It's that time again. Next week the Alabama West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church will meet on the Campus of Alabama State University. It will be a unique and different meeting for a number of reasons:
1. This will be the first time the Annual Conference has met at a non-church location since I have been in this conference (since 1994). The location was chosen because Frazer United Methodist Church has chosen to disaffiliate from the Alabama West Florida Conference, a choice that will be ratified sometime during Annual Conference deliberations.
2. This meeting will be contentious and filled with difficult decisions. Several congregations have elected to disaffiliate from the Alabama West Florida Conference. There are many congregations that are in the process of discerning their long-term affiliation with the United Methodist Church. Resolutions and debate will fill the halls of the meetings this year.
Many of you are seeing reports about a mass-exodus of congregations from the United Methodist Church in other Annual Conferences of the United Methodist Church. Maybe you are wondering what the fuss is all about? If you read the news you will hear that the disaffiliations are all about the churches policies and practices regarding LGBTQ issues. While LGBTQ is one issue, I believe it is far from the primary reason for congregations choosing to leave the United Methodist fold. While you will hear many opinions about this issue, here are the problems as I see them and as I have reported them to you in at least three meetings on this subject.
1. This year, for the 3rd time, the General Conference (which is the church body authorized to meet and vote on policy issues) was postponed by a committee of the church, in probable violation of the UM Discipline. Issue # 1 is the UM Discipline doesn't matter to the committee structure of the UM Church.
2. The national structure of the UM Church has continually affirmed and even promoted theological positions which are in opposition to the Discipline of the UM Church and Scripture. From the founding of the Methodist Church by John Wesley, what we believe DOES matter. Issue #2 is that the beliefs outlined in the UM Discipline don't matter to the leadership of the UM Church.
3. Churches and Clergy all across the UM Church have been allowed to teach non-Biblical doctrine related to issues like the sufficiency of the cross, the way of salvation (Jesus), the authority of Scripture, the validity of Scripture and the person of Jesus. Though the Articles of Religion of the UM Church are clear on these issues, the Articles of Religion (and Scripture) don't matter enough to some teachers, curriculum writers, bishops and leadership committees of the UM Church (this is issue #3).
4. The United Methodist Church operates under the United Methodist Discipline. That discipline is very traditional, conservative and clear in how LGBTQ issues in our leadership are handled. The language related to LGBTQ in leadership has remained unchanged since the 1970s and (in fact) was affirmed and strengthened by the General Conference of the United Methodist Church in 2019 (the General Conference is the only body that can set policy for the UM Church). Yet, Bishops, Congregations and Clergy have ignored the UM Discipline on these issues. So, the UM Discipline hasn't seemed to matter, although factions in conflict can bring policy changes to the floor at General Conference. Issue #4 is the UM Discipline doesn't matter to some clergy, bishops, congregations and conferences of the UM Church.
5. The committee structure and leadership structure of the UM Church has become filled with people who lobby for political causes, advocate for non-Biblical public policy and promote political ideology. Further, this structure has become expensive and not controlled by the Discipline of the UM Church. This is issue # 5.
6. Though UM Churches have maintained, improved and nurtured their property, the General UM Church holds all church property in trust and does not allow local congregations to own their property. This policy is in direct opposition to trust laws in some states. Most UM Churches believe this policy should be changed. Ownership of property is issue # 6.
While there are many other issues I could identify, I would state that the simple answer to "what is all the fuss about?" is that Jesus said, "Follow Me." He did not say, "follow culture." He did not say, "follow political ideology." He did not say, "follow your heart." He did not say, "follow committees." So, without demeaning any persons, without hurting any of our brothers and sisters, and without resorting to name-calling, demonization and hurtful accusations, what do we do? Marilyn Skipper and I will attend Annual Conference and do our best to represent AUMC, doing no harm, doing all the good we can and staying in live with God (John Wesley's 3 Methodist rules). Please pray for us to represent AUMC, but most of all to represent Jesus. We go to follow Him. Thanks for listening. Randy
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