What's happening in the UMC -November 13, 2022

by Pastor Eva Marie Wolfe

Thanks to those who were able to stay for our Vision Sunday on November 13!  The information presented was important enough that I felt it should be placed in the newsletter as well, to be sure that everyone has the opportunity to see it. Terryann and I both gave presentations. Mine was on the current situation in the United Methodist Church and Terryann’s was specifically on the current goals of our congregation. Below is the information that was on my slide presentation (slightly modified to make it more understandable for those who did not hear my explanations). Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, especially if you were not at the meeting, where I provided a fuller explanation of many of these points.

Grace, peace and joy to you.

Pastor Eva Marie  Wolfe

A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT: HISTORY

  • 1968: EUB and ME churches merge to form UMC

  •  1972, the first General Conference (GC): “homosexual persons…are persons of sacred worth…although we do not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider this practice incompatible with Christian teaching.”

  • 1980 GC: ban on church funds going “to any caucus or group” or used to “promote the acceptance of homosexuality.” Homosexual relationships were not listed as a disqualification for clergy candidates due to the presence of other statements. However, later Judicial Conferences upheld the ordination of gay clergy because this language was not present.

  • 1984 GC: “Since the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching, self-avowed practicing homosexuals are not to be accepted as candidates, ordained as ministers, or appointed to serve in The United Methodist Church.”

  • 1988 GC: Created a "Committee to Study Homosexuality" to examine the issue from a range of perspectives: Biblical, ethical, biological, psychological and sociological.

  • 1992 GC: The homosexuality report was "received" by the General Conference, but was not approved. 

  • 1996 GC: “Ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions shall not be conducted by our ministers and shall not be conducted in our churches.” At the conference, 11 active and 4 retired Bishops (out of the total of 130 bishops worldwide) circulated the "In All Things Charity" letter calling for equal rights for homosexuals, including the right to be eligible for ordination as pastors. 

  • 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 GCs: No changes to the four points: 1972 incompatible statement; 1976 funding; 1984 pastors; 1996 same-sex unions

  • 2016 GC: church teachings on marriage and human sexuality were unchanged.  UM Bishops were asked to form a commission to develop a plan moving forward. Special General Conference set for 2019. In July 2016, a partnered gay clergyperson, Rev. Karen Oliveto, was elected bishop by the Northwest Jurisdiction (NW)—complaint filed—NW Jurisdiction did not act on it and she remains a bishop.

  • 2019 Special GC: purpose was to vote on legislation re: LGBTQ issues – although there were several proposals, no legislative changes were made. The special General Conference passed the Traditional Plan, reaffirming the existing language. A path for disaffiliation was approved for churches who could not for conscience’s sake abide by the Discipline of the church or its practices regarding homosexuality (¶2553).

  • Protocol of Grace Through Separation developed as compromise legislation intended to be presented at GC 2020.

  • 2020 GC: postponed due to COVID; re-scheduled for 2022.  In early 2022, the Conference committee cancelled the Conference.  The Book of Discipline 2016 continues to be the operating rulebook of the United Methodist Church.·

  • The Global Methodist Church (GMC) officially began as a new Methodist Denomination on May 1, 2022.

  • In May 2022, the Judicial Council of the UMC ruled that annual conferences cannot leave the UMC · unless General Conference meets and approves a process for that; only individual churches may leave. In June 2022, it ruled that congregations cannot use the long-standing provision (¶2548) to transfer to another denomination for a transfer to the GMC, as the GMC  is not yet a denomination recognized by the UMC.

  • In November 2022, the US Jurisdictional Conferences met and elected 14 new bishops to replace those retiring.

THREE MAJOR ISSUES

  • Authority of Scripture and Biblical interpretation

  • Differences over issues of human sexuality

  • Institutional control/trustworthiness

 EXAMPLE OF ISSUES: LGBTQ ISSUES AND THE BIBLE

  • Some believe the Bible is clear on LGBTQ+ issues

  • Some believe the Bible is no longer relevant

  • Some believe the Bible is relevant but many current LGBTQ+ issues are different today

MISTRUST WITHIN THE UMC

  •  Withholding of apportionments

  •  Accusations of:

    • Not upholding the Discipline

    • Delaying response to complaints

    • Deliberately delaying General Conference

    • Being misleading about openness to amicable separation

 OPTIONS FOR UNITED METHODIST CHURCHES

  • Remain in the UMC – no action needed

  • Begin discernment to leave the UMC to affiliate with an approved denomination (¶2548)

  • Begin discernment of disaffiliation through the temporary process (¶2553) that ends Dec 2023. Possible results are:

    • Remain UMC

    • Join GMC

    • Join another denomination

    • Become an independent, nondenominational congregation

    • Wait for the outcome of GC 2024 and decide how to respond

 WAYS TO SEPARATE FROM THE UMC

  • Disband (close the church)

  • Affiliate with an approved denomination (¶2547-2548)

  • Disaffiliate through the temporary process (2019 - ¶2553)

    • Join GMC

    • Join another denomination

    • Remain independent

 ¶2553 COST OF DISAFFILIATION - MUST BE PAID AT TIME OF DISAFFILIATION

  • Apportionments – current year and next year (New Zion 2023 apportionments = $16,689)

  • Pension liability (varies each quarter with the market) –very roughly equal to 2.5 years of apportionments

  • Annual Conferences can add other requirements

 ¶2553 PROCESS FOR DISAFFILIATION

  • Discernment process – group meetings of congregational leaders; including with District/Conference persons who would discuss reasons for not leaving; can also meet with others who would discuss reason for leaving

  • Church Conference – duly announced, 2/3 vote required to disaffiliate – only members physically present may vote

 WEST OHIO CONFERENCE VOTING ON DISAFFILIATIONS

  • November 19, 2022 at Special Annual Conference

  • June 2023 during regular Annual Conference

  • November 2023 at special Annual Conference

Karen Horn