A New Unity?

What might the future of Methodism look like? This is the question before us this week; however, many have already given this much prayerful consideration.

One proposal that I have seen comes as a joint effort from two Bishops who are reaching across theological lines to work together. Bishop Scott Jones from the Texas Conference and Bishop David Bard from the Michigan Episcopal Area have shared this plan, which I believe will be part of our consideration this week:

A New Form of Unity

A Way Forward Strategy 2019-2022

Bishops David A. Bard and Scott J. Jones

April 28, 2019

Brief Analysis of Our Current Situation

Responses to the passage of many petitions that comprised the Traditional Plan, and the subsequent Judicial Council rulings upholding approximately half the petitions passed, have been strong and diverse, from vigorous support for the legislation and a determination to strengthen it at the 2020 General Conference, along with a feeling that it is simply time for The United Methodist Church to move on, to intense dissent from the legislation along with indications that people may act in ways contrary to it.  These responses reveal in stark terms the depth of division which exists within our denomination.  What are the possibilities for moving into the future to address our division and the animosity which often accompanies it?

• Move into the future as we have lived in the recent past, relying on the legislative processes of General Conference to help us make needed change.  This would likely lead to few changes to the Traditional Plan and thus continue the escalating cycle of more rules and more defiance thereby damaging our Wesleyan witness.

• One “group” or the other (progressives or traditionalists) simply decides to leave and start something new.  This could be facilitated by a more defined gracious exit process which would need to be negotiated between groups representing differing sides of our disagreement.

• A “forced schism” either through countless judicial processes leading to the removal of progressive pastors and bishops and the disaffiliation of more progressive churches, or by massive resistance and disobedience by progressives which it would be hoped could lead to the withdrawal of traditional pastors and bishops and the disaffiliation of more traditional churches.  Uncalculated damage could come from such a chaotic way forward.  Planning Annual Conferences and General Church bodies would become extraordinarily difficult as resources are withheld or diverted to judicial processes.  Intense, angry conflict would significantly damage our Wesleyan witness.  The role of bishop would be consumed by conflict management and judicial processes.

• Begin with a vision of what we would like The United Methodist Church to look like in 2022 and negotiate a new unity, a new connectionalism, a new Methodism, an amicable separation, or a mutual blessing/parting of the ways, which creates more space between United Methodists who are not currently living well together.

• The three churches will be in full communion. 

• All three churches may use the name “Methodist” but are not required to do so.

• All three churches may use the cross-and-flame logo but are not required to do so.

• We envision regular contact between leadership teams of the three churches to coordinate shared mission and cooperation.

• It is envisioned that bishops of all three churches will hold regular meetings on the pattern of the Pan-Methodist Bishops’ gatherings.

• It is envisioned that all three churches will choose to belong to the World Methodist Council and the Pan-Methodist Commission. 

• All three churches will share in the governance of the General Council on Finance and Administration, Wespath, the United Methodist Publishing House, United Methodist Committee on Relief, and The General Commission on Archives and History with governance strength proportional to lay membership strength.

• Each of the three churches could be global with member conferences in Europe, North America and Asia.

• It is envisioned that continued support for Africa University and the Black College Fund will continue from all three churches.

• The assets of all other general agencies and the rights to the name “United Methodist” and the cross-and-flame logo will belong to the General Council on Finance and Administration. Assets will be divided and distributed to the three churches in proportion to the numerical strength of their lay membership. GCFA’s governing Council membership will be proportional to the lay membership strength of each church. Each church will elect its own representatives to GCFA.

• Each church will have its own General Conference with complete freedom to change its originating Book of Discipline after 2020. The current constitution of the UMC will be adaptable by a majority vote of the first General Conference of each church.

• Each Church will select its own name. It will begin with the current Book of Discipline as modified by the following:

• The Progressive Methodist Church Discipline will include the Simple Plan as presented in 2019. It might be that the Progressive and Open Methodist Church would be one group defined by the Simple Plan since there is nothing in that plan which would require a more traditional pastor to officiate at a wedding against her or his conscience.  

• The Open Methodist Church Discipline will include the One Church Plan as presented in 2019.

• The Traditional Methodist Church Discipline will include the Traditional Plan as presented in 2019.

• After 2020 each church will hold a General Conference which will re-write its constitution by majority vote of the delegates. That conference will have the right to choose whether or not to have a constitution. Each church will have the right to amend its doctrinal statements, adopt a new constitution, set its own standards for church membership and ordination and all other matters of polity and doctrine.

• Each church will determine which seminaries are approved and how theological education, including M. Div. programs and Courses of Study will be organized and funded.

• Each church will decide on the election, assignment, duties and funding for its bishops

Vision: What do we want the United Methodist Church to look like in 2022?

We envision a more vibrant and missionally effective Wesleyan movement that no longer spends significant energy debating questions of human sexuality and LGBTQ inclusion. To achieve this, we envision that the United Methodist Church will have no members in the United States in 2025 and that all current US members, clergy, congregations and bishops will join one of three self-governing churches. Whether there are two or three self-governing churches is a matter for further conversation.

Roadmap: What steps are necessary to implement the vision for a New Form of Unity?

The process for achieving this vision is most easily accomplished by using different pieces of legislation presented to the 2019 General Conference. The key is the proposal to allow US annual conferences to leave the denomination. It was contained in section 9 of petition 90041 of the Traditional Plan. This section of the petition was ruled constitutional by the Judicial Council. Because the petition died in the Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters, section 9 would need to be reintroduced and passed in 2020. Under this provision, when an annual conference decides to leave the denomination by majority vote, congregations and clergy who disagree with that choice are allowed to transfer conferences with their assets, thereby joining a different church.

The roadmap involves approval of key ideas at the General Conference of 2020. Following that, annual conferences worldwide would decide by majority vote which of three churches they will join: the Progressive Methodist Church, the Open Methodist Church or the Traditional Methodist Church. Congregations which wish to transfer conferences will be allowed to do so with all of their assets though agreement between the conference and the congregation for debts owed for past pension and health care benefits already or conference loans would need to be negotiated. Pension liabilities would be cared for.

To limit the acrimony in this transition, legislation suspending the paragraphs or portions thereof related to complaints against persons for officiating at same-sex weddings or for the consideration of LGBTQ persons for candidacy, licensing, commissioning and ordination beginning at the end of General Conference 2020 and continuing through the first General Conferences of the new churches would be part of the New Form of Unity legislation.

All of this could be accomplished with no constitutional amendments. However, clear agreements about details, including the assets and continuing ministries of all other general agencies would need to be agreed upon.

2019

July Agreement in principle by key stakeholders for New Form of Unity

August Petitions due to 2020 General Conference

2020

May General Conference approves New Form of Unity and provision for annual conferences in the US to leave the UMC

May to April 2021 Annual Conferences choose which church to affiliate with and local churches ask to change conferences if they so desire

2021

May to April 2022 Annual Conferences elect delegates to General Conferences

2022

Summer or Fall First General Conferences of the three new churches are held