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Summary of 2019 General Conference Decisions – modified after Judicial Council Ruling – Salvaged Faith

Summary of 2019 General Conference Decisions – modified after Judicial Council Ruling

Decisions of the 2019 General Conference

Timeline for Implementation in Central Conferences

  • In general, when legislation before a GC is approved, it goes into effect on January 1 of the following year.
  • Central Conferences (outside the U.S.) have additional time because they are allowed to adapt and change the Book of Discipline to fit their context. These groups will not be meeting until after the 2020 General Conference.  This legislation gives them until May of 2021 to implement any of the legislation we approved at this special session.

 

WESPATH Pension Liabilities and CRSP amendment.

  • These two pieces of legislation give guidance for if a local church leaves the UMC or if a clergy person terminates their conference relationship regarding pensions. The local church that leaves has to pay their share of unfunded pension liabilities.
  • An amendment was made that also notes that nothing in this legislation prevents the Annual Conference from collecting other obligations.
  • Clergy that terminate their relationship will have their pension benefits converted to the actuarial equivalent balance, which can continue to be invested in their personal defined contribution account through Wespath.

 

Traditional Plan

  • The eight petitions that will be implemented as of January 1, 2020 are:
    • 90032 #1 Update of the footnote that describes what a “self-avowed practicing homosexual” is according to recent Judicial Council decisions. This does not essentially change our Book of Discipline, rather notes current rulings.
    • 90036 #5 Expands episcopal responsibilities by adding that Bishops are prohibited from consecrating, commissioning, or ordaining people who are self-avowed homosexuals. (NOTE: Everywhere else in our Book of Discipline we use the word “practicing.”  This word was inadvertently left off of this piece of legislation, but it was never amended by the body.  This means that if someone is openly gay or lesbian, even if they are celibate, they cannot be consecrated/commissioned/ordained.)
    • 90042 #11 Mandatory Minimum Penalties for clergy who have been convicted of conducting same-sex weddings or celebrations of homosexual unions: First offense – one year suspension without pay. Second offense – termination of conference membership and revocation of credentials.  (Note: this is the ONLY mandatory penalty we have in the Book of Discipline)
    • 90043 #12 The District Committee on Ordained Ministry and Board of Ordained Ministry cannot approve/recommend for candidacy, licensing, commissioning or ordination, someone who does not meet the qualifications for ordained ministry (which include being a self-avowed practicing homosexual). The bishop shall rule unqualified candidates out of order.
    • 90044 #13 When a complaint/charge is brought to the Bishop regarding a violation, the Bishop has discretion about how to proceed. Now, the Bishop cannot dismiss the complaint, unless it has no basis in law or fact.
    • 90045 #14 One of the results of a complaint/charge is a Just Resolution. Now, Just Resolutions have to name all identified harms and how they will be addressed. The unconstitutional part is that it has to also include a commitment not to repeat the violation.  This line is removed and the rest remains.  
    • 90046 #15 One of the results of a complaint/charge is a Just Resolution. This changes the process so that the complainant has to be part of the process and has to agree with the resolution.
    • 90047 #16 One of the results of a complaint/charge is a church trial. Previously, the Church could not appeal those decisions.  This legislation allows the Church to appeal to the committee on appeals or to the Judicial Council.

 

Disaffiliation – Taylor/Minority Report Version

  • If a local church wants to disaffiliate over matters of human sexuality this is the process that can be used from Feb 27, 2019– Dec 31, 2023. It requires a 2/3 majority vote of professing members present at the church conference.  Terms will be negotiated with conference Board of Trustees w/ advice of cabinet, and other conference officers. Standard terms will include: being able to leave with property with the exiting church paying for legal/transfer fees, any unpaid apportionments from the previous 12 months plus an additional 12 months of apportionments, its share of unfunded pension liabilities, and payment or assumption of all debts/loans/liabilities prior to departure.  The annual conference has to approve such an exit by a simple majority.

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13 Comments

  • Bill Fredrick

    April 26, 2019 at 3:50 pm Reply

    So basically our church could leave UMC and retain their property rights!

    • Jackie

      April 27, 2019 at 4:05 pm Reply

      Bill, I read it that only progressives can leave. Traditionalists don’t disagree so don’t have a reason to leave. The reason for leaving is “disaffiliate over matters of human sexuality”.

      • salvagedfaith

        April 29, 2019 at 11:22 am

        The text of that area actually reads:
        “Because of the current deep conflict within The United Methodist Church around issues of human sexuality, a local church shall have a limited right, under the provisions of this paragraph, to disaffiliate from the denomination for reasons of conscience regarding a change in the requirements and provisions of the Book of Discipline related to the practice of homosexuality or the ordination or marriage of self-avowed practicing homosexuals as resolved and adapted by the 2019 General Conference, or the actions or inactions of its annual conference related to these issues which follow.”

        I read this as meaning that a traditionalist church in say, the Western Jurisdiction, could also choose to leave based on reasons of conscience with the action or inaction of their annual conference on these issues.

  • John.

    April 26, 2019 at 4:06 pm Reply

    If… you can pay apportionments in arrears and next Years apportionments. And you can negotiate terms with the conference trustees. And if the annual conference session approves. That’s a lot of ifs.

  • […] homosexual). The bishop shall rule unqualified candidates out of order,” Dawson wrote in a blog post after the General […]

  • Bob McGrath

    April 26, 2019 at 10:19 pm Reply

    I’m curious what the Western Jurisdiction will do in response. These rulings sound more draconian than what was first discussed and makes me wonder whether departure to form a more inclusive church makes sense. If the Western Jurisdiction moved ahead with an alternative affiliation that may be worth considering.

  • Molly Shivers

    April 27, 2019 at 10:25 am Reply

    I appreciate this summary. However, there is a mistake in it’s summary of the Disaffiliation legislation. Disaffiliation must be passed by a 2/3 majority of a CHURCH conference, not a charge conference. This difference is important.

    • salvagedfaith

      April 29, 2019 at 11:19 am Reply

      thanks for the note. I’m fixing that error!

  • Paul

    April 28, 2019 at 5:41 am Reply

    It really pains me but I think I need a break from UMC. The church I go to has been wonderful locally. Truly wonderful, and because of the people there. It’s really hard to balance the fact that they are my friends and faithful followers with the basic fact: institutionally this church sees people like me as sinful in a worse way than so many others. It sees “us” as something to be prevented from holding certain positions in the body of Christ, and if we are already there, to be cut out/removed. I’ve finally had enough of it!

    • salvagedfaith

      April 29, 2019 at 11:24 am Reply

      Paul, you are a beloved child of God. And my prayers are with you in the midst of this difficult discernment and my heart breaks that the actions of our church have caused you to consider leaving a place of home.

  • Michael K. Turner

    April 30, 2019 at 10:22 am Reply

    This is a really helpful summary, Katie. Thank you.

  • Richard Wendrock

    June 6, 2019 at 6:02 pm Reply

    Can someone help me understand? I thought the whole rule of sexuality must be passed by a 2/3 majority. After the rule was passed by a simple majority, how was it considered legal for those present to vote to not go back and poll the vote again. Does anyone think that those who voted to approve the rule would vote to go back?

    • salvagedfaith

      June 7, 2019 at 9:42 am Reply

      Only constitutional amendments require 2/3 vote. A simple majority was all that was required for this plan.

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