North Georgia UMC Conference overwhelmingly OKs disaffiliation for churches PO Box 7227 - Macon, GA 31209. NGUMC | Churches At the same time, he said, he was saddened that the conference felt it needed to take this action. Dr. Byron Thomas as the North Georgia Rev. The statement further said the church is thankful for the provisions that allow amicable separation. It was a historic day and an unprecedented moment for the United Methodist Church. Retired pastor takes lead in founding church in a West Texas city beset by disaffiliations. . According to the motion, the churches asked the court to immediately lift the "pause" on the disaffiliation process, order the district superintendents to immediately set local disaffiliation votes, execute disaffiliation agreements following the votes and schedule one or more special virtual annual conferences prior to the disaffiliation provision's expiration. Megachurch votes to disaffiliate from UMC after pastor reassigned In its report to the North Georgia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church in June 2021, and again in June 2022, the conference board of trustees affirmed its commitment to the concept of the gracious exit. Clergy suggesting that members of one church would be willing to join another church to help push them over the threshold to disaffiliate. Presentations saying that in the future the UMC will force all churches to receive appointments of gay pastors, will force all clergy to officiate same-sex weddings, and that all churches must host same-sex weddings. This information presented to members of local churches about disaffiliation has been outside the bounds of normal and acceptable civil discourse., This information presented to members of local churches about disaffiliation has been outside the bounds of normal and acceptable civil discourse, Bishop Dease said in her message. The lawsuit says the move to stop disaffiliation emerged after it became clear hundreds of conference churches intended to leave. Copyright 2023, Chattanooga Times Free Press, Inc. Now any such disaffiliation votes are on indefinite hold. Conference Office. This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Chattanooga Times Free Press, Inc. Material from the Associated Press is Copyright 2023, Associated Press and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Jeff Jernigan, a United Methodist layman and General Conference delegate long active in the denominations traditionalist movement, has been among those speaking at churches making a case for disaffiliation. Similarly, a lawsuit has been filed against the conference and its leadership by a church in Augusta., The bishops letter said further details of the lawsuits wouldnt be disclosed by conference leaders. Despite the congregations' decision to disaffiliate, no official changes had been made to the UMC's doctrine, according to Greg Porterfield,district superintendent of the southeast region forthe North Georgia Conference. Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson Just as Georgia has become a battleground state in U.S. politics, the states most populous conference has long been a battleground in church politics as well. #BeUMC | Learn More About The United Methodist Church 2 min read. Delegates in the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church voted overwhelmingly Thursday to allow about 70 member churches to voluntarily leave the conference as a result of. She said there is a vast chasm between the orthodox and progressive versions of the Christian faith. Local congregations voted on whether or not to disaffiliate, he said, and the vote on Thursday formally ratified their decisions. Leaders are prayerfully exploring the best methods for moving forward and next steps available as set forth in the Book of Discipline," she wrote in the statement. Share. However, the current court cases have focused only on the contractual agreements between the denomination and local churches. After lengthy periods of discussion and consultation involving the cabinet, the board of trustees, and appropriate conference leadership, we have agreed that our Annual Conference cannot rely upon such votes for purposes of negotiating a gracious exit. No one disputes that for decades the denomination has debated same-sex marriage and the ordination of self-avowed practicing gay clergy. What happens when a UMC exit vote fails in a congregation? Religion and abortion: How Savannah faith leaders view likely repeal of Roe v. Wade, Abortion rights protest: 'My body, my choice': Hundreds of abortion rights supporters march through Savannah. All rights reserved. Superior Court Judge Steven Schuster ruled the churches should be able to vote to disaffiliate from the UMC. The new process is distinct from the disaffiliation pathway under Paragraph 2553, which specifically cites that it enables churches to leave for reasons of conscience related to the denominations policies on homosexuality. The 2022 North Georgia Annual Conference session was held June 2-4 at The Classic Center in Athens, Georgia, with Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson presiding. The WCA has pursued several lawsuits in its disaffiliation movement and has encouraged former United Methodist churches to join the fledgling Global Methodist Church the WCA founded in May 2022. Open minds. The United Methodist Church has been at odds internally for decades over disagreements on doctrinal and social issues. In an email Friday evening, conference spokeswoman Sybil Davidson said more information would be forthcoming next week. Church leaders claiming that The Apostles Creed has been changed. We commit to walking alongside the clergy and laity of the North Georgia Conference as we together take this opportunity to re-set our focus on the mission of the church, to commit to deepening our focus on discipleship, and to get to know our incoming episcopal leader. "Last year we officially adopted that process.". Liam Adams and Mykal McEldowney, Nashville Tennessean, How Savannah faith leaders view likely repeal of Roe v. Wade, 'My body, my choice': Hundreds of abortion rights supporters march through Savannah, https://www.ngumc.org/newsdetail/disaffiliations-16505564, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. North Georgia Conference is unique in U.S. Methodism as the only regional UMC unit to suspend the disaffiliation process. 3040 Riverside Dr., Suite A-2 - Macon, GA 31210. Our denomination has a clear process for disaffiliation and Conference leaders are walking alongside the churches that want to take this path, Conference Communications Director Sybil Davidsonsaid in a statement. March 31, 2023 12:14 PM by Wendy Parker. SGAUMC | Disaffiliating Churches - May 2023 North Georgia Conference of The UMC 1700 Century Circle NE Atlanta, GA 30345 (678) 533-1399 Connect with us. denomination throughdisaffiliationagreement ofrequirements and provisions of thehomosexuality or the ordination or marriage of self-avowedGeneral Georgia Conference ofConference of The United Methodistconscience churches regarding Methodist the in the annual conference and adoptedthese General issues which Conference,Discipline or the acti. Jun 02. . What Is Possible If By Sybil Davidson In a solemn moment, members of the 2022 North Georgia Annual Conference ratified the disaffiliation agreements of 70 churches. The ultimate step in the disaffiliation process is the ratification of disaffiliation agreements by the Annual Conference. She serves as editor of United Methodist Insight, an online journal she founded in 2011. In these times of misinformation, assumptions, and fear mongering, we will have factual information following the 2024 General Conference to make prayerful and strategic decisions, Graves wrote in a Jan. 3 email to the conference. Moore chairs the global council of the Wesleyan Covenant Association, which has helped form the breakaway Global Methodist Church denomination. In a video uploaded this week to the conference's website, Bishop Robin Dease shared she will be calling a special session of the North Georgia Annual Conference on Nov. 18. North Georgia Annual Conference The Classic Center, Athens, Georgia June 2-4, 2022 Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson, presiding The 2022 North Georgia With hands held high in affirmation, the members of the 2022 North Georgia Annual Conference endorsed the Rev. The lawsuit, filed in Cobb County on March 30, involved 186 Georgia churches wishing to disaffiliate due to potential LGBTQ-friendly revisions. Trinity on the Hill and its attorney has declined all media requests for comment. Saying so, he said, should not be considered defamatory. Trinity on the Hill UMC in Augusta in February took legal action of its own, filing a lawsuit against the North Georgia Conference of the UMC and a number of conference leaders. After disaffiliation halt, North Georgia Methodist churches sue the Two hundred churches expressed interest in joining the suit, he said, and most of these -- the lawsuit lists about 185 -- have chosen to proceed with litigation. We have significant concerns about this misinformation and are well aware that it has the potential to do irreparable harm. "If we are not reaching out to all, our mission as a church is incomplete," he said. District Superintendents have held more than 200 information sessions over the past year. "While we review the lawsuit with the appropriate council, we will refrain from sharing details, however, we are familiar with the issues," Dease wrote. St. James Methodist Church, New Prospect Church and Young Harris Memorial Church, all in Athens, also joined the suit. This is untrue and is among the most widespread misinformation we've seen. We are called to stand together and be united, Hannigan said. Robin Dease, resident bishop for the North Georgia Conference, posted a statement to the conference's website on Friday addressing the lawsuit. A We will all be thrilled to return to in-person conferencing in North Georgia, but what else will be new in 2022? Jernigan said he sees this move as preventing holy conferencing and as disenfranchising traditionalist churches. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. Not surprisingly, some Georgians reacted to the conference leaderships decision with relief while others reacted with outrage. Do you have a question about The United Methodist Church? We reaffirm our commitment to honor and uphold the Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church. An 'Intractable' Problem: 187 Methodist Churches Sue North Georgia North Georgia Blocks Church Disaffiliation - Good News Magazine By Thomas Lambrecht In a provocative, year-end proclamation as she was walking out the door to her new assignment in Virginia, Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson defiantly led the North Georgia Conference to stop all local church disaffiliations. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. Both lawsuits name newly installed Bishop Robin Dease, former bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson, North Georgia district superintendents and the conference board of trustees as respondents. Contact Andrew Schwartz at [email protected] or 423-757-6431. The North Georgia Conference takes particular issue with statements that go beyond the homosexuality debate to say The United Methodist Church is abandoning basic tenets of the Christian faith such as the resurrection and divinity of Christ. PDF Q&A About the Disaffiliation Process in the North Georgia Conference 2023 Baptist News Global. Earlier this month, Columbia County Superior Court also ruled in favor of Trinity on the Hill church, which sued the North Georgia Annual Conference of Methodists to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church, similar to the larger suit. The United Methodist Church is known for being more progressive and less traditional than others, but many congregations disagreed with changing the doctrine to become more LGBTQ inclusive. It was a historic day and an unprecedented moment for the United Methodist Church. Church leaders communicating that North Georgia Conference leadership is not following the Book of Discipline. While the North Georgia Conference has put a hold on church disaffiliations for now, two other conferences are exploring using another provision in the Book of Discipline for church withdrawals. She reaffirmed past conference positions that pro-disaffiliation campaigns had spread misleading information and failed to operate in good faith. The total represents about 7% of the 30,000 local churches in the United States. ", Dease went on to say the information presented to local churches about disaffiliation was "outside the bounds of normal and acceptable civil disclosure.". As a result of the misleading, defamatory, and false statements and materials shared with local church members by certain organizations as well as clergy and lay members of various churches and outside groups, we do not have confidence in the validity of upcoming church conference disaffiliation votes. The Rev. But churchgoers, pastors and seminary professors are finding different ways to mend after hurtful battles over church exits. UMC's North Georgia Conference blocks church departures In particular, the trustees affirmed a desire for disaffiliations to be handled in a fair, transparent, uniform, and good faith manner that affirms the one universal church in service to Christ and honors the mission and ministry of all Christians. This is the second time in less than a month that a Georgia court has ruled in favor of United Methodist churches seeking to disaffiliate.
