Bishop’s Conversation on A Way Forward

History -46 years of Debate around homosexuality. -Creation of the Commission on a Way Forward. -Work of the Commission. -Presentation of Final Report. -2019 Special Session of General Conference.

2019 Special Session of General Conference -General Conference is the legislative body of The United Methodist Church. -normally meets every 4 years. -composed of 864 delegates elected by annual conferences from all over the world. 40% of delegates are from outside the United States.

2019 Special Session of General Conference -charged with making decisions for the entire Church that result in our Book of Discipline. Clergy make a sacred promise to follow it and bishops are charged with enforcing it. -UNY has 12 delegates – 6 clergy and 6 laity.

2019 Special Session of General Conference -This body will discuss, debate and vote on the report from the Commission on a Way Forward. -Bishops do not participate in debate or vote. They preside.

Commission on a Way Forward -32 members nominated by the Council of Bishops from around the world. -1/3 laity; 1/3 clergy & 1/3 bishops. -diverse in gender and race.

Commission on a Way Forward Vision - The Commission will design a way for being church that maximizes the presence of a United Methodist witness in as many places in the world as possible, that allows for as much contextual differentiation as possible, and that balances an approach to different theological understandings of human sexuality with a desire for as much unity as possible.

Final Report -Originally to come from Council of Bishops, including all plans with a recommendation of the One Church plan by 61% of active bishops. -Judicial Council Ruling resulted in report coming from the Commission on a Way Forward with no recommendation of a plan.

Three Plans The One Church Model The Connectional Conference Model The Traditionalist Model

The One Church Plan The One Church Plan provides a form of unity that gives conferences, churches, and pastors the flexibility to uniquely reach their missional context without disbanding the connectional nature of The United Methodist Church.

The One Church Plan - Defines marriage as being between two adults - Removes language from BOD that states: “The United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and considers this practice incompatible with Christian teaching”.

The One Church Plan Clergy will have the freedom to decide whether or not they perform same-gender marriages. Local churches will have the freedom to decide whether or not to allow same-gender marriages in their churches. (Majority vote of Church Conference).

The One Church Plan Annual Conferences will have the freedom to decide whether or not to ordain practicing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and queer persons. (Majority vote of Clergy session – once every 30 months unless consent of bishop allows for sooner).

The One Church Plan Bishops will have the freedom to decide whether or not they ordain practicing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and queer persons. The Jurisdictional College of Bishops shall provide for the ordination, commissioning, and licensing of all persons recommended by the Board of Ordained Ministry and the clergy session of the annual conference.

The One Church Plan All clergy with security of appointment shall continue under appointment by the bishop of the annual conference.

The One Church Plan Clergy who cannot in good conscience continue to serve in a conference based upon that conference’s standards for ordination regarding practicing homosexuals, may seek to transfer under ¶ 347, and shall be supported and assisted in that process.

The One Church Plan Clergy who cannot in good conscience continue to serve a particular church based on unresolved disagreements over same-sex marriage as communicated by the pastor and Staff-Parish Relations Committee to the district superintendent, shall be reassigned.

The One Church Plan Churches leaving the denomination must contribute an amount of money equal to its share of the Conference’s unfunded pension liability.

The One Church Plan Amends The Clergy Retirement Security so active clergy who leave the denomination are removed from the defined benefit and annuity risk pools for their former annual conference and the Church, and are provided an actuarially equivalent account balance benefit.

The One Church Plan Central Conferences will have the freedom to adapt the Book of Discipline to their context.

The Connectional Conference Plan The Connectional Conference Plan reflects a unified core that includes shared name, logo, doctrine and services. creates three values-based connectional conferences that have distinctive definitions of accountability, contextualization and justice.

The Connectional Conference Plan Allows various parts of the UMC to follow their understandings of human sexuality without breaking unity completely by forming three Connectional Conferences: Traditional, Unity and Progressive.

The Connectional Conference Plan Five U.S. jurisdictions are replaced by three connectional conferences, each covering the whole country, based on theology including perspectives on LGBTQ ministry (i.e. progressive, unity, and traditional).

The Connectional Conference Plan A redefined Council of Bishops focuses on ecumenical relationships and shared learning. Episcopal oversight, accountability, elections, assignments and funding occur within the College of Bishops of each connectional conference.

The Connectional Conference Plan Cross-connectional conference cooperation, relationships, and partnerships in mission and ministry continue as they do now, at the initiative of the entities involved. All connectional conferences would continue to support mission work and sustain ministry in the areas outside the U.S.

The Connectional Conference Plan Each connectional conference would create its own Book of Discipline, which would begin with The General Book of Discipline, including Articles of Religion, Confessions of Faith, the General Rules and other items that are commonly agreed upon by United Methodists.

The Connectional Conference Plan Each connectional conference has the authority to adapt those items not included in The General Book of Discipline. Each connectional conference elects and (in the U.S.) pays for its own bishops. Bishops outside the U.S. would continue to be supported by all U.S. annual conferences.

The Connectional Conference Plan Each connectional conference has its own policies regarding LGBTQ weddings and ordination. Each connectional conference sets its own standards for ministerial credentialing and list of approved schools/seminaries.

The Connectional Conference Plan Jurisdictional conferences would have the first level vote regarding connectional conference affiliation. Annual conferences that disagree with the decision of their jurisdiction may decide to affiliate with a different connectional conference. No local church is required to take a vote unless it decides to join a different connectional conference than its annual conference.

The Connectional Conference Plan All active and retired bishops will choose which Connectional Conference to affiliate with. All active and retired clergy will follow their annual conference unless they opt to transfer to a different Connectional Conference.

The Connectional Conference Plan Some bishops and clergy may make themselves available to serve in more than one connectional conference. In order to serve in a connectional conference, a clergy person will need to agree to meet the qualifications of the connectional conference and maintain the standards of conduct as set forth by the connectional conference they are serving.

The Connectional Conference Plan Central Conferences may either join one of the three Connectional Conferences formed by jurisdictions or form its own Connectional Conference. Wespath could continue to provide pension services to all connectional conferences.

The Connectional Conference Plan Property owned by Annual Conferences follows the AnnualConference into its connectional conference. Jurisdictional properties follow the jurisdiction into its connectional conference.

The Connectional Conference Plan Requires Constitutional Amendments

The Traditionalist Plan Maintains current language in BOD that states: “The United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and considers this practice incompatible with Christian teaching”. Maintains definition of marriage as between a man and a woman.

The Traditionalist Plan Maintains the stance that self-avowed practicing homosexuals are not to be certified as candidates, ordained as minister or appointed to serve in The United Methodist Church.

The Traditionalist Plan Broadens the definition of self-avowed practicing homosexual to include persons living in a same-sex marriage or civil union or persons who publicly state that they are practicing homosexuals.

The Traditionalist Plan Allows annual conferences or any group of 50 congregations to form a self-governing church if they are in “irreconcilable conflict for reasons of conscience with the doctrine or moral teachings and requirements of The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church on the issues of human sexuality.

The Traditionalist Plan Require bishops (active and retired) to certify that they will uphold, enforce, and maintain the Discipline's standards on LGBTQ marriage and ordination. Require every annual conference to certify that they will uphold, enforce, and maintain the Discipline's standards on LGBTQ marriage and ordination.

The Traditionalist Plan Annual conferences that did not so certify would be encouraged to form something similar to an “autonomous, affiliated, or concordat church.” As of 2021, annual conferences who could not so certify could no longer use the United Methodist name and logo, and they could no longer receive any funds from The United Methodist Church.

The Traditionalist Plan Local churches that disagreed with their annual conference's decision to enforce the Discipline's standards could vote to withdraw from the UMC and unite with the “autonomous, affiliated, or concordat church.”

The Traditionalist Plan Local churches that disagreed with their annual conference's decision to not enforce the Discipline's standards could vote to remain with the UMC. Clergy who could not maintain the Discipline's standards on LGBTQ marriage and ordination would be encouraged to join the “autonomous, affiliated, or concordat church.”

The Traditionalist Plan Bishops are prohibited from consecrating bishops and commissioning or ordaining individuals who are self- avowed homosexuals. Requires members of Boards of Ordained Ministry to certify that they will uphold provisions of the Book of Discipline regarding homosexuality.

The Traditionalist Plan Sets minimum penalties for performing same-gender marriages. Creates additional accountability measures for Council of Bishops.

The Traditionalist Plan Clarifies that churches leaving the denomination must contribute an amount of money equal to its share of the Conference’s unfunded pension liability.

The Traditionalist Plan Clarifies that churches leaving the denomination must contribute an amount of money equal to its share of the Conference’s unfunded pension liability.

A MOVEMENT to spread scriptural holiness across the land. The MISSION A MOVEMENT to spread scriptural holiness across the land.

The MISSION Mission – “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world” Vision – “living the Gospel of Jesus Christ and being God’s love with our neighbors in all places

Purpose of Conference: Equipping transformational leaders and vital faith communities to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Primary Task: Increasing the capacity of Christ-following leaders.

The TASK “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” -Matthew 28.19-20

The PROMISE “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and even to the remotest part of the earth.” - Acts 1.8

The RESULT “ . . . And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.” -Acts 2.47

A Time of Prayer Pray for the Congregations of UNY that they would continue to increase their passion for the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

A Time of Prayer Pray for the Leaders, both clergy and lay that they would fall deeper in love with God and boldly use their gifts for ministry and mission.

A Time of Prayer Pray for God’s direction regarding the future of The United Methodist Church.

A Time of Prayer Pray for the Delegates of the 2019 General Conference that they would seek God’s wisdom and choose God’s will for the United Methodist Church.

A Time of Prayer Prayer and laying on of hands for the UNY Delegates to the 2019 General Conference