Articles about developments of alternatives for the future 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.
August 19th, 2019
By Richard B. Wilke
The author of United Methodism’s most popular long-term Bible study [Disciple Bible Study] has issued a plea to the church “to heal and not divide” over the issue of homosexuality.
Bishop Richard Wilke, who wrote the four-part Disciple Bible Study series, offers his impassioned appeal in a video released Monday.
View the 16-minute plea here.
For Immediate Release
August 19, 2019
HERNDON, VA: A group of theologically diverse United Methodists met at Floris United Methodist Church in Virginia on Friday and Saturday to continue seeking a way to resolve the impasse on the ordination of LGBTQ members and the blessing of same-gender marriages in the denomination.
Read more: Diverse group of United Methodists explores separation
By Heather Hahn
Aug. 12, 2019 | LEXINGTON, Ky. (Original at UM News)
Organizers have called off, for now, plans to hold The United Methodist Church’s first General Conference outside the United States.
Behind closed doors, the Commission on General Conference decided to cancel heading to Manila, Philippines, for the 2024 gathering of the denomination’s top lawmaking assembly.
“The decision was based solely on the lack of availability,” said the Rev. Gary George, the commission’s secretary, in reporting the group’s decision.
“Financial implications and the current climate in the church were not factors in the decision,” he added.
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 23, 2019
Chicago, IL—The Connectional Table approved sending legislation to General Conference 2020 that will create a new structure for churches in the United States, called a regional conference, during an online meeting July 18, 2019.
The proposed legislation stipulates that the U.S. Regional Conference will have geographic boundaries congruent with the territory of the U.S. annual conferences. Jurisdictions will continue to function with their current powers and duties, including their process to elect bishops.
Read more: Connectional Table Approves Legislation Creating New U.S. Structure
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- Scholars gather to champion LGBTQ inclusion
- Petition Process Open for 2020 General Conference
- Judicial Council Docket - October, 2019
- Church leaders look at options for future of denomination
- Apportionment collection rates down after GC2019
- Conferences Mull Denomination's Future
- What does it mean to Dissolve The United Methodist Church?
- Where The Money (Doesn't) Come From
- Bishops Release Rulings of Law on Ordinations, Finances
- Two Bishops Offer Plan for UMC Future
- Arbitration: A Possible Help in the Coming Separation
- UMC Bishops pose five questions to Judicial Council on Traditional Plan
- A Letter to Centrists
- General Conference is Broken; Annual Conferences Are Not
- US elections see shift in GC2020 delegates
- 76% of US Annual Conferences Reject Traditional Plan
- How To Restructure The UMC
- "Where Do We Go From Here?"
- June 20 Marks Four Significant Elections
- Inclusive Methodists secure Jurisdictional Conference majorities
- Recommended candidates offer open letter to leaders and colleagues
- A Texas-Size Wakeup Call for WCA
- "Know When To Hold 'Em, Know When to Fold 'Em..."
- Mountain Sky Conference Report
- An Open Letter to the WCA
- How The West Can Help the Rest
- Annual Conference 2019 Petition Results
- A Primer on UM Apportionments
- UMC-Next: Reports and Docs
- Methodist Movement New England
- Loved and Liberated: Our Movement Forward Proclamation
- Summit Plans Inclusive Methodist Movement
- Creating a Future with Hope
- How will denominational divide affect mission?
- Petitions to the 2019 Annual Conferences
- Bishops Meet, Plan, and Ask Judicial Council For Ruling
- Journalist Cynthia Astle on Secret Meetings
- 'Does The UMC Have A Future?' Christy Thomas says No
- What's Next? Hamilton and Coyner
- Stith: GC 2019: Myths and Realities
- UMNS: Centrists, progressives to discuss church's future
- Options for the Future
- An Open Letter to Adam Hamilton
- What To Do About Apportionments?
- How did the U.S. get to LGBTQ acceptance?
- Diana Butler Bass on Methodism
- Five Reasons for a U.S. Church