Articles about developments of alternatives to the present state of The United Methodist Church: discussions of options, other expressions of the Methodist or Wesleyan Way, new alignments, petitions and resolutions approved in annual conferences, etc.
By Heather Hahn
April 25, 2023 | ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. (UM News)
The Judicial Council released rulings April 25 stemming from last fall’s jurisdictional conferences, including one dealing with a resolution on LGBTQ inclusion adopted by all five jurisdictions.
Read more: Judicil Council Ruling on LGBTQ Jurisdictional Conference Resolutions
Jeremy Smith, editor of the Hacking Christianity blog, covers some significant history of the past 9 years in the UMC. He points out that he predicted the course the UMC might take way back after the 2012 General Conference. I remember that disappointing conference--and the even worse 2016 and 2019. But he shows the emergence of a "starfish-like" movement in the UMC which has led to where we are now. Read on and be inspired to focus on the emerging new United Methodist Church, based on the metaphor of the "operating system" of the UMC:
On the Success of Methodism 2.0
Nine years ago in one of the most-commented articles ever, this blog articulated “Methodism 2.0” which predicted what would lead to transformation in The United Methodist Church. ...
by Heather Hahn, March 10, 2023, UMNews
The United Methodist Church’s top court released three decisions on March 10 that deal with resolutions related to the status of LGBTQ people in the church.
In another ruling, the Judicial Council reiterated its previous determination that annual conferences, the denomination’s regional bodies, do not have the authority to unilaterally withdraw from The United Methodist Church.
The nine-member Judicial Council released its rulings as the denomination is undergoing a slow-motion separation after decades of intensifying debate related to LGBTQ inclusion.
The five jurisdictional conferences in the US United Methodist church have held elections of bishops and introduced significant resolutions, all of which point to the kind of future the United Methodist Church in the USA is building. Two sources give their takes on what that future might look like.
UM-Insight has this story: Grassroots Resolutions Point Toward UMC's Future, an exclusive by Cynthia B. Astle, November 10, 2022
Months of conversations among jurisdictional conference delegates resulted Nov. 2-4 in a historic event when all five U.S. regions approved three resolutions that repudiate The United Methodist Church's past and point the way toward a more inclusive future.
While the resolutions aren't binding on jurisdictions or annual conferences, their topics and the strong majorities by which most were approved signify that a clear shift has taken place, say United Methodist leaders. Furthermore, conference delegates foresee that the process by which they worked across jurisdictional lines portends more grassroots activism ahead of the 2024 General Conference, the UMC's worldwide legislative assembly now slated to take place April 23-May 4, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. More...
The United Methodist News Service story has another good summary of the actions of the jurisdictional conferences. Here are highlights:
Jurisdictions see shift in bishops, more cooperation
By Heather Hahn, Sam Hodges and the Rev. Tom Kim
Nov. 7, 2022 | UM News
Read more: Jurisdictional Conferences Point Towards New Future
- Ecclesiastical DIsobedience Isn't New
- Taking stock after a season of disaffiliations
- Injustice Continues in the UMC During Splintering
- Summary: Is the UMC Really...?
- Bishops push back against recruitment tactics
- Communicators Share Information to Counteract Lies About the UMC
- African Bishops Repudiate WCA, Africa Initiative
- 'UMsConnected' Offers a Way Station on the Journey toward a New UMC
- Where Do We Go From Here?
- The "Protocol" Dies
- Developments in Annual Conferences
- Highlights from David Scott's Blog
- Ruling opens door for bishop elections in 2022
- Judicial Council: Annual Conferences Can't Leave -- Yet
- UMC Update May, 2022
- General Conference Postponed a Third Time!
- Update, January 2022
- Catching Up With The UMC -- and Me
- Neocolonial Manipulations by Good News and WCA Are Resurfacing
- Delegates discuss mapping new church vision
- Wrestling with budget after GC2020 postponed
- Looking at financial impact of GC2020 plans
- New Website and Educational Materials Introduce the Revised Social Principles
- New Era Begins with Resistance, Warnings
- Greater New Jersey Creates New "Discipline"
- Church Future Under Negotiation Before GC2020
- Central Conferences Speak Up Against Dissolution of UMC
- Background and Update on UMC Debate
- Separation Outlook: It's All in the Details
- The WCA: How Did We Get Here?
- Western Jurisdiction's "Fresh" Summit Envisions Inclusive Church
- WCA looks toward new, traditionalist church
- WJ Bishops Promise Safe Harbor, Invite Others To Do Likewise
- Bishop Carter Suggests Moratorium on Trials
- Bishop Carter reflects on journey to GC2020
- Greater New Jersey Conference Chooses a Way Forward
- An Inspiring and Courageous Episcopal Address
- The Filipino UMC Link Between Revival, Unity, and Mission
- A Filipino Experience With Schism
- BIshop Announces "Guiding Coalition" For Future
- Background: Breaking up would be hard to do
- We're Not in Kansas Anymore
- Will Filipinos Resolve the UMC's Three-Way Standoff?
- Leadership Gathering Holds Conversations on UMC Future
- COR Leadership Institute Focuses on Future of UMC
- 'Reform & Renewal' Forces Acknowledge 20 Percent Delegate Drop
- Black Leaders Meet to Discuss Future of United Methodist Church
- The Current Three-Way Standoff in the UMC