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What is the purpose of this requirement? If a church votes to disaffiliate from The United Methodist Church, when will they know the payment amount? There are two exceptions the pastor parish relations committee and the board of trustees. Sunday Worship: Services at 10:30 a.m. 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. It's a collection of study-committee members and church leaders who have been in the trenches with us as we navigate this process. 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. 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. 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. 2553, Money needed to remove Cross and Flame logo, Future liability for potential Boy Scout lawsuits, Opportunity costs involved in using funds to disaffiliate rather than do ministry, Potential loss of income from congregation members who do not plan to follow local church into disaffiliation, Funding ministry and administrative efforts previously funded through United Methodist connectional giving. 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. 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. 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. A collection of videos and links as we navigate moving forward. Prayer, scripture reading and the words of Jesus to center and root ourselves spiritually. 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. 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. 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). Openness to the movement of the Holy Spirit in ourselves and others. Another factor contributing to the disaffiliation of Methodist churches is the decline in membership. Nearly 700 persons participated in one of the four forums. 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. Another factor that is contributing to the disaffiliation among Methodist churches is a lack of clarity in the UMCs mission and purpose. Please read the guidelines thoroughly and make sure shortcuts are not being taken. How can we help? Check regularly for BREAKING NEWS on the front of the Stay UMC website. *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. 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. Some churches feel that the denomination is too centralized and that decisions are made without adequate input from local congregations. 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. If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to us. Ive watched your webinar for EPA conference and was surprised to find out that the term sheet may be revised as needed. Making Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World, United Methodist Church of Greater New Jersey, Pathways for Fruitful and Healthy Ministry, https://www.umc.org/en/content/ask-the-umc-who-has-voice-and-vote-in-a-local-church, ResourceUMC | Judicial Council Decision Number 1449, https://www.umc.org/en/content/articles-of-religion, https://www.umnews.org/en/news/bishop-urges-end-to-falsehoods-pivot-to-future, https://www.umc.org/en/content/ask-the-umc-what-should-united-methodist-congregations-know-about-disaffiliation, 2021 United Methodists of Greater New Jersey, Click here for FAQs in Spanish (updated version coming soon). Another option is for the youth to sit with a sensitive adult who will help to explain to the youth the conversation and questions. Will professing members that are minors participate in the discernment process? From what I read, it appears that a church can spend a lot to go through the process only to have the request arbitrarily rejected. Our lay leadership, organized through our Church Council. This is an anxious season for the congregation and its leaders. Your church likely has a rich history in its connection to the United Methodist Church. If you are the pastor or other contact person designated by your conference policies and you have completed the initial steps to request your a called church conference for a vote, contact the district superintendent through the means specified by your 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. Our role at Ask The UMC is to provide accurate official information about The United Methodist Church. They are also deeply emotional. 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. 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. However, click here to read the covenant your cabinet has made to you concerning this matter. Waiting to disaffiliate could either provide better terms or prevent the possibility of an exit altogether. The UMC has been grappling with issues related to human sexuality, particularly the ordination of LGBTQ+ individuals and the blessing of same-sex marriages. Our special called church conference was held on January 23, 2023. 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. Your district superintendent can give you the most accurate information so your congregation can make its best decisions informed by the facts. And most require that the congregation complete a discernment process, guided by the district superintendent, before a church conference may be scheduled to consider disaffiliation. Insist that having the district superintendent consult with the discernment team as part of their normal responsibilities or attending a presentation of the bishop does not suffice. What will the congregation vote on to disaffiliate? Yes. The policy is designed to make the process fair and transparent. 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 . The United Methodist Churchs top court released six decisions Feb. 9 related to a new provision governing how congregations can leave the denomination with property. excerpt from a story by Heather Hahn, assistant news editor, UM News. My administrative board did not vote to proceed with discernment; there will be no vote to disaffiliate. As with any legislative motion, an Annual Conference can choose to accept or reject the motion. According to the United Methodist News Service, as of 2021, there are more than 100 churches have disaffiliated from the United Methodist Church. 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. One of the main reasons for disaffiliation among Methodist churches is the growing theological differences within the denomination. All clergy are to complete and submit their clergy profile and requests to the superintendent by the end of the year. Churchreaders.com offers Prayers , Prayer points, Novena prayers, Sermons, Bible verses and Christian articles to help you grow in your Faith. Recently, the North Carolina Annual Conference published the process for clergy and churches to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church. 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. The decline in membership has led to financial difficulties for many churches, as they struggle to keep their doors open and maintain their facilities. 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. No entity of The United Methodist Church is asking any congregation to disaffiliate or even consider disaffiliation. 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 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. Can this matter come up again? The provision permits such disaffiliations through Dec. 31, 2023. If a congregation votes to disaffiliate from the UMC and GNJ, in order to move to the next stage, it will need to enter into a covenant with the Cabinet and the Connectional Table about ministries that may continue to be done jointly. It is not about a congregation changing its denominational affiliation. Take time to review all that weve done together in the North Alabama Conference. First United Methodist Church in Washington was founded in 1800. The pastor will receive a letter that can be shared with the congregation. 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. It is not judging others (Matthew 7:1-2), but encountering Gods wisdom and understanding in others, the community of faith and ourselves for discerning Gods calling for the congregation and each of us individually. Paragraph 2553 of the Book of Discipline , the denomination's law and policy book, identifies and charges the Conference Trustees with oversight of terms and conditions for churches wishing to disaffiliate over matters of conscience . Your district superintendent will help your congregation complete an intentional discernment process before a church conference to vote on disaffiliation is scheduled. Several recommended activities of Phase 2 of the Discernment Process propose something like this. 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 provisions require, at a minimum, three things: Annual conferences may add to these requirements, and some have done so. UMF remains your trusted partner in ministry. Our beliefs, as a United Methodist Church. This page was last modified December 28, 2022, Youtube Playlist of "Moving Forward" Lecture Series. This phenomenon is not unique to the UMC and is happening among other mainline denominations as well. Notifications about the meeting are to go to all members as outlined and provided to the church. My understanding is they are to discern whats best for them and have no vote. Your Foundation remains firmly grounded in helping you achieve the dreams God has placed on your heart. Churches will need to provide a sealed ballot box with a slot for ballots to be submitted. The committees role includes recommending compensation and benefits, conferring on ministry effectiveness, health and well-being and annually evaluating the pastor. Please provide details on the process that the two guides will follow as they assist us in the discernment process. This is not an outcome that bishops or congregations would prefer. Key Resources Book of Discipline paragraph 2553 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. Working through this process with the district superintendent is not only required in most conferences, but wise. 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. Based on the type of account agreement you have with UMF, youll need to amend your agreement(s) to reflect, among other things, the new name of your church. And here's a few of many reasons why: + Some of your members will vote to stay in the UMC. What you may have heard or read about in another conference may not apply in yours. The denominations Trust Clause remains in effect at all times. 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. InDecision 1422, the Judicial Council affirmed another decision by Haupert-Johnson. 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! All institutions have people on the extreme ends. The Called Annual Conference in North Alabama for Disaffiliations is December 10, 2022, at 10 am. We are not encouraging any congregation to do so, either. This paragraph does not create a right nor a process for congregations to disaffiliate from The United Methodist Church. 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. We encourage you to read it carefully. Thank you so much to everyone that baked, cleaned, prepared, and shared! Any unpaid GNJ billings for the present calendar year, as well as all unpaid billings in previous years. Watch a select portion of Tom Berlins Celebrate UMC presentation where he refutes such claims directly. This paragraph has been part of the Book of Discipline for many years. No entity of The United Methodist Church is asking any congregation to disaffiliate or even consider disaffiliation. The newly added paragraph 2553 of the Book of Discipline says The decision to disaffiliate from The United Methodist Church must be approved by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the professing members of the local church present at the church conference. A church conference is the entire membership of your church. 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. Why arent superintendents leading the disaffiliation and covenanting process? 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. Still have questions? Q What disaffiliation provision was affirmed in JCD 1385? Advocate for going the extra mile in some of the suggested discernment activities rather than simply meeting the minimum standard. What is the Church's position on homosexuality? However, in recent years, there has been a growing movement among some churches to disaffiliate from the denomination. Below is a list of strategies to get there. The Southeast Jurisdictional Conference is November 2-4, 2022. of the process, the Annual Conference is able to reject the request to disaffiliate. Nearly half of the UMC congregations. United Methodist Foundation, Inc. (n.d.). If this is the case the church should move forward with discernment process. 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 This is important, because exactly how the process will work varies by annual conference. The provision permits such disaffiliations through Dec. 31, 2023. (2021). Bishop Beard's presentation was recorded . You can find the Discipleship Ministries resources here, bishops are prepared to pursue this outcome. 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. Research and resources compiled by other United Methodist churches. What are the financial requirements in the Term Sheet? This trend has been particularly pronounced among churches in the southern and midwestern regions of the United States. For many congregations, this is not an easy threshold to reach. Letters, reports and other resources generated to keep us informed about this process, specifically as it pertains to First Methodist Carrollton. There are a variety of ways to make decisions. First United Methodist Church in Washington will disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church. This was denied and we were told that the guides would represent the UMC. 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. Our witness, as servants in the community. Successful Guides will be those whose theology or viewpoints are not detected by congregations in the discernment and decision process. 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 Oklahoma Conference Board of Trustees has approved a disaffiliation process for local churches. 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. 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 GNJ terms include requirements of paragraph 2553 and any costs incurred by GNJ. Your support of The General Administration Fund apportionment supports the legislative body of the denomination, the Judicial Council. While the number of disaffiliated churches is relatively small compared to the overall number of United Methodist churches in the US, their departure does have an impact on the remaining churches. Search by ZIP code or city/state to find a United Methodist Church near you. It clears up some myths about the post-separation UMC and highlights some important differences laity need to be aware of. 1:41 Dozens of churches this week chose to disaffiliate themselves from the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church. Wespath has also posted an informative FAQ about the impact of disaffiliation on continued ability to participate in the UMC's pension programs. 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. Isnt fair that a portion of their tithing be used to support this cost, or should we increase Shared Ministry apportionments or draw from GNJ designated funds to cover this cost? I am deeply concerned about the safety of the many members who want to stay with UMC. 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. Another reason for disaffiliation among United Methodist churches is concerns about the denominations organizational structure and decision-making processes. Our mission at UMF remains the same To help Gods people pay it forward. Were all standing on the shoulders of those who came before us, and others will soon be standing on our shoulders. The United Methodist Church is one of the largest Protestant denominations in the United States, with an estimated 7 million members. A sound discernment process may also be able to reduce harms that may be unintentionally caused by the results of the vote. You can also reach out to any of the people listed on this page. Looking for a staff member? Stay UMC is a grassroots organization and is not involved in conference administration. They are assisting a congregation to discern if it will disaffiliate from the UMC and GNJ. 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. 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. UMF remains your trusted partner in ministry. The congregation will know before taking the vote at the . In 2019, the Judicial Councilupheld Paragraph 2553as in line with the denominations constitution. An address from Reynoldsburg United Methodist Church in Reynoldsburg, OH. Pastors intent on being part of the GMC may wish to be part of this Conference. 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. Timeline - June through September 2022. While the terms may remain the same, the amounts may change based on information that was not know at the time of developing the initial term sheet projection, changes in the market, items in the deed, outstanding loans and gifts from the annual conference that have not been paid, unpaid apportionment calculations and any other items that could not be calculated accurately at the time of preparing the initial term sheet. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. Waiting until the next General Conference could offer a less expensive option for churches to exit the UMC.
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