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Many emotions and thoughts are swirling at the announcement that the twice-postponed General Conference must wait until 2024.

Meanwhile, leaders of a planned new theologically conservative denomination announced that they are moving up the launch date without waiting for General Conference to act. The Wesley Covenant Association has announced the Global Methodist Church launch on May 1, 2022. 

The Dakotas Conference Cabinet is discussing and researching the best ways forward. Recently,  the members of the Cabinet, who include Revs. Kris Mutzenberger, Bob Ruedebusch, Rebecca Trefz, and Joel Winckler, stated, “At this point, we are discussing and researching best ways forward for the churches and pastors of our Conference. With the official formation of the Global Methodist Church on May 1, 2022, the reality of separation has come to us sooner than we had been planning for.”

United Methodist bishops, in an online meeting, discussed pathways for churches choosing to disaffiliate from the denomination.

By an overwhelming majority, the bishops affirmed that Paragraph 2553 in the Book of Discipline would be the primary paragraph used for disaffiliation and separation.

That paragraph, approved by the 2019 special General Conference, allows congregations to exit with property for “reasons of conscience” related to homosexuality if they meet certain requirements.

The bishops also asked the Judicial Council to rule on whether regular jurisdictional conferences can be held to elect bishops before the next General Conference.

The bishops have met over the past two weeks to discuss pathways forward following the third postponement of General Conference to 2024.

The Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church is requesting a declaratory decision from the Judicial Council on whether an annual conference can separate from the denomination under the provision of the Book of Discipline. 

During a special meeting COB held via Zoom and through electronic balloting, the bishops approved a request to ask the church’s top court to address six questions:

Question 1: May an annual conference of the United Methodist Church (“UMC”) within the United States separate from the UMC under the Discipline?

Question 2: Since ¶ 572 of the Discipline already provides a process for annual conferences outside the United States to separate from the UMC “to become an autonomous Methodist, affiliated autonomous Methodist, or affiliated united church,” should the process and requirements of ¶ 572 be viewed as minimum standards devised by the General Conference for any annual conference to separate from the UMC under the holding in Decision 1366?

Question 3: Pursuant to Judicial Council Decision 1366, must the General Conference first act to establish the procedure and requirements for separation of an annual conference within the United States before a vote can be taken by the annual conference to separate from the UMC?

Question 4: If an annual conference within the United States takes a vote to separate from the UMC but the General Conference has not established the procedure and requirements for separation of an annual conference, what is the effect of the vote and what authority, if any, does the annual conference have to act on the vote and legally effect a separation?

Question 5: If an annual conference within the United States may separate from the UMC, what are the requirements under the Discipline for a separation, including, but not limited to:
              (a) the bodies (such as jurisdictional conferences and other annual conferences in addition to the separating annual conference) that must vote to approve the separation and the required vote(s);
              (b) matters of church law related to use of the name United Methodist, or any part thereof, use of the UMC Cross & Flame or other intellectual property, including the United Methodist Hymnal;
              (c) maintenance of retirement benefits and compliance with civil law and the requirements of WESPATH concerning the same;
              (d) compliance with any applicable state law requirements, including such requirements related to foundations, credit unions, title to real property, and the annual conference’s articles of incorporation; and
              (e) disposition of property held in trust for the denomination pursuant to the UMC’s trust clause, such as endowments, designated funds (including funds for specific ministries of the UMC), cemetery associations, camps, historical records and archives, and any other property held in the name of the separating annual conference?

Question 6: Must any separation of an annual conference from the UMC provide dissenting members, local churches, districts, clergy, and affiliated entities such as camps, Wesley Foundations, and health facilities an option to remain a part of the UMC and join another annual conference?

The bishops are asking for an expedited ruling so that there is consistency among the annual conferences and to avoid action by individual annual conferences that may violate the Discipline.

“Delay in issuing the request for declaratory decision will increase frustration and anxiety among persons within the UMC and will likely cause harm not only to the denomination but to local churches, districts, annual conference institutions and related entities, pastors, and jurisdictions,” stated the bishops’ request.

Many congregations throughout the Dakotas Conference are asking, what, if anything, should we do in this time of turmoil?  Here are three recommendations as we continue the journey to spread the Good News during these liminal times:

1. Pray—please pray this Strategy Team Breakthrough Prayer:
Gracious God, as you lead the way forward, we put our trust in you. You are our fortress, protector, healer, redeemer, and ever-present God, no matter what lies ahead. We surrender our whole selves to you--our thoughts, our words, our lives. Have your way with us, Lord. Breakthrough our fears, mindsets, and agendas—anything that might get in the way of following you. Humble our hearts toward you and one another that we might better hear you speak. Shake us up until all that remains is you, Jesus. We look expectantly for you to move in us and through us so that your Holy Spirit's power and presence might transform us from the inside out. We commit ourselves to this journey together and lead your people in making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We pray this all in your mighty and holy name, Jesus. Amen

Download and print copies of the Breakthrough Prayer here.  Or, share this video version with others. 

2. Clairfy your values—The Dakotas Strategy Team has developed a 4-hour workshop to assist churches in discovering and defining their core values. The workshop uses videos, personal refection, small group discussion, and large group conversation and consensus to help a congregation define their core values. Request a workshop here.

3. Jesus. Mission. Connection—Amid the turmoil, it is still about Jesus. “Our core values continue to be Jesus, mission, connection. We understand that the connection will look different going forward, but we pray that this value will remain,” said Dakotas Cabinet members.