Wise congregational leadership will choose not to schedule a church conference to vote on disaffiliation if there is uncertainty about that majority. 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. Your support of The General Administration Fund apportionment supports the legislative body of the denomination, the Judicial Council. 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. What is needed for spiritual discernment? This is important, because exactly how the process will work varies by annual conference. The North Alabama Conferences Discernment Process is designed to help congregations count the costs of disaffiliation. While it was assumed that most United Methodists would remain in a denomination of some sort, there was awareness that a few might seek an independent status. Stay UMC can help you connect with someone in your area to speak. Tel. These questions are not designed to delay you. Please let us know your specific questions and how we can serve you or your church in regards to your UMF account(s). 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. As a part of due diligence, appraisal of all local church properties by a certified appraiser is required. The District Superintendents will be working with the GNJ congregations who are discerning their pathway to future mission and ministry as we emerge from the pandemic. The amendment will take effect on the date of disaffiliation. It will never be the same. On March 28-29, Bishop Frank J. 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. Search by ZIP code or city/state to find a United Methodist Church near you. 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. Exigent circumstances include, but are not limited to, situations where the property will no longer be used for the purposes of The United Methodist Church or the congregation is no longer in a position to maintain it for the denomination. 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 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. 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). Your church likely has a rich history in its connection to the United Methodist Church. 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. This is a matter of fairness, not punitive in nature. 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. Heres a list of names (in no [], Read Pastor Johns note about these articles here. Check regularly for BREAKING NEWS on the front of the Stay UMC website. 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. We are not encouraging any congregation to do so, either. Some churches may be anticipating a change in policies and rush to disaffiliate at the December 10 Annual Conference, but this is based on a unsubstantiated fear. The financial payments of the Term Sheet must be fully paid by December 31, 2023, for a congregation to disaffiliate. Ask to be part of the Discernment Team. Pastors generally do not vote at church council meetings. 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. Any other fees and costs identified by the GNJ Board of Trustees including but not limited to the determination that a contribution is in order related to the congregations real property. 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. 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. 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. Carrollton, Texas 75010. Global Methodist vs. United Methodist Church: 200 Texas parishes poised Has there been any major change at a recent Board of Trustee meeting? The United Methodist Church was formed in 1968 through the merger of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church. PDF Ballot - AWFUMC What is certainly the same across every conference, is that there are costs involved when churches disaffiliate, both for those leaving and for those who remain in the conference (either direct cost or indirect costs in the form of less available funds). The transfer of property may happen under an allocation, exchange of property, or comity agreement, provided that such agreement shall have been committed to writing and signed and approved by the duly qualified and authorized representatives of both parties concerned.. 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. Stay UMC is a grassroots organization and is not involved in conference administration. In order for a congregation to disaffiliate, the Annual Conference must approve the disaffiliation by a simple majority vote. 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. The decline in membership has led to financial difficulties for many churches, as they struggle to keep their doors open and maintain their facilities. A pdf detailing the recent history of the United Methodist Church, its merge and how that informs where we are today. This phenomenon is not unique to the UMC and is happening among other mainline denominations as well. These pathways were identified in the second letter and may be found here. What will the congregation vote on to disaffiliate? 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. How can we help? Additional votes on disaffiliations are expected at this annual conference. The letter will identify dates for the Church Conferences and other pertinent information needed to prepare for the conferences. 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. This is not an outcome that bishops or congregations would prefer. 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. Annual conferences cannot create comity agreements with other denominations. Our beliefs, as a United Methodist Church. Any GNJ grants received in the present calendar year, and the past two calendar 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. Dear Disaffiliating United Methodist Congregations 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. 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. Q What disaffiliation provision was affirmed in JCD 1385? Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. 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. Yes. What are the seven steps to the disaffiliation process? Nearly 700 persons participated in one of the four forums. 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. Is the Term Sheet negotiable? Additionally, the UMC has been criticized for its bureaucratic structure, which can make it difficult for churches to navigate and get the support they need. Successful Guides will be those whose theology or viewpoints are not detected by congregations in the discernment and decision process. The fellowship around [], January 22, 4 PM FMC Church Conference January 24, 7 PM Church Council meeting January 29 Whats [], Lindy Thomas has prepared a table graphic comparing the United Methodist Church, Global Methodist Church, Free Methodist Church, and Evangelical [], A View From the Pew: How We Got Here I was baptized in the Methodist church but spent the last [], An update on whats happened in the life of our church regarding disaffiliation from the United Methodist denomination. [], Still have questions about the disaffiliation process and want to talk to someone? 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. Definition of Membership Non-professing members may attend the church conference without voice and vote. 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. With the postponement of the 2020 General Conference to 2024 and the announcement by the Wesleyan Covenant Association that it will launch the Global Methodist Church on May 1, 2022, we at Ask The UMC are receiving many more questions about disaffiliation. This paragraph does not create a right nor a process for congregations to disaffiliate from The United Methodist Church. The committees role includes recommending compensation and benefits, conferring on ministry effectiveness, health and well-being and annually evaluating the pastor. Additionally, Jeff Greenway, a leader in the Wesleyan Covenant Association recently suggested that disaffiliating churches who go independent or join affliations of churches risk lacking Wesleyan connectionalism to accomplish their mission and theological drift into Reformed Calvinism amongst other risks. The church court notes that under the Discipline, a local church cannot sever its connectional relationship to The United Methodist Church without the consent of the annual conference. The Judicial Council has construed this provision to mean that the annual conference must ratify any disaffiliation agreement. Copyright 2023 All rights reserved. For those laity and pastors in churches who wish to stay United Methodist and find themselves among those churches where disaffiliation is a live possibility, it can be a demoralizing experience. 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. A vote was taken at the church on Monday evening (Oct. 3). How many times can a congregation vote on disaffiliation? The Trustees took the additional step of receiving feedback from the Connectional Table and reviewing other terms from other annual conferences. Your district superintendent will work with your congregation at each step of the discernment process. The costs to disaffiliate under par. Take time to review all that weve done together in the North Alabama Conference. 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. Well over 100 churches (out of our 650 congregations) are currently considering disaffiliation from the United Methodist Church. Discipleship Ministries and The Council of Bishops are developing resources to assist congregations in their discernment. Votes about disaffiliation are never simply rational or financial. (2021). 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. This is permitted by the General Conference and paragraph 2553. Timeline - June through September 2022. The annual conference may only consider such a request after the presiding bishop and the majority of the district superintendents and the district board of location and building have given their consent. It clears up some myths about the post-separation UMC and highlights some important differences laity need to be aware of. 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. When single instances are cited, point out that one cannot represent the part for the whole. Disaffiliation Process and Information - wnccumc.org the Book of Disciplines new Paragraph 2553, The United Methodist Churchs centuries-old trust clause, Church court clarifies disaffiliation rules. PDF Basic Questions and Answers FAQ Related to Disaffiliation The reasons for this trend include disagreements over theological issues and concerns about the denominations organizational structure and decision-making processes. What is the purpose of this requirement? No. For example, disaffiliation may lead to a decline in membership and financial contributions. Advocate for going the extra mile in some of the suggested discernment activities rather than simply meeting the minimum standard. (Concerns of disillusion of younger disciples). The United Methodist Churchs guidebook, called the Book of Discipline, states any congregation who chooses to disaffiliate will take ownership of the church property. Below is a list of strategies to get there. We are your trusted partner in ministry and are here to help you in any way we can. 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. Nearly half of the UMC congregations. (n.d.). Theprojectedterm sheet will be provided in the first disaffiliation discernment Special Called Church Conference session with the assigned Guide. When all seven steps of disaffiliation are completed and the church makes all required financial payments. Key Resources Book of Discipline paragraph 2553 Were here to help! Or is it some percentage of that? 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. United Methodists Meet to Approve Disaffiliations How will the process ensure that only professing members participate/vote in the church conferences? 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. Now that First United Methodist Church has chosen to disaffiliate, they are in the process of joining the Global Methodist Church. 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. However, there are also disaffiliated churches in other regions, including the Northeast and West. We cannot speak to the approach used by other conference Board of Trustees to discern and fully vet these costs, as our Trustees did. 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. 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. The United Methodist Church is one of the largest Protestant denominations in the United States, with an estimated 7 million members. For many congregations, this is not an easy threshold to reach. Church court clarifies disaffiliation rules - United Methodist News Service 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. 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. The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a mainline Protestant denomination that has been experiencing a decline in membership and disaffiliation in recent years. 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. What should United Methodist congregations know about disaffiliation? Section 2553 requires disaffiliation to occur on or before December 31, 2023. 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. There are other resources that may we may have that have not yet made it to this page. Research and resources compiled by other United Methodist churches. What you may have heard or read about in another conference may not apply in yours. Letters, reports and other resources generated to keep us informed about this process, specifically as it pertains to First Methodist Carrollton. You can find the Discipleship Ministries resources here, bishops are prepared to pursue this outcome. All clergy are to complete and submit their clergy profile and requests to the superintendent by the end of the year. Disaffiliation - IGRC Bishop Beard's presentation was recorded . 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. Another factor that is contributing to the disaffiliation among Methodist churches is a lack of clarity in the UMCs mission and purpose. The Discernment Team has the opportunity to decline to recommend to the Church Council moving forward with disaffiliation. Bei der Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps verwenden wir, unsere Websites und Apps fr Sie bereitzustellen, Nutzer zu authentifizieren, Sicherheitsmanahmen anzuwenden und Spam und Missbrauch zu verhindern, und, Ihre Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps zu messen, personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte auf der Grundlage von Interessenprofilen anzuzeigen, die Effektivitt von personalisierten Anzeigen und Inhalten zu messen, sowie, unsere Produkte und Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln und zu verbessern. Following the worship service on Sunday, February 5,First Methodist Carrollton voted173 to 1 in favor of joining the Global Methodist [], Church family, Sunday was great! 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. Yes. The pastor will receive a letter that can be shared with the congregation. Reposted here, with gratitude, for further learning and insight. Creating space and time to listen deeply and contemplate. 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. Published 2:17 pm Tuesday, October 4, 2022. First United Methodist Church in Washington will disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church. The bishops are prepared to pursue this outcomeunder the authority of the Trust Clause should it be required. There are two exceptions the pastor parish relations committee and the board of trustees. 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. Disaffiliation. 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. As an ex officio member of a committee, the pastor may vote on decisions before the body. 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 .