Ballots were cross-checked, comparing names on the ballots to the audited membership list. Such Disaffiliation Date must be subsequent to the Annual Annual Conference Action: In June 2023 (dates TBD), the Annual Conference must vote on the disaffiliation resolution prepared and submitted by the Conference Board of Trustees. When these foundational principles are altered, the Church ends up in chaos and unable to present a life-changing Gospel Message to the world. That policy is based on the Book of Disciplines new Paragraph 2553, as adopted by the 2019 General Conference. Even after the Annual Conference vote, the pre-disaffiliation requirements are not complete. Local congregations have held votes on leaving the UMC that have left lifelong members . A lot of questions were left unanswered. Disaffiliation is different than separation. The report of the Disaffiliation Task Force is being published in the 2022 Annual Conference Workbook, to be acted on at that session, allowing churches seeking to depart time to complete the process prior to December 31, 2023. The Governing Body (church council/leadership team) of your congregation has made a formal request to the District Superintendent to explore disaffiliation from the United Methodist Church. Pastor communicates his/her intentions: Pastor notifies the District Superintendent in writing of his/her intention to remain with The United Methodist Church, retire, or surrender credentials in order to continue to lead the local church after disaffiliation. Please continue to be in prayer as we move forward. Eligibility to disaffiliate is based on criteria established by 2553. 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. This is an important issueboth spiritually and legallythat requires prayerful thought and discernment. Rob Renfroe, Comparison Chart UMC to GMC (click on the PDF link on the page), Rev. In addition, The Way will hold town hall style meetings to provide additional information and answer questions from church members. It will take additional time to accrue the funds needed to start the renovation process, as Conference grants would no longer be an option. The recommendations in the report of the Disaffiliation Task Force to the 2022 Wisconsin Annual Conference include multiple steps involving the local church and the United Methodist-appointed pastoral leadership that shall be taken before your congregation votes on their future relationship to our denomination. Bishops discern ways for churches choosing to separate from UMC, Church court clarifies disaffiliation rules, Church court: Conferences can't exit unilaterally, Bishops push back against recruitment tactics. After months of prayer and discernment, the members of The Way gathered earlier this evening for a special called Church Conference for the purpose of voting on disaffiliation from The United Methodist Church. Holston Conference of The United Methodist Church. Zion UMC, Warren County June 17, 2022 New Union UMC, Warren County June 17, 2022. Three speakers were recognized to speak for the motion, and three speakers were recognized to speak against the motion.Schlecht spoke in favor of the motion to disaffiliate. Furthermore, the Virginia Conference is committed to dialogue with churches unsure about what course to take. We honor the past leaders and respect our heritage as a United Methodist Church.Rockeman spoke against the motion to disaffiliate. Grandview United Methodist Church announced Wednesday that it finalized its decision to re-form as a new congregation and will no longer be pa. We would likely move toward a more progressive church with a new pastor appointed to head that direction. John Wesley challenged; "if your heart is with my heart, give me your hand." There was an error processing your request. 2. d) Pension Liabilities. Lastly, with clarity comes forward momentum. Pray for grace filled conversations to continue. Under Paragraph 2553, and related disaffiliation procedures that the Virginia Conference has implemented, there are clear terms and actions to take. In conjunction with 2553, and as the first steps to a possible disaffiliation, churches should contact their District Superintendent to schedule an information meeting and spend 30 days in a prayerful discernment process for the congregation to be in alignment with Gods purpose for the church. Grandview members voted by a 96% margin to begin disaffiliation talks with the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of The United Methodist Church. Church, to me, needs to be a place to counteract that negativity and offer hope, joy, peace, and love. This includes practicing a heart- and mind-led faith that does not ignore personal experience or scientific knowledge in interpreting scripture and in wrestling with the traditions of our faith, which have included both unjust and just, sinful and sacred realities. Pray for one another. Where does God's Unconditional Love come in? For those serving a disaffiliating church, this should be the actual date of your church's disaffiliation. Commandeering the word "Methodist" because it has positive connotations but celebrating by leaving a smoldering pile of rubble doesn't strike me as the mark of someone following Christ or showing God's love. The Disaffiliation Discernment Team will come to the meeting with an estimated payment amount per the required terms. BasisBecause of the current deep conflict within The United Methodist Church around issues of human sexuality, a local church shall have a limited right, under Remember, it takes 2/3rds of the voting church members present at the meeting to disaffiliate from The UMC. Pastors Andy and Ann also sit in on the Church Council. The same ones the other church in the community already meets. Our pastors and staff would remain in their current positions and our property and assets would be under the control of The Way Leadership. All funds are due to the Virginia Annual Conference before the disaffiliation taking effect. Step 8. Disaffiliation. (14) A vote to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church must be approved by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the professing members present at the church conference. Thanks to the members of the task force for their faithful and committed work on this responsibility: Ben Brancel, Jeremiah Cottrell, Sue DAlessio, Fran Deaner, Kate Croskery Jones, Francois KazadiMukosa, Kevin Rice Myers, Jean Ehnert Nicholas, Dorthy Radley, Marshall Schmitt, Dan Schwerin, Sarah Sneider, Lisa Wink, Tsuker Yang and Steve Zekoff, chair. On February 9, 2022, our lay-led Council voted to officially begin the disaffiliation process. Worship, Next Generation ministries, small groups, missions would remain the same. They will remain with the UMC. Step 10. . When a congregation decides to no longer belong to the United Methodist denomination, it will impact both the congregations and the conferences resources. The Single Board authorizes this action at a meeting held October 24, 2022 with a 20-3 majority vote. All approvals and agreements must be completed 30 days before one of a series of Special Annual Conferences that will be called. Step 4. Follow up conversation with the pastor: Around the same time the initial meeting with church leadership takes place, but no later than December 1, 2022, the District Superintendent will also have an informal conversation with the pastor to discern where the pastor is in his/her alignment with the congregations desires, his/her leadership role in the departure process, and the implications of the churchs decision on his/her future in ministry. The Bishop and Cabinet will endeavor to promptly find new appointments for these pastors. The District Superintendent must schedule the church conference within 120 days. On this page you will find: Bishop Schol's 3 letters to GNJ congregations The Church Council feels strongly that every aspect of this process be transparent, inclusive, and informed. Reverend Beverly Connelly, South/Central District Superintendent. For additional information churches should contact their district superintendent. He then met with Pastor Jerry Stravia, who serves Prairie Winds UMC, and the local church board, known as the Spiritual Leadership Team, outlining the meaning of disaffiliation and the process. Holston Conference leadership will continue to update this FAQ as new information (such as Judicial Council rulings and General Conference actions) is available. We have incorporated as a local church, with by-laws (click here for by-laws) and a statement of faith (What We Believe), distilled from the UMC Book of Discipline. Instead of finding a place of worship that meets their needs (like I did when I left the SBC for the UMC) they choose the one that doesn't and then proceed to force that church to meet their needs. I worry about losing that.District Superintendent Winckler conducted the church conference as a business session modeled after the Dakotas Annual Conference session rules. "The joy of the Lord is my strength" and my entire well-being is dependent on a positive environment. Professing members are those who have officially joined The Way. I believe Ann and I can speak for the whole community in saying, our desire is for no one to go. 750 Windsor Street, Sun Prairie, WI 53590 Prairie Winds Church. What is our vision for the future for Prairie Winds UMC? Chapter 7 of Matthew opens by addressing that concern: don't judge, you will be judged by the same standards that you use. All costs for transfer of title or other legal work shall be borne by the disaffiliating local church. If the congregation departs, it will seek to retain ties with mission it continues to value, such as the work of the General Commission on Religion & Race (which also supports disability ministries) and United Methodist Women. He was assisted by Randy Meissner, a lay leader from the United Methodist Church in Mandan, North Dakota. For many, remaining in this denomination will be the right decision. What are the seven steps to the disaffiliation process? In addition, the conflict in the UMC has become a significant distraction for The Ways mission and ministry of sharing in hope, living with purpose, for the sake of others. Our Church Council has spent a good bit of time focused on the conflict and impending split in the UMC. His legacy background in the Methodist/United Methodist Church goes back more than 125 years through direct family connections. Part of this involves a financial cost to leave the denomination. All letters from local churches for Discerning Disaffiliation are due to your District Superintendent by June 1, 2023 for any resolutions of disaffiliations to be considered at the Special Called Fall 2023 Annual Conference. Follow up conversation between the pastor and the District Superintendent: At or near the time ofthe Initial Meeting. And it may continue to remain so for many years. Initial conversation: When a) a District Superintendent learns that a local church is interested in and meets the criteria for disaffiliation under 2553 or b) local church leadership inquires, for example, about disaffiliation, information about the Global Methodist Church, another evangelical denomination, or independent status, the District Superintendent will communicate with the pastor and/or lay leadership and offer to come for a meeting to share the process. Step 5. 4. But last night, the congregation took a historic vote as it weighs whether it is necessary to depart the institution of The United Methodist Church in order to remain part of a Methodist movement that has historically been concerned with both personal transformation and social justice. c) Property. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has postponed General Conference twice, with the international meetingnow scheduled for Aug. 29-Sept. 6, 2022, in Minneapolis.A United Methodist congregation is a legal entity tied to the denomination. That is selfish-based hate.There are already several LGBT+ friendly denominations with literally thousands of churches that meet the needs of the LGBT+ community. 15. "We are offended by what someone may be doing in the privacy of their own home." However, as more and more churches have chosen to disaffiliate from the UMC now, the concern is that there will not be sufficient votes to pass that protocol. We are enthusiastic about growing our vibrant congregation and ask for your trust and prayers as we discern and follow where God leads us. Those rules went into effect on Jan. 1, 2020. Despite the assurance that each church and clergy can choose for themselves and remain within the UMC, that has not proven to be the case. The Wisconsin Conference Disaffiliation Coordinator must receive the Local Church Request to Explore Disaffiliation under 2553 application form, and accompanying statement no later than December 1, 2022. Pastor communicates his/her intentions: By December 1, 2022, the District Superintendent mustreceive a letter from the pastor indicating his/her intentions regarding continued service in TheUnited Methodist Church. He states the UMCs long-standing debate on homosexuality prompted the action of the Spiritual Leadership Team to vote in a meeting on January 5, 2021, to seek disaffiliation. DISAFFILIATION STEPS FOR WISCONSIN CHURCHES. Part of this process is to ensure that the church is fully committed to a significant step in its life and ministry.Rockeman is stepping away from the congregation for now. 3. History has proven that once the theology of a denomination is changed, it is imposed on both clergy and local churches. Implementation: By December 31, 2023, all terms of the disaffiliation agreement must be met by the local church. For additional information, please contact your district superintendent. Dakotas Conference file photos. The full text of Paragraph 2553 is in Bishop Lewis letter from April 18, 2022. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Adam Hamilton, Lead Pastor Church of the Resurrection gives his account of A Future with Hope for the UMC:, The Bishop of Colorado and other confusing doctrinal teachings, United Methodist Drag Queen blasphemous theology, Methodist Seminary is Abdicating Christianity, Says Theologian, Ten Reasons Why Ill Join the Global Methodist Church. Childcare will be provided. Paragraph 2553 ( 2553), the full text of which follows, was adopted during the 2019 Special General Conference. Were excited that we were recently able to the join the local effort to eradicate medical debt; our contribution alone, made possible by our Christmas Eve offering, erased half a million dollars of it, setting many burdened people back on their feet again. Should Local Church timely comply with all of its obligations as set forth herein, Local Church's disaffiliation from The United Methodist Church will be effective on _____, 20__ ("Disaffiliation Date"). Rev. Wesley did not say; "if you agree with me, I will be your friend." As the Northwest District Superintendent, of which the congregation is affiliated, he began the disaffiliation process with the congregation. It is believed most churches will remain within the Virginia Conference. We have been, are, and will continue to be Methodist. Annual conferences may develop additional standard terms that are not inconsistent with the standard form of this paragraph. An involved process, but authorizing waiver of the trust clause detailed in 2501 of The Book of Discipline has not occurred previously in The United Methodist Church or its predecessors. The General Board of Pension and Health Benefits shall determine the aggregate funding obligations of the annual conference using market factors similar to a commercial annuity provider, from which the annual conference will determine the local churchs share. Since The Way Woodstock is a United Methodist Church, if we want to separate from the denomination, this process is required. We have been and remain in prayer for each of you, your families, and our collective faith family as we move forward. There is a standard methodology to compute these costs based on the local churchs apportionments (paid and unpaid), share of pension and health care liabilities, property loans, outstanding grants, legal expenses, and other factors.
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