Covenant We will carefully listen to one another. We will be careful not to judge one another. We are not here to change one another’s positions. (Speak to be understood, not to convince) We will ask questions.

Covenant We will speak our truth in love. We will assume trust not suspicion. We will protect the confidentiality of the conversation. Let everyone participate, no one dominate, allow every voice to be heard.

We pledge to God and to each other that we will lead by example in a world where civil discourse seems to have broken down. We pledge to model a better way in how we treat each other.

We commit to create in Matthews United Methodist Church, a safe and sacred space for common prayer and discussion as we come together to discern God’s will for our church.

Three Plans Traditional/Traditionalist Accountability One Church Space Connectional Conference New Structure

The Connectional Conference Plan

The Connectional Conference Plan The plan represents a definition of our connection in a new way to empower disciples for greater mission and ministry. “So then, if anyone is in Christ, that person is part of the new creation. The old things have gone away, and look new things have arrived!” (2 Corinthians 5:17) “Look! I am doing a new thing; now it sprouts up; don’t you recognize it?” (Isaiah 43:19)

The Connectional Conference Plan The foundation of this plan is that new structures and relationships are needed for a new time in our Church. Keeping the old structures in place could result in a fracturing of our Church. “No one sews a piece of new, unshrunk cloth on old clothes because the patch tears away the cloth and makes a worse tear. No one pours new wine into old wineskins. If they did, the wineskin would burst, the wine would spill, and the wineskins would be ruined. Instead, people pour new wine into new wineskins so that both are kept safe.” (Matthew 9:16-17)

Name a structure which when changed, resulted in a positive outcome?

What Connects Us: Our Common Core Jesus is the Vine: We are the Branches The Apostle’s and Nicene Creeds Disciplined Engagement with Scripture Articles of Religion/Confession of Faith Works of Piety, Mercy, and Justice The General Rules Sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist The Wesleyan Hymns Small Group Accountability and Support (Class and Band Meetings) A Connectional Way of Life that includes superintendency, itineracy, and conferencing

The Connectional Conference Plan The plan is grounded in a unified core that includes shared doctrine and services and one Council of Bishops, while also creating different branches.  The five U.S. jurisdictions would be replaced by three connectional conferences, each covering the whole country, based on theology and perspective on LGBTQ+ ministry: A branch that wants to maintain the current Book of Discipline’s language, A branch that favors a more local approach, A branch that wants full inclusion of LGBTQ individuals in all parts of their fellowship.

The Connectional Conference Plan Jurisdictional conferences would decide which connectional conference with which to affiliate. Annual conferences who choose a branch other than the one chosen by their jurisdictional conference would vote to join another conference. Local churches who choose a branch other than the one chosen by their annual conference would vote to join another conference. Central Conferences could choose one of these three branches or become their own branches under this plan. (Up to 5 additional connectional conferences.)

Progressive Connectional Conference Unity Connectional Conference General Conference Progressive Connectional Conference Unity Connectional Conference Traditional Connectional Conference Jurisdiction Jurisdiction Jurisdiction With one General Conference (which gathers for worship, inspiration, and the sharing of best practices), there would be 3 Connectional Conferences in the US: Progressive (full inclusion); Unity (One Church); Tradition (current language) (click) Annual Conference would choose in which conference they want to belong (click – arrows) (click) If a local church did not want to be a part of the Connectional Conference chosen by their annual conference, they could choose to be a part of a different Connectional Conference (click – arrows) (click) Clergy would also chose with which Connectional Conference they would affiliate, (click - arrows) and could actually choose more than one. (click - arrows) Annual Conference   Annual Conference Annual Conference  

General Conference Would have authority over shared doctrine; Would have authority over continuing general agencies: Wespath, Publishing House, GCFA, Archives & History, and parts of GBGM; Venue for connecting the connectional conferences; Worship; Sharing of best practices/learning; Inspiration; The General Book of Discipline: Articles of Religion, Confessions of Faith, the General Rules, and other items that are commonly agreed upon by United Methodists.

Each Connectional Conference: Creates its own Book of Discipline; Elects and (in the U.S.) pays for its own bishops; Has its own structure, agencies, and method of financing its ministry and the shared services; Has its own policies regarding LGBTQ+ weddings and ordination; Sets its own standards for ministerial credentialing; Could have separate judicial courts but there would still be a Judicial Council.

What do you find positive about this plan? What do you find troublesome? What would be the impact of this plan on Matthews UMC?

The Judicial Council meets October 23-26 in Zurich, Switzerland The Council of Bishops has asked the Judicial Council to rule on whether the proposed legislation for the Tradition, One Church, and Connectional Conference plans passes the constitutional test.

The MISSION is yet alive, and we believe….   Despite the uncertainty of our times, God is still calling us to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Our central mission is to join in God’s work in the world. No matter what, we are still invited into the mission of God. We must take faithful steps to live as a worldwide church in mission to the world. No matter the challenges we face, God is still calling The United Methodist Church… To engage in ministry with the poor To improve global health To develop principled Christian leaders To create new and renewed congregations

Each morning, we wake up in a world mired in the sins of violence, racism, war, and more. Children go without food, families lose their homes, young and old struggle with addictions. The world is in need of the saving love of Jesus Christ, and The United Methodist Church has always been an effective witness of Christ’s love. It is vitally important that we continue to be so now. Therefore, today and every day, the mission is yet alive.