Brief Overview of UMC Disaffiliation
BRIEF OVERVIEW OF DENOMINATIONAL SPLIT
By Margaret Hogue
This is a very concise description. For more information, please check out the FUMCHS website, under the “Resources” tab. (https://www.fumchighsprings.com/resources/)
Background:
The UMC is governed by conferences, which are annual meetings of geographic areas made up of laity, pastors and bishops. The ultimate authority in the UMC is General Conference, which is an international gathering once every four years (under normal conditions) which updates the doctrine of the denomination, the Book of Discipline. Conflicts about the inclusion of LGBTQ members go back to 1972. That year, the General Conference voted to add language to the Book of Discipline declaring that the “the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.”
That language was revisited every four years at subsequent General Conferences until 2016, when delegates voted to hold a special session to finally settle the debate. A special General Conference was called in 2019 for the purpose of considering a resolution that would have allowed each annual conference in the UMC to choose for itself what teachings regarding sexuality it would endorse. Instead, the results of the vote at that meeting affirmed one more time that the UMC would uphold the traditional teaching. After negotiation, a protocol was agreed upon between representatives of both sides of the issue that would have resulted in those desiring to continue to teach the traditional understanding of sexuality leaving the UMC, while those desiring to fully affirm the practice of homosexuality for Christians would remain in the UMC. This protocol (“A Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace Through Separation”) was to be voted on and potentially adopted at the 2020 General Conference. Then the COVID pandemic happened. General Conference was delayed several times and will now be held in 2024.
Where we are now:
In 2022, several representatives of groups identifying as centrist and progressive announced they no longer supported the protocol, including some of the people who had helped author the Protocol. Legislation to enact the plan will likely still be considered at General Conference in 2024, but wavering support for the protocol leaves many questions.
The Global Methodist Church was launched in May of 2022, offering churches a new, traditionalist denomination. There are also other Methodist denominations in North America that have been around for a while.
Meanwhile, some UMC churches across the nation have begun the disaffiliation process. In Florida, there are about 700 UMC churches. At Annual Conference 2022, 14 churches requested approval of disaffiliation. These were approved. As of January 5, 2023, 13 additional churches have held churchwide votes to disaffiliate or stay UMC: of those, 10 will seek approval for disaffiliation at a session of Annual Conference 2023. Complicating matters, 106 Florida UMC churches are suing the Conference to leave the denomination without going through the approved process for disaffiliation (Paragraph #2553).
What happens after disaffiliation? There are several options: remaining independent of a denomination or deciding to join a different Methodist or other denomination. This is a matter totally up to the church itself. The UMC is out of the picture at this point.
What about High Springs FUMC?
Here at our church, Pastor Steve and the Board have maintained a wait and see attitude. There was a Town Hall meeting in February of 2022 where these issues were discussed. Nothing has changed in the UMC Book of Discipline (BOD), and will not until after General Conference 2024. However, Paragraph #2553 of the BOD which lays out the process for disaffiliation, expires on December 31, 2023. Because there are some in our church who wish to pursue the path of disaffiliation, there will be a meeting to hold a churchwide vote in September 2023 to decide the issue for us. Only church members present will be eligible to vote. There must be a two thirds majority to disaffiliate. If the vote results in disaffiliation, the church will have to follow the procedures outlined in Paragraph #2553, including all financial payments (which currently would amount to between $60,000 and $70,000 plus the cost of required insurance coverage) and ask for approval of disaffiliation at the special virtual Annual Conference on Dec. 2, 2023.
Comment: Now is the time to get educated on the issues and discern your position. It is important to remember that we are all Christians, followers of Jesus, who He requires to love one another. We need to respect other’s opinions and must maintain our goodwill toward one another. If someone disagrees with you, they’re not wrong: they just have a different opinion. John Wesley himself said: “But as to all opinions which do not strike at the root of Christianity, we think and let think.”
Disaffiliation Resources
Resources on What is Happening in the UMC
Complied by Margaret Hogue
This is a gathering of articles/resource documents that are relevant to the split in the UMC. It contains articles that may have some bias (in either direction), because it’s hard to avoid that. Everybody has opinions, and it’s difficult to write without including them. So, as you read any of these articles/documents, please use discernment. This document will be updated as more information becomes available.
From the UMC:
• UMC Book of Discipline paragraph #2553 Disaffiliation Over Human Sexuality https://www.umc.org/en/content/book-of-discipline-2553-disaffiliation-over-human-sexuality
• From the UMC Council of Bishops: “A Narrative for the Continuing United Methodist Church” https://www.unitedmethodistbishops.org/files/websites/www/a+narrative+for+the+continuing+united+methodist+church...._.pdf
• An FAQ following the 2019 Special General Conference regarding the report of the Commission on a Way Forward: https://www.flumc.org/faq-gc19
• “Protocol Legislation – Reconciliation and Grace Through Separation,” the proposed change to the Book of Discipline to be considered at the next General Conference https://www.gracethroughseparation.com/legislation
• Ask the UMC Series: “Is the United Methodist Church Really…?” This site links to seven separate articles that thoroughly discuss the current situation.
https://www.umc.org/en/content/ask-the-umc-series-is-the-umc-really
• Email from Bishop Tom Berlin, January 6, 2023, to lay and clergy members of the Florida Annual Conference regarding special virtual sessions to consider requests for disaffiliation. https://www.laityspace.org/lay-leader-memo-1623
• “What Should United Methodists Know About Disaffiliation?” article by Ask the UMC discusses the process of disaffiliation. https://www.umc.org/en/content/ask-the-umc-what-should-united-methodist-congregations-know-about-disaffiliation
• “Many Florida churches still deciding about disaffiliation,” an article on the UMC website. This is a summary of status as of January 5, 2023. https://www.flumc.org/newsdetail/disaffiliation-remains-unresolved-at-many-florida-conference-umc-churches-17228354
• “Disaffiliating churches could face huge insurance costs,” by Joe Henderson, January 17, 2023, FLUMC.
https://www.flumc.org/newsdetail/disaffiliating-churches-could-face-huge-insurance-costs-17270843
• “Taking stock after a season of disaffiliations,” an article by Heather Hahn and Sam Hodges, December 15, 2022, summarizes status. https://www.umnews.org/en/news/taking-stock-after-a-season-of-disaffiliations
• “North Georgia Hits Pause on Disaffiliations,” article by Heather Hahn, January 9, 2023, on the UMC website. Citing widespread “defamatory” misinformation, the North Georgia Annual Conference leadership has suspended the process for its congregations to exit the United Methodist Church. https://www.umnews.org/en/news/north-georgia-hits-pause-on-disaffiliations
• “106 Florida Churches Sue to Exit Denomination,” by Heather Hahn, July 18, 2022, UM News https://www.umnews.org/en/news/florida-churches-sue-to-exit-denomination
• “Threat to Withhold Apportionments Violates John Wesley’s ‘Do No Harm’ Rule,” by Joe Henderson, September 15,2022, UMC website https://www.flumc.org/newsdetail/threat-to-withhold-apportionments-violates-john-wesleys-do-no-harm-rule-17019405
• COMMENTARY: “Slave or Free, Disaffiliate or Stay UMC” - supports staying with the UMC. https://www.umnews.org/en/news/slave-or-free-disaffiliate-or-stay-umc
Other Sources
• “The breakup of the United Methodist Church,” The Week website, January 5, 2023. This is a good background article. https://theweek.com/religion/1019544/the-widening-schism-in-the-united-methodist-church
• A thoughtful paper written by David Wisener summarizing the recent controversy: “An Overview of the Debate Over Sexuality in the UMC” (12 p.) https://thechurchco-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/sites/3625/2023/01/UMC-issue-overview-2023-edition.pdf
• “Why schism? United Methodist leaders explain proposal to split the denomination,” a January 13, 2020, article on the Religion News Service website about the proposal to split the UMC (“A Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace Through Separation”). https://religionnews.com/2020/01/13/why-schism-united-methodist-leaders-discuss-their-proposal-to-split-the-denomination/
• “What happened to United Methodists’ proposal to split the denomination?” a June 6, 2022, article on the Religion News Service website. https://religionnews.com/2022/06/29/what-happened-to-united-methodists-proposal-to-split-the-denomination/
• “United Methodist Church announces date, location for thrice-postponed General Conference,” November 7, 2022, on Religion News Service. https://religionnews.com/2022/11/07/united-methodist-church-announces-dates-and-location-for-thrice-postponed-general-conference/
• “United Methodists Are Breaking up in a Slow-Motion Schism,” Associated Press, October 10, 2022 https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2022-10-10/united-methodists-are-breaking-up-in-a-slow-motion-schism