1. TPC Way Forward How does the Methodist Church work?
What is TPC doing so far?
What are the decisions we will have to make?

2. Three Forums How does the Methodist Church work? 8/11
What is TPC doing so far? 9/8
What are the decisions we will have to make? 9/22

3. How does the Methodist Church work?
General Conference
Jurisdictional Conference
Annual Conference
Church and Charge Conference
World Wide
South Central
Jurisdiction
Rio Texas
Conference
Travis Park Church

4. General Conference The global church structure
mirrors the United States government with three branches
judicial
executive
legislative
The legislative branch—the General Conference—meets every four years to set church policy.
Approximately 1,000 delegates (half lay leaders, half clergy) gather to consider revisions to the
Book of Resolutions, which makes pronouncements on social issues
Book of Discipline, which details church law.
Decisions of the General Conference cannot be questioned until they are raised at its next convening.
Feeding into the General Conference are Annual and Jurisdictional Conferences focused on immediate concerns within the denomination’s five U.S. jurisdictions and Central Conferences for outside the U.S.

5. Some Book of Discipline Statements
Same Sex Marriage
Non-Binary Clergy
“Ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions shall not be conducted by our ministers and shall not be conducted in our churches.”
Ref Book of Discipline
"The practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. Therefore self- avowed practicing homosexuals are not to be certified as candidates, ordained as ministers, or appointed to serve in The United Methodist Church."

6. Travis Park Church Response Statement
“The Church Council of Travis Park Church finds the decision by General Conference 2019 to be incompatible with Christian teaching, and denounces the discriminatory policies of the United Methodist Church.” - Travis Park Church Council, March, 2019

7. Immediate Actions by TPC
Approved open statement of dissent
Authorized same-sex marriage in the sanctuary
With-held apportionments to Rio Texas Conference (more on that at 9/8 session)
Authorized re-branding to Travis Park Church
Moved to seek re-affiliation (discussion continued 9/8 and 9/22)

8. Other Actions All Church meetings to share information and concerns
Reaching Out meetings to identify and contact allies
Building Committee to investigate property options (more on 9/8)
Attended Our Movement Forward: Centering POC+Q+T
Active in electing progressive candidates within the UMC structure