If your church is considering or has decided to leave the United Methodist denomination, its important to know that the Foundation can still manage your funds. Your support of The General Administration Fund apportionment supports the legislative body of the denomination, the Judicial Council. Any GNJ grants received in the present calendar year, and the past two calendar years. https://www.umc.org/en/content/ask-the-umc-what-should-united-methodist-congregations-know-about-disaffiliation. Your Foundation remains firmly grounded in helping you achieve the dreams God has placed on your heart. 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. 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. Nor does it allow local congregations, by themselves, to transfer their property to other denominations. The mission of the church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. (2021). The UMC Disaffiliation Requirements Timeline The Future with the Global Methodist Church To Contact StayUMC THE PROCESS In January of 2021, the Administrative Board established a leadership team to explore our relationship with our denomination. On March 28-29, Bishop Frank J. 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. Yes. Why arent superintendents leading the disaffiliation and covenanting process? The financial payments of the Term Sheet must be fully paid by December 31, 2023, for a congregation to disaffiliate. 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. 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. The policy is designed to make the process fair and transparent. This page was last modified December 28, 2022, Youtube Playlist of "Moving Forward" Lecture Series. You can find the Discipleship Ministries resources here. Spiritual discernment is setting oneself or the community apart for a time of deep listening for the Holy Spirits wisdom, insight and calling. However, the pastor is the administrative officer of the church and, therefore, is an ex officio member of most committees of the local church. 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. 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. The Southeast Jurisdictional Conference is November 2-4, 2022. It's a collection of study-committee members and church leaders who have been in the trenches with us as we navigate this process. Our next regularly scheduled annual conference will be June 21-24 2023 (VBC in Huntsville). 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 United Methodist Church was formed in 1968 through the merger of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church. 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. How many times can a congregation vote on disaffiliation? The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a mainline Protestant denomination that has been experiencing a decline in membership and disaffiliation in recent years. There are a number of reasons why churches may choose to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church. Any outstanding loans as identified by GNJ Loan Board; CFA or the GNJ Board of Trustees. 1:41 Dozens of churches this week chose to disaffiliate themselves from the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church. No this is false. How were the terms determined? This will be decision of the Annual Conference. 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. Clearly there is a substantial costs associated with the disaffiliation process. Whenever possible, it is likely to your advantage to encourage a slow and deliberate process, rather than a quick, hasty decision. 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. When all seven steps of disaffiliation are completed and the church makes all required financial payments. At what point in the process will clergy appointed to the congregation discerning disaffiliation have to express their personal decision regarding disaffiliation? It will never be the same. Bishop Beard's presentation was recorded . This is an anxious season for the congregation and its leaders. This article will explore the reasons why Methodist churches are disaffiliating and the factors that contribute to this trend. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Your district superintendent can give you the most accurate information so your congregation can make its best decisions informed by the facts. Still have questions? Receive Communications and/or Join Our Support Lists! 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. 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). When does the Annual Conference vote to on a congregations disaffiliation? What you may have heard or read about in another conference may not apply in yours. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. Is this saying that in the event of disaffiliation the UMC will actually take that % of the churchs money and investments? Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. (919) 836-0029 - Fax (919) 836-0092. E.g., if a church has $100,000 and 20% of the members vote against disaffiliation, then the UMC will take $20,000? 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. This deadline represents something of a gamble for many churches wishing to disaffiliate. Doing the legwork of someone willing to speak to your congregation may make this offer difficult for your church leadership to decline. *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. 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. 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. 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. Therefore, congregants who choose to remain United Methodist Church members will either decide to join another UMC church or start their own. While paragraph 2553 authorizes the conference Trustees to develop the terms, they quickly realized that congregations leaving the denomination has a broad range of impact across the conference which they may not fully understand without obtaining feedback from a larger group and vetting the options. As a part of due diligence, appraisal of all local church properties by a certified appraiser is required. Advocate for going the extra mile in some of the suggested discernment activities rather than simply meeting the minimum standard. Therefore, as terms were developed, they sought feedback from the Cabinet, Chancellor, Benefits Officer and Treasurer which are all required by paragraph 2553. (n.d.). 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. About Us.. Since for this brief period of time, the Trust Clause is suspended, payments for the items listed in the Term Sheet are paid to ensure that past, present and future liabilities incurred by the congregation are paid. Ask to be part of the Discernment Team. Will there be opportunity for the congregation to ask them questions and address any concerns prior to the church vote? Disaffiliation is a limited option which suspends the Trust Clause of the UMC and allows a congregation to disaffiliate and take the property held in trust. We will continue to update this page with additional resources as they are made available. When does a disaffiliating congregation officially end its relationship with the UMC and GNJ? This must occur no later than December 31, 2023, for the congregation to disaffiliate. 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. Any unpaid apportionments for the 12 months prior to the disaffiliation date, as well as an additional 12 months of apportionments. Guides will be impartial and unbiassed. 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. 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. It clears up some myths about the post-separation UMC and highlights some important differences laity need to be aware of. Our mission at UMF remains the same To help Gods people pay it forward. The Brief and Bumpy History of Disaffiliation In addition to the Way Forward Plans, multiple stand-alone disaffiliation plans came to General Conference 2019. Specifically, be a vocal advocate to make sure: Minimum duration times are observed at each phase of the process. Our history, as part of the Whittier community. No entity of The United Methodist Church is asking any congregation to disaffiliate or even consider disaffiliation. The United Methodist Book of Discipline outlines the process congregations may use to leave The United Methodist Church through disaffiliation (2553). Another factor contributing to the disaffiliation of Methodist churches is the decline in membership. How can we help? Successful Guides will be those whose theology or viewpoints are not detected by congregations in the discernment and decision process. Theological differences, declining membership, and a lack of clarity in the UMCs mission and purpose are all contributing to this trend. GNJ congregations are required to begin this process no later than September 30, 2022. All BSA settlement contributions as apportioned by the GNJ Council on Finance and Administration (CFA). Nearly 700 persons participated in one of the four forums. UMF remains your trusted partner in ministry. You can find the Discipleship Ministries resources here, bishops are prepared to pursue this outcome. The denominations Trust Clause remains in effect at all times. 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. St. Andrew United Methodist, a megachurch in Plano, also announced its. A YouTube playlst where Rev. 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. Recently, White's Chapel United Methodist Church in Southlake voted to go through with the disaffiliation process. A *possible* specially called Annual Conference has been announced for December, 2023 for additional disaffiliations. InDecision 1424, the church court affirmed Arkansas Conference Bishop Gary Muellers decision. Thank you so much to everyone that baked, cleaned, prepared, and shared! The GNJ terms include requirements of paragraph 2553 and any costs incurred by GNJ. An address from Reynoldsburg United Methodist Church in Reynoldsburg, OH. The Discernment Team has the opportunity to decline to recommend to the Church Council moving forward with disaffiliation. May the Term Sheet payments be paid over several years? Recently, the North Carolina Annual Conference published the process for clergy and churches to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church. Were all standing on the shoulders of those who came before us, and others will soon be standing on our shoulders. 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. 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. Pastors generally do not vote at church council meetings. A drastic shift in exit costs Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. This divide has led to a number of churches leaving the UMC to join more conservative denominations that align with their beliefs. The pastor meets with the committee, but cannot be a voting member. 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. There are four things needed for spiritual discernment. The United Methodist Churchs guidebook, called the Book of Discipline, states any congregation who chooses to disaffiliate will take ownership of the church property. For example, disaffiliation may lead to a decline in membership and financial contributions. This decline is due to a number of factors, including an aging population and a lack of younger members. Check regularly for BREAKING NEWS on the front of the Stay UMC website. The Global Methodist Churchs Convening General Conference to be held between May 1, 2023 and November 1, 2023 based on this announcement. Yes. They are also deeply emotional. These pathways were identified in the second letter and may be found here. Disaffiliation means separating from the WNC Annual Conference (WNCC) and the entire UMC. UMF will review your account(s) and tailor the amendment to accommodate the original terms of your agreement. In general, time is the ally of those wishing to stay in the 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. 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. It is not about a congregation changing its denominational affiliation. Proposing that _____ United Methodist Church begin the disaffiliation process from the United Methodist Church, under the terms of 2553 of the current Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church which reads: "Basis - Because of the current deep conflict within The United Methodist Church around issues of human sexuality, a local 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. Together, guides will journey with the congregation through a spiritual discernment process that helps the church conference listen for the Holy Spirits wisdom and insight in making a decision about your relationship with The United Methodist Church. Over 100 churches have disaffiliated from UMC in recent years., The United Methodist Church. This paragraph has been part of the Book of Discipline for many years. 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. All unfunded retiree health care liabilities as apportioned by the GNJ Board of Pension and Benefits. A process for disaffiliation was established by the 2019 General Conference of The United Methodist Church. 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.. Some require repayment in full of grants made to the local church. You can also reach out to any of the people listed on this page. This disaffiliation process is a journey to find other Wesleyans who hold the same values of scriptural authority and Christocentric theology that we do. That's okay! Published 2:17 pm Tuesday, October 4, 2022. The Principles for Disaffiliation used by the Arkansas Conference call for a minimum three-month discernment period The provisions of 2553 expire on December 31, 2023 and shall not be used after that date. This number is expected to increase in the coming years as more churches consider disaffiliation. Read this blog post by long time Asbury Spiritual Formation and Wesleyan Studies professor, Steve Harper. 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. The disaffiliation will be complete by December 31, 2022. Waiting to disaffiliate could either provide better terms or prevent the possibility of an exit altogether. 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. Sunday Worship: Services at 10:30 a.m. 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. Has there been any major change at a recent Board of Trustee meeting? Our witness, as servants in the community. Some churches feel that the denomination is too centralized and that decisions are made without adequate input from local congregations. 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. 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. Disaffiliation. That seems very wrong. 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. 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. As a connectional church, United Methodists hold property in common. One of the main reasons for disaffiliation among United Methodist churches is disagreements over theological issues. 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. The sanctuary that can be seen today on West Second Street was constructed in 1898, and a year later it was dedicated to the United Methodist Church. 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. Lets take a look at two examples: Can our congregation receive a term sheet prior to the church council vote to engage in the discernment process?The disaffiliation passage in The Book of Discipline is a result of the current deep conflict within The United Methodist Church around issues of human sexuality.