Using such a process will help your congregation make its decisions with due care for each other and your future together. Originally created by Reynoldsburg UMC in Ohio. These liabilities are explained above under the Term Sheet. A sound discernment process helps members of the congregation listen to and respect each others views, learn about both the costs and the benefits of either decision, and help reveal whether there is a two-thirds majority of professing members to allow a vote for disaffiliation to prevail. 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. We requested a presentation by someone who could explain the reasons for staying with UMC. 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. 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. The Oklahoma Conference Board of Trustees has approved a disaffiliation process for local churches. 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. Dear Disaffiliating United Methodists: The pastors and lay members who are leading you to vote to leave the UMC tell you that your local church will remain the same as it always has been. This is a good and sensitive question. The Judicial Councils ruling said the disaffiliation process established by General Conference constitutes minimum standards, which do not preclude additional procedures and standard terms created by annual conferences, provided that the latter do not negate or violate the former.. Please encourage your leaders and congregations to support the General Administration Fund apportionment at 100 percent. This is permitted by the General Conference and paragraph 2553. Waiting until the next General Conference could offer a less expensive option for churches to exit the UMC. Our staff, Dr. Jim Dean, Pastor and Music Director Kathy Wiggins. The United Methodist Book of Discipline outlines the process congregations may use to leave The United Methodist Church through disaffiliation (2553). So while it may be possible for your congregation to exit under this paragraph and have some property and assets when you do, the risks of greater costs or the entire loss of property and assets are substantial. With the delay of the 2020 General Church Conference, it is unfortunate that a common set of terms was not developed and that each conference was left to figure this out on their own; hence, the terms across conferences are not comparable. E.g., if a church has $100,000 and 20% of the members vote against disaffiliation, then the UMC will take $20,000? Clergy Compensation if an appointed Pastor chooses to remain with GNJ while the congregation disaffiliates, there may not be an immediate open appointment for that Pastor, yet they will continue to be paid. On March 28-29, Bishop Frank J. One study showed that regular church goers are likely to overestimate opposition to same-sex marriage in their congregation by 20%. May the Term Sheet payments be paid over several years? Another factor contributing to the disaffiliation of Methodist churches is the decline in membership. of the process, the Annual Conference is able to reject the request to disaffiliate. Pastors intent on being part of the GMC may wish to be part of this Conference. Will there be opportunity for the congregation to ask them questions and address any concerns prior to the church vote? Nearly 700 persons participated in one of the four forums. Yet, at the end(?) The decision to perform the ceremony shall be the right and the responsibility of the pastor. Therefore no one can require a UMC clergy person to perform a marriage ceremony. (919) 836-0029 - Fax (919) 836-0092. What is needed for spiritual discernment? 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. Missional Transitional Support the GNJ Trustees recognize that the bank balances, investments, endowments, and reserves in every congregation are the result of faithful tithing by every member of that congregation. Our next regularly scheduled annual conference will be June 21-24 2023 (VBC in Huntsville). A vote was taken at the church on Monday evening (Oct. 3). In general, time is the ally of those wishing to stay in the United Methodist Church. Openness to the movement of the Holy Spirit in ourselves and others. All unfunded pension liabilities as identified by Wespath and apportioned by the GNJ Board of Pension and Benefits. It is more accurate to say that the United Methodist denomination left us a long time ago, and we are now finding our way to other, like-minded believers. Please let us know your specific questions and how we can serve you or your church in regards to your UMF account(s). It is likely we will receive word regarding who will serve as our next bishop. This process is based upon section 2553 of The Book of Discipline. 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. Request to Explore and Discern Disaffiliation - A Congregation's Church Council votes to explore and discern disaffiliation and the Pastor notifies the District Superintendent of the desire to engage in the disaffiliation process. There are also probably real people in the families of your church that will feel marginalized by a decision to leave the UMC over intolerance of our differences, and they need you to be their advocate. UMF remains your trusted partner in ministry. A congregation can only vote on and go through the disaffiliation process once. 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. Clearly there is a substantial costs associated with the disaffiliation process. As a connectional church, United Methodists hold property in common. 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. If this is not the case, please explain it better in the FAQ. HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- More than 200 Methodist churches in Texas are looking to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church in a multi-step process that could receive official approval . The Principles for Disaffiliation used by the Arkansas Conference call for a minimum three-month discernment period 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. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Library to be dedicated in memory of admired principal, Bath to receive more than $20 million for wastewater expansion, New portrait added to courthouse honoring late attorney. That's okay! Click here to search by department. Wise congregational leadership will choose not to schedule a church conference to vote on disaffiliation if there is uncertainty about that majority. The reasons for this trend include disagreements over theological issues and concerns about the denominations organizational structure and decision-making processes. Tel. The Discernment Team has the opportunity to decline to recommend to the Church Council moving forward with disaffiliation. 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. Whenever possible, it is likely to your advantage to encourage a slow and deliberate process, rather than a quick, hasty decision. Any unpaid GNJ billings for the present calendar year, as well as all unpaid billings in previous years. Clergy who are appointed to a congregation that disaffiliates, but the clergy person continues with The UMC, the cabinet will work to identify a new appointment and will require financial support from the disaffiliating congregation to maintain salary and benefits until the next appointment. 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. This phenomenon is not unique to the UMC and is happening among other mainline denominations as well. 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. 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. The amendment will take effect on the date of disaffiliation. Letters, reports and other resources generated to keep us informed about this process, specifically as it pertains to First Methodist Carrollton. All clergy are to complete and submit their clergy profile and requests to the superintendent by the end of the year. Still have questions? The costs to disaffiliate under par. A pdf detailing the recent history of the United Methodist Church, its merge and how that informs where we are today. If all of the above steps are completed by March 31, 2023, the Annual Conference will vote at its May 2023 session. First United Methodist Church in Washington will disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church. Will the Guides represent a particular theology or viewpoint about ministry with and by LGBTQ persons? All unfunded retiree health care liabilities as apportioned by the GNJ Board of Pension and Benefits. Some of the most common reasons include disagreements over theological issues, such as the ordination of gay and lesbian clergy, and concerns about the denominations organizational structure and decision-making processes. This is a matter of fairness, not punitive in nature. This is not an outcome that bishops or congregations would prefer. These may vary per case. The letter will identify dates for the Church Conferences and other pertinent information needed to prepare for the conferences. Property of the UMC is held in trust for the United Methodist mission and ministry. Theprojectedterm sheet will be provided in the first disaffiliation discernment Special Called Church Conference session with the assigned Guide. Ask The UMC: What should United Methodist congregations know about disaffiliation? 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. Are all congregations expected to go through the disaffiliation discernment process? 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. No. Under any process of disaffiliation, your congregation will want to avoid any situation in which you do not follow or appear not to follow the requirements as set forth by the Discipline and your conference. For example, the denomination has been grappling with the issue of ordaining gay and lesbian clergy for several decades, and some churches have left the denomination over this issue. My understanding is they are to discern whats best for them and have no vote. Doing the legwork of someone willing to speak to your congregation may make this offer difficult for your church leadership to decline. 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. One of the main reasons for disaffiliation among United Methodist churches is disagreements over theological issues. The disaffiliation plan offers a limited way to release congregations from The United Methodist Church's centuries-old trust clause, which states that church property is held in trust for the benefit of the entire denomination. A YouTube playlst where Rev. 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. 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 . InDecision 1422, the Judicial Council affirmed another decision by Haupert-Johnson. 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. Our special called church conference was held on January 23, 2023. One of the main reasons for disaffiliation among United Methodist churches is disagreements over theological issues. 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. Everyone has a theology and viewpoint, but Guides are not representing themselves or their theology and viewpoint. Our history, as part of the Whittier community. In other denominations, such votes have resulted in people leaving the church. The deadline for disaffiliations under par. Below is a list of strategies to get there. 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. The Annual Conference must approve the disaffiliation for the congregation to disaffiliate. A congregation that discerns it wants to vote on disaffiliation will vote on legislation based on 2553 of The Book of Discipline which states: Because of the current deep conflict within the UMC around issues of human sexuality, a local church shall have a limited right, under the provisions of this paragraph, to disaffiliate from the denomination for reasons of conscience regarding a change in the requirements and provisions of the Book of Discipline related to the practice of homosexuality or the ordination or marriage of self-avowed practicing homosexuals as resolved and adopted by the 2019 General Conference, or the actions or inactions of its annual conference related to these issues which follow. Our beliefs, as a United Methodist Church. Clear lines of communication between the church and the district superintendent that show ongoing progress toward completing the processes set forth by the Discipline and the conference will help ensure as gracious a transition and outcome for all as all would desire. Another reason for disaffiliation among United Methodist churches is concerns about the denominations organizational structure and decision-making processes. Were here to help! Q What disaffiliation provision was affirmed in JCD 1385? Were all standing on the shoulders of those who came before us, and others will soon be standing on our shoulders. They will lead the congregation through this season and the Church Conference will make its decision listening for the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, not to decisions that represent the UMC. That's okay! All institutions have people on the extreme ends. Copyright 2023 All rights reserved. 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. Find out more information about events here! Due diligence in all land transfers requires an accurate accounting of values of all properties, particularly if any costs of the transfer arerelated to the property itself. The 2019 Special Session of the General Conference of The United Methodist Church adopted a disaffiliation agreement allowing United Methodist churches to leave the denomination through the end of 2023 "for reasons of conscience regarding a change in the requirements and provisions of the Book of Discipline related to the practice of InDecision 1424, the church court affirmed Arkansas Conference Bishop Gary Muellers decision. How were the terms determined? Approval for disaffiliation by at least a two-thirds majority of a churchs professing members present at the vote. All court costs and GNJ legal fees related to disaffiliation or suits related to disaffiliation of the church. 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. This disaffiliation process is a journey to find other Wesleyans who hold the same values of scriptural authority and Christocentric theology that we do. Any GNJ grants received in the present calendar year, and the past two calendar years. The disaffiliation will be complete by December 31, 2022. The committees role includes recommending compensation and benefits, conferring on ministry effectiveness, health and well-being and annually evaluating the pastor. Prior to the disaffiliation date, a local church shall pay to the Annual Conference any unpaid apportionments for the 12 months immediately prior and an additional 12 months of . In some cases, churches have been forced to merge or close due to financial constraints. It is acceptable to make one by simply cutting a slot in a cardboard box or we suggest purchasing one similar to this one found online. These provisions require, at a minimum, three things: Annual conferences may add to these requirements, and some have done so. 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. If an appointment is identified for the impacted pastor by June 30, 2024, any unused portion from this item will be reimbursed to the disaffiliating congregation by August 1, 2024. An address from Reynoldsburg United Methodist Church in Reynoldsburg, OH. There are four things needed for spiritual discernment. Please read the guidelines thoroughly and make sure shortcuts are not being taken. Passed during the same legislative assembly the church law allows congregations to exit with property for reasons of conscience related to homosexuality if they meetcertain requirements. Across the world, United Methodist regional bodies called annual conferences are negotiating with churches that wish to withdraw from the United Methodist Church over issues including. 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. How do you feel about local ghost stories and legends? Can this matter come up again? Please help us to ensure that going forward, this will be a safe, fair and peaceful process. 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. 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. Our mission at UMF remains the same To help Gods people pay it forward. InDecision 1425, the Judicial Council also affirmed Devadhars decision that the New England Conference can require churches considering disaffiliation to go through at least an eight-month discernment process. At what point in the process will clergy appointed to the congregation discerning disaffiliation have to express their personal decision regarding disaffiliation? The Southeast Jurisdictional Conference is November 2-4, 2022. In 2019, the Judicial Councilupheld Paragraph 2553as in line with the denominations constitution. 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. Alternately, the annual conference may instruct the conference board of trustees how to handle specific cases or classes of cases that may fall under these provisions. Please provide details on the process that the two guides will follow as they assist us in the discernment process. Creating space and time to listen deeply and contemplate. Our role at Ask The UMC is to provide accurate official information about The United Methodist Church. Hosted by Cornerstone UMC in Houston on August 14, 2022. When does the Annual Conference vote to on a congregations disaffiliation? If a pastor or a sizeable portion of a congregation makes it clear they would like to leave, dont give up and be a cheerleader for others not to give up either. The following are significant milestones/durations to be aware of: Disaffiliation Discernment Process, Phase 1 (Notification) 1 month minimum, Disaffiliation Discernment Process, Phase 2 (Prayerful Discernment) 3 month minimum, Disaffiliation Discernment Process, Phase 3 (Church Conference) 10 day minimum notification. 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. 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. The Called Annual Conference in North Alabama for Disaffiliations is December 10, 2022, at 10 am. While the UMC is facing challenges, it is important to remember that the church is a living organism that is constantly evolving and adapting to the needs of its members and the world around it. All deed restrictions must be followed by the disaffiliating congregation prior to disaffiliation. The Term Sheet is not negotiable. Has there been any major change at a recent Board of Trustee meeting? This page was last modified December 28, 2022, Youtube Playlist of "Moving Forward" Lecture Series. 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. However, our annual conference policies and processes on disaffiliations will not change with new leadership. Ask to be part of the Discernment Team. All congregations and ministries of The United Methodist Church hold their property and assets in trust for the denomination, and specifically for the annual conference. The pastor will receive a letter that can be shared with the congregation. A sound discernment process may also be able to reduce harms that may be unintentionally caused by the results of the vote. Ask your questions and check out more FAQS. 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.

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