This pamphlet gathers together the most frequently. The book of discipline provides in paragraphs 229 and 2549 that upon the discontinuance of a local church, the district superintendent shall select another um. The discipline as the instrument for setting forth the laws, plan, polity, and process by which united methodists govern themselves remains constant. After the first sentence, add such elections shall include open nominations from the floor by the annual conference, and delegates shall be elected by a minimum of a simple majority of the ballots cast. All titles in trust 2501 titles to properties 2502 use of the name methodist or united methodist 2503 trust clauses and deeds 2504 effect of union 2505 oil, gas, and mineral leases. Judicial council decisions search the united methodist church. Bom retirement information if you are planning to seek any of these status changes at the next annual conference session, the board of ordained ministry reminds you to be mindful of the deadlines stated in the 2016 book of discipline. The book of discipline of the united methodist church 2016 share 258. A process for assessment of local church potentialsince every congregation is. The book of discipline of the united methodist church, part i. The book editor, the secretary of the general conference, the publisher of the united methodist church, and the committee on correlation and editorial revision shall. Withdrawal agreement whereas book of discipline of the united.
All properties of united methodist local churches and other united methodist agencies and institutions are held, in trust, for the benefit of the entire denomination, and ownership and usage of. The united methodist church has a trust clause requirement that dates back to the days of john wesley. The book of discipline of the united methodist church 2012 paragraph 2534 2534. The function of the local church, under the guidance of the holy spirit, is to help people to accept and confess jesus christ as. Paragraph 2 task force report on discontinuation key memorial umc 9232014. Discontinuation and abandonment under 2548 of the 2000 book of discipline are the churchs official processes for closing or removing a local church as a charge. From the book of discipline of the united methodist church2008. The book of discipline 2016 free edition the northwest. The rules of the general conference mention the book editor, the discipline editor or the editors established colleagues. The methodist episcopal church in the united states formally adopted the model deed in 1797. An online version of the book of discipline and the book of resolutions, 2016 are offered on the cokesbury web site for free. Jesus christ to transform lives, communities and the world.
Church closures or discontinuance united methodist church. The new text of each paragraph or subparagraph is printed below. Nashville, may 17 the united methodist publishing house has published an addendum to the 2016 book of discipline containing the changes to the book of discipline resulting from the 2019 special session of the general conference the new text of each paragraph or subparagraph affected is included in the addendum. The trust clause in the church law the united methodist church has a trust. Churches today are at a crossroads in how we fruitfully and effectively share the message and love of jesus christ to transform lives, communities and the world. Finally there are provisions in paragraph 2549 for abandoned.
Discontinuation or abandonment of a local united methodist church in many ways are taskoriented procedures. The book of discipline of the united methodist church 20. The council cannot give specific answers to the three questions other than to say that it has long been the history and tradition of the united methodist church and its predecessor bodies that once local church property is either discontinued or abandoned, the governance, administration, and disposition of such property is to be determined by. Perhaps the united methodist book of discipline should be added to that list. And, it is a book we pull out often when we are preparing for charge conference or putting together the new budget. The book of discipline, in my view, is the policy and direction for the united methodist church. New disaffiliationrelated resolutions added for ac2019.
Paragraph 2 of the 2012 united methodist book of discipline describes a foundational process of discovering a congregations identity and mission field. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the book of discipline of the united methodist church 2008. Bom retirement information missouri conference of the umc. I had never before heard of paragraph 2 in our united methodist book of discipline the book of discipline is a book we study in seminary as we make our way through methodist polity. United methodist churches and other official united methodist bodies may reproduce up to 1,000 words from this publication, provided the following notice appears with the excerpted material. Addendum to the book of discipline of the united methodist church, 2016 the action of the 2019 general conference affected the following portions of the book of discipline. After the first sentence, add such elections shall include open nominations from the floor by the annual conference, and delegates shall be elected by a. It shall also provide for the administration of its organization and temporal life. May 17, 2019 nashville, may 17 the united methodist publishing house has published an addendum to the 2016 book of discipline containing the changes to the book of discipline resulting from the 2019 special session of the general conference.
Resolution 201919l, from the board of trustees, confirms that new disaffiliation guidelines in paragraph 2553 of the book of discipline will temporarily supersede rules approved by the 2015 annual conference resolution 201517 when it accepted terms of the disaffiliation of wesley umc quarryville. Who determines what staff positions are required in the local church. The basic unit in the book of discipline is the paragraph rather than page, chapter, or section. Cabinet resolutions 2017 tennessee annual conference. Role of lay speaker in the missouri conference see. The technical process of discernment and action is outlined in paragraph 2549 in the united methodist book of discipline, but the emotional process is much more complex. Guidelines and policies governing the permanent endowment. Local church property sale, transfer, lease and mortgage checklist 2000 book of discipline requirements1 september 2000 the following checklist has been developed to assist the local church in following the disciplinary provisions when selling, transferring, leasing and mortgaging real property. Addendum to the book of discipline of the united methodist church, 2016.
May 24, 2019 resolution 201919l, from the board of trustees, confirms that new disaffiliation guidelines in paragraph 2553 of the book of discipline will temporarily supersede rules approved by the 2015 annual conference resolution 201517 when it accepted terms of the disaffiliation of wesley umc quarryville. Judicial council decisions search the united methodist. The book of discipline 2012 index by abingdon press issuu. In current church law, the basic principles are set forth in paragraph 2501 of the book of discipline. Umc book of discipline on campus ministry paragraph 634. In trust, that said premises shall be kept, maintained, and disposed of for the benefit of the united methodist church and subject to the usages and the discipline of the united methodist church.
In current church law, the basic principles are set forth in. Book of discipline addendum and errata december 2019. Top 25 ways united methodists dont uphold the book of discipline. Whereas, local church has held a church conference, in compliance with 246. Cokesbury has now made available a free online edition of the book of discipline, 2016 edition, limited to view and search capabilities. The book of discipline of the united methodist church 2016 share 2525. Church closures or discontinuance united methodists of. What does the united methodist churchs book of discipline 2012 say about the employment of nonappointed church staff. Building requirements 2012 book of discipline paragraph 2544 the book of discipline of the united methodist church 2012 outlines the planning and financing requirements for local church building, if the church desires to build, purchase or remodel a church, educational building or parsonage. We frequently receive from pastors, church members, committee members, and employed church staff questions about the employment of nonappointed lay staff in the local church. The book of discipline constitutes the law and doctrine of the united methodist church. The book of discipline of the united methodist church is the product of over. The traditionalist umc shall be a global denomination that will maintain the current stance of the discipline regarding the practice of homosexuality.
The trustees shall be of legal age as determined by law, and at least twothirds shall be professing members of the united methodist church see 258. It follows similar works for its predecessor denominations. It was originally published in 1784, in the methodist episcopal church, and has been published every four years thereafter following the meeting of the general conference, which passes legislation that is included in the book of discipline. The bigger issue for me is the distinction between abandoning a church or discontinuing it. Lay servant training areas include evangelism, stewardship, devotional life, missions, caring ministries, christian education, christian leadership, administration, united methodist heritage, as well as preaching and worship planning. Purposethe church council shall provide for planning and implementing a program of nurture, outreach, witness, and resources in the local church. There shall be elected annually, by the charge conference in each local church, a committee on nominations and leadership development that is composed of professing members of the local church. How book of discipline comes to be united methodist. See book of discipline discontinuation, of local church property, 2549. The book of discipline of the united methodist church 2008 kindle edition by no author. The latest petition governing that paragraph or issue is the action of the general conference, and the committee on correlation and editorial revision will make sure no conflicts remain when the book is printed.
No attempt is made here to interpret these paragraphs or to offer advice related to any specific situation. The paragraphs are numbered consecutively within each chapter or section, but many numbers are skipped between parts, chapters, and sections in order to allow for future enactments and to fit with the following plan. A bishop, clergy member of an annual conference 370, local pastor, 9 clergy on honorable or administrative location, or diaconal minister may be tried when charged subject to the statute of limitations in 2702. The discipline of the united methodist church is the product of over 200 years of the general conferences of the denominations that now form the united methodist church.
Basisbecause 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. Paragraph 2 task force report on discontinuation key. It includes specific duties, responsibilities, and processes for the united methodist church. The basic unit in the book of discipline is the paragraph. What does the united methodist churchs book of discipline. Jan 23, 2014 when is the right time to close a church.
All titles in trust 2501 titles to properties 2502 use of the name methodist or united methodist. Permanent endowment and planned giving ministry committee a charge conference may establish a local church permanent endowment and planned giving ministry committee. The book of discipline of the united methodist church, 2012. Petitions dealing with more than one paragraph in the discipline that do not. According to paragraph 202 of the book of discipline of the united methodist church 2012, the local church is a strategic base from which christians move out to the structures of society. According to paragraph 202 of the book of discipline of the united methodist church 2012. The book of discipline of the united methodist church, 2016 errata 5718 new additions appear in red. The book of discipline of the united methodist church 2008. The new text of each paragraph or subparagraph affected is included in the addendum. Lay servant ministries missouri conference of the umc. The book of discipline 2012, part ii by abingdon press issuu. Part v organization and administration chapter six church property section i. The charge of this committee is to identify, develop, deploy, evaluate.
Index the numbers, unless otherwise indicated, refer to paragraphs and. Discontinuation and abandonment of local church property. It is a book we study when we are preparing for ordination exams. This provision is solely for the benefit of the grantee, and the grantor reserves no. The technical process of discernment and action is outlined in paragraph 2549 in the united methodist book of discipline, but the emotional. At no cost, you may view an online version of the 2016 book of discipline andor book of resolutions 2016. Some ministers and leaders, irrespective at what level that they serve in the organization, are not always aware of what is in the current book of discipline. Our book editor, neil alexander, is also the publishing house president. Another petition would update paragraph 2549 in the book of discipline on the disposition of property of a closed local church. No pastor is a voting member of the board of trustees unless elected as a. Petition paragraph search the united methodist church. Whereas, local church is a united methodist church within the boundaries of annual conference. Since every congregation is located in a community in some type of transition, every local church is. Remember rural churches, advocates say united methodist news.
Resolution 201919l, from the board of trustees, confirms that new disaffiliation guidelines in paragraph 2553 of the book of discipline will temporarily supersede rules approved by the 2015 annual conference resolution 201517 when it accepted terms of. All properties of united methodist local churches and other united methodist agencies and institutions are held, in trust, for the benefit of the entire denomination, and ownership and usage of church property is subject to the discipline. The exit plan from the methodist church dalton tomich. Withdrawal agreement whereas book of discipline of. The purposes for establishing such a committee include the responsibilities to. The book of discipline of the united methodist church 2012. In order to browse petitions within a particular paragraph of the 1996 book of discipline, select a paragraph from the following list. Basisbecause of the current deep conflict within the united methodist church. The book of discipline 2016 free edition search form cokesbury has now made available a free online edition of the book of discipline, 2016 edition, limited to view and search capabilities. The book of discipline of the united methodist church. Disaffiliation the michigan conference michigan umc. Mar 28, 2014 the united methodist church has a trust clause requirement that dates back to the days of john wesley. Paragraph 2 of the 2012 united methodist book of discipline describes. According to the discipline, the book editor of the united methodist publishing house is the editor of the discipline.
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