congregations Church Conference via special session that votes by two-thirds to accept the terms of the established Disaffiliation Agreement. You can find the Discipleship Ministries resources here. That seems very wrong. The Oklahoma Conference Board of Trustees has approved a disaffiliation process for local churches. A commitment has been made by this team to honor and respect differing theological convictions of congregations and pastors in the continuing United Methodist Church, including in the appointment process. This phenomenon is not unique to the UMC and is happening among other mainline denominations as well. 2553 outlines the steps the congregation, the district superintendent, and the conference must take to request, meet the criteria for, and complete a disaffiliation from The United Methodist Church. 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. These questions have made it clear that there is a lot of confusion and misinformation in the church about this topic. Whether your congregation is beginning to explore possibilities of disaffiliating or seems ready to take a vote, the first and most important step is for your pastor to contact your district superintendent. Copyright 2023 All rights reserved. Click here to search by department. The Annual Conference will provide information on the cost required to cover pension liabilities for previous pastors and release your church from the trust clause on its property. Ask to be part of the Discernment Team. The denomination is known for its strong emphasis on social justice and service, and it operates a number of mission programs both in the US and abroad. Your district superintendent can give you the most accurate information so your congregation can make its best decisions informed by the facts. 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. Washington Daily News reached out to First United Methodist Church Reverends Ken Hall and Stephen Bazan for comment. There are a variety of ways to make decisions. The last day to begin the discernment process (initiated by calling your district superintendent) and be eligible for the December 10 called annual conference is September 1, 2022, according to information we have received from the annual conference. Doing the legwork of someone willing to speak to your congregation may make this offer difficult for your church leadership to decline. 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. They are assisting a congregation to discern if it will disaffiliate from the UMC and GNJ. The Council of Bishops and Judicial Council Decision 1449 have affirmed2553, added by the 2019 special called General Conference, as the primary paragraph used for disaffiliation or separation. They have also recognized that there may be some instances where 2548.2 or 2549.3.b may apply to how property matters are addressed. No this is false. 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. Has there been any major change at a recent Board of Trustee meeting? Our role at Ask The UMC is to provide accurate official information about The United Methodist Church. Only congregations that are seriously considering leaving The United Methodist Church (UMC) and GNJ. No entity of The United Methodist Church is asking any congregation to disaffiliate or even consider disaffiliation. Definition of Membership Non-professing members may attend the church conference without voice and vote. We are not encouraging any congregation to do so, either. What is the Church's position on homosexuality? There are a number of reasons why churches may choose to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church. The costs to disaffiliate under par. My administrative board did not vote to proceed with discernment; there will be no vote to disaffiliate. Click here for the Connectional Covenant. But do the numbers match the rhetoric? Absent such explicit instructions by the annual conference, however, there are no guarantees about what terms the trustees may offer, and the trustees are under no obligation to negotiate the terms they offer. Question about A Missional Transitional Support that will be assessed by multiplying the three-year average of the total amount of all cash, bank balances, investments, endowments, and reserves by the percent of the votes against disaffiliation during the Church conference vote.. Notifications about the meeting are to go to all members as outlined and provided to the church. Video here (starts at 40 minutes into presentation): https://vimeo.com/722681837#t=40m. Another factor contributing to the disaffiliation of Methodist churches is the decline in membership. Bellview's church council voted, after a time of prayerful discernment to seek disaffiliation, to ask for a date for a special called church conference. Theprojectedterm sheet will be provided in the first disaffiliation discernment Special Called Church Conference session with the assigned Guide. a decision to disaffiliate by a two-thirds majority of the professing members present at a church conference (not charge conference); the payment in full of two years of that congregations apportionment commitment as set by the conference; the payment in full of the congregations pro-rata share of the conferences pension liability, based on a formula approved by the annual conference. I know the pastor is part of the church council. In recent years, a growing number of United Methodist churches in the US have chosen to disaffiliate from the denomination. If you are the pastor and you are just beginning to explore these questions, contact your superintendent to ask for guidance about how to explore well and for detailed information about how the process of disaffiliation works in your annual conference. Please encourage your leaders and congregations to support the General Administration Fund apportionment at 100 percent. All clergy are to complete and submit their clergy profile and requests to the superintendent by the end of the year. Your district superintendent will work with your congregation at each step of the discernment process. This must occur no later than December 31, 2023, for the congregation to disaffiliate. Rob Renfroe of Good News Magazine explains the current divisions within the United Methodist Church and discusses how Traditionalist Methodists should navigate future decisions. All unfunded retiree health care liabilities as apportioned by the GNJ Board of Pension and Benefits. While the number of disaffiliated churches is relatively small, their departure does have an impact on the remaining churches and raises questions about the future of the United Methodist Church. No. Like many mainline denominations, the UMC has seen a steady decline in attendance and membership in recent decades. Openness to the movement of the Holy Spirit in ourselves and others. The financial payments of the Term Sheet must be fully paid by December 31, 2023, for a congregation to disaffiliate. The mission of the church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. 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. One of the main reasons for disaffiliation among United Methodist churches is disagreements over theological issues. Tel. This is a good and sensitive question. The disaffiliation plan offers a limited way to release congregations fromThe United Methodist Churchs centuries-old trust clause, which states that church property is held in trust for the benefit of the entire denomination. Whether you are super-familiar with what's happening across the United Methodist Church or you're entering into the discussion, here are some resources on how it relates to us at First Methodist Carrollton and some further reading you may be interested in. One of seven apportioned giving opportunities of The United Methodist Church, the General Administration Fund implements trustworthy administrative oversight, supports the legislative processes of the church and curates The United Methodist Churchs rich history. Pastors are to continue to lead the congregation by doing no harm and refraining from leading the congregation in one way or another. They are designed to ensure your congregations decision process is well-informed, healthy, and in keeping with all of the requirements set forth by the Book of Discipline and your annual conference. How will ballots be collected at the special church conferences? This deadline represents something of a gamble for many churches wishing to disaffiliate. We'll try and provide as much clarity as we can, and you are always invited to contact the church office at (469) 568-1240 and ask for Amy Smith. Thank you so much to everyone that baked, cleaned, prepared, and shared! When a church discontinues as a United Methodist congregation, either by closing or disaffiliating from the UMC, all real and personal property reverts back to the UMC to strengthen the witness and mission of the church. If you have questions regarding your account(s), please fill out the form below and we will respond to you as soon as possible. Beard hosted four online forums to provide information to congregations and pastors of the Illinois Great Rivers Conference about the process of disaffiliation from The United Methodist Church. Disaffiliation means separating from the WNC Annual Conference (WNCC) and the entire UMC. This is not an outcome that bishops or congregations would prefer. Some conferences require a full three years of apportionment payments. Assuming the amendment process mentioned above is completed. This is important, because exactly how the process will work varies by annual conference. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. 2553 are not insignificant. Each Guide will receive $500 per session; and an additional $500 will be paid to Guides who receive, review and ensure all documentation is in order for the creation of the congregations Term Sheet. Using such a process will help your congregation make its decisions with due care for each other and your future together. St. Andrew United Methodist, a megachurch in Plano, also announced its. Were here to help! 2553. At that time, the full members of Bellview UMC who were present at the called church . That started our discernment process. It is not about a congregation changing its denominational affiliation. Take time to watch and read information about the Conferences NAC3 team, designed to help make space for traditionalists, centrists, and progressives in the continuing United Methodist Church. The Judicial Council has ruled that paragraph 2548.2 may not be used for disaffiliation. InDecision 1421, the Judicial Council addressed two questions: Whether the sale of property can be completed before the conference votes and whether the conference board of trustees can enter into a nondisclosure agreement with a departing church. The UMC has been grappling with issues related to human sexuality, particularly the ordination of LGBTQ+ individuals and the blessing of same-sex marriages. And in a situation where the congregation has acted in ways that are not compliant with the Discipline and the guidance of the district superintendent, the conference board of trustees may not offer the congregation any terms to obtain its former property or assets. Church Cell: 828-507-7759. We will continue to update this page with additional resources as they are made available. What is spiritual discernment? The Term Sheet is not negotiable. Please provide details on the process that the two guides will follow as they assist us in the discernment process. Some experts predict that the denomination may eventually split over theological and organizational differences, while others believe that the United Methodist Church will continue to evolve and adapt in response to the changing needs of its congregations. The NAC3 team has been clear that these agreed-upon processes belong to the conference trustees, who are elected by the annual conference and represent diverse points of view. The questions become who leaves, how many people leave, and how to address the losses to the remaining congregation when they leave. 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. While there have been rumors and articles where person have stated their opinions concerning a moving away from the denominations doctrinal standards, the UMC maintains the beliefs found in the BOD Articles of Religion and disaffiliation is strictly over issues related to human sexuality. The deadline for your church to be on the agenda for this called annual conference is December 1, and all financial payments must be submitted to the Conference Trustees and the treasurer by December 1. Any GNJ grants received in the present calendar year, and the past two calendar years. A collection of videos and links as we navigate moving forward. The Global Methodist Churchs Convening General Conference to be held between May 1, 2023 and November 1, 2023 based on this announcement. This paragraph does not create a right nor a process for congregations to disaffiliate from The United Methodist Church. This trend has been particularly pronounced among churches in the southern and midwestern regions of the United States. The Guides will assist each congregation in discerning its future, not the desires of the Guide, GNJ or the UMC. Timeline - June through September 2022. A Missional Transitional Support that will be assessed by multiplying the three-year average of the total amount of all cash, bank balances, investments, endowments, and reserves by the percent of the votes against disaffiliation during the Church conference vote. If two-thirds of those members choose to leave GNJ, the remaining one-third will need to support to establish new or fund existing ministries for these members to join. The South Georgia Conference has done so as a means to allow more time for disaffiliations to take place after the December 31, 2023 expiration date of the provisions of 2553. In other denominations, such votes have resulted in people leaving the church. the Book of Disciplines new Paragraph 2553, The United Methodist Churchs centuries-old trust clause, Church court clarifies disaffiliation rules. You can also reach out to any of the people listed on this page. The Missional Transition Support will be assessed by multiplying the three-year average of the total amount of all cash, bank balances, investments, endowments, and reserves by the percent of the votes against disaffiliation during the Church conference vote. The policy is designed to make the process fair and transparent. Any professing member who has not voluntarily asked to be removed from the roles or was not removed by the 2021 charge or church conference is entitled to participate and vote. The following is a summary of the financial items in the term sheet. If you are not the pastor or other designated contact person, you will want to talk with your pastor or designated contact person about any questions or concerns about the process. These items are included by action of the General Conference and items added by the Board of Trustees with input from the Cabinet, Treasurer and Chancellor. This paragraph authorizes the presiding bishop and majorities of the district superintendents and the district board of location and building to declare that exigent circumstances exist that require immediate protection of the local churchs property. The effect of that declaration is the immediate transfer of all property and assets of a local church to the control of the conference board of trustees. In the church, sometimes spiritual discernment is used particularly during deep and challenging decision making. Any outstanding loans as identified by GNJ Loan Board; CFA or the GNJ Board of Trustees. A $3,500 administrative fee to defray the cost of the discernment and disaffiliation guides that will be used by the GNJ cabinet and the board of trustees to facilitate the process. And here's a few of many reasons why: + Some of your members will vote to stay in the UMC. The congregation will know before taking the vote at the . Check regularly for BREAKING NEWS on the front of the Stay UMC website. Waiting until the next General Conference could offer a less expensive option for churches to exit the UMC. Your awareness of the contents of the following documents may be critical in being an advocate for a fair process during the Discernment Process and any effort to stay United Methodist: Newly added par. UMF remains your trusted partner in ministry. While we do not know how other conferences will cover these costs, the GNJ Board of Trustees determined their fiscal responsibility was to avoid/minimize drawing from GNJ Designated Funds which are designed to fund GNJs Mission and priorities and to avoid/minimize increasing Shared Ministry Apportionments for congregations who elect to stay with GNJ. Days after the Global Methodist Church launched in May, the Wesleyan Covenant Association's Florida chapter announced 107 churches were disaffiliating from the United Methodist Church and. It permits the annual conference to direct the local church trustees to assign the deeds of church property to the proper legal representatives of a Pan Methodist church or another evangelical denomination. Why arent superintendents leading the disaffiliation and covenanting process? A sound discernment process may also be able to reduce harms that may be unintentionally caused by the results of the vote. However, the bishop and cabinet have published detailed guidelines required by our North Alabama Conference to ensure that your church takes a thoughtful, prayerful, and balanced approach to the consequential decision to disaffiliate from the UMC. Our goals with this FAQ are to provide clarity and accurate information about the process of disaffiliation for those who may be considering it and to dispel confusion. Advocate hosting a pastor or other leader to represent the benefits of staying United Methodist. Disaffiliation of a congregation is not final until approved by the Annual Conference and the final term sheet fulfilled before December 31, 2023. Why are terms different from conference to conference? 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. Classes for all ages at 9 a.m. The choice by a local church to disaffiliate with The United Methodist Church under this paragraph must be made in sufficient time for the process for exiting the denomination to be complete prior to December 31, 2023. InDecision 1423, the Judicial Council affirmed a decision by New England Conference Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar. A formal request establishes key contacts for disaffiliation communication between the church and Conference, and provides the church with initial disaffiliation information (including financial obligations related to disaffiliation). Any unused portion of the administrative fee will be reimbursed to the disaffiliating church by or no later than 10 days after the disaffiliation date. There may be more cause for hope than you realize, but someone may need to stand up and make the case to stay United Methodist to activate others in your church inclined to remain United Methodist. The Disaffiliation Policy approved at the 2019 Annual Conference Session sets out a framework to be followed when a significant number of members of a congregation express a desire to leave the South Georgia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church, pursuant to the provisions of paragraph 2553 of The Book of Discipline of The United . BOD 2016, 340 3a, Responsibilities and Duties of Elders and Licensed Local Pastors. Over 100 churches have disaffiliated from UMC in recent years., The United Methodist Church. This page was last modified December 28, 2022, Youtube Playlist of "Moving Forward" Lecture Series. Is this saying that in the event of disaffiliation the UMC will actually take that % of the churchs money and investments? God has important mission and ministry for the congregations of GNJ, and this will be the primary focus of GNJ over the next year. What will be the impact of disaffiliation on our appointed clergyperson? A bishop has only one vote on the matter.