Information and Resources
TAC and UMC Disaffiliation
2022


Information on Disaffiliation within the UMC:

From Rev. Stan Copeland, the “Picklin Parson”, Lovers Lane UMC in Dallas, TX
  1. From The Flame, Disaffiliation by a Simple Majority Vote Heightens Divisiveness  click here  
  2. From-the-Flame, A Rationale that Doesn't Seem to Be Reasonable  click here
 
From Rev. Dr. John Stephens, Chapelwood UMC in Houston, TX
  1.  Season 4 - Episode 6: A CONVERSATION WITH BISHOP SCOTT JONES
  2. click here
 
Article from UMC News: 
  1. 8 bishops join in planning new denomination, by Sam Hodges and Heather Hahn, March 12, 2020 | UM News click here
 
Show Your Support for the That We May Be One resolution asking for a 2/3 vote in case of a conference disaffiliation vote
  1. If you would like to show your support for requiring a 2/3 threshold for the crucial decision of the Texas Annual Conference (TAC)'s denominational affiliation, you can add your name  click here
 
Our partner, Reconciling Ministries Network, has a toolkit for you:
  1. Organizers are still updating the Reconciling engagement toolkit to help RUMs be an active and influential part of their churches and communities. Check it out!  click here
                

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What the Heck Is Going On?!
You are invited to an informational panel discussion during the meeting of the Texas Annual Conference.
Hear a theologically diverse panel discuss issues facing The United Methodist Church, & the Texas Annual Conference.

All panelists support staying in the UMC.  Panelists include Rev. Dr. Jim Bankston, moderator; Rev. Nathan Lonsdale Bledsoe; Laura Young, Deaconess; Rev. John Stephens; Rev. Lindsay Kirkpatrick.

Registration is required. There is no charge to attend.
(Click the large Register NOW! below.)

Register NOW!
Reminder:
This year's event is a meeting only, NOT a Meal, and is open to all interested in the future of the UMC. 
When - Monday, May 30, 2022 from 5:15 PM to 6:45 PM CDT
Where - Hilton Americas Hotel, downtown Houston, 1600 Lamar St, Houston, TX 77010

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2022 Texas Annual Conference
DELEGATES may still be NEEDED,
Debunking Misinformation,
Actions YOU Can Take

Thank you for the many ways in which you support LGBTQ+ affirmation within the Texas Annual Conference (TAC) and the United Methodist Church. As we approach 2022 TAC, we are asking you to sign up NOW to be a 2022 TAC District Delegate,  Each District has their own timeline, but please call and get on their list of potential Delegates and then follow up with the District based on their timeline.  Do it ASAP so our voting voice will be represented.  Click Here to get District contact information.

Common Myths and Questions about the state of the Church, as well as important ways you can make a difference are shared below. Please share this information with your church delegates and all those who stand with you to support inclusion. Our voices and our actions make the difference. 

Common Myths
 
  • The Protocol is the answer we’ve been waiting for!  
+ “Reconciliation and Grace through Separation” (The Protocol) is struggling, to say the very least. Several components of the proposal have stirred wide-spread disagreement, and at least one component is thought to be unconstitutional. The Protocol has also lost most of the support it once had from delegates outside the U.S., making it extremely difficult to adopt. While a lot can happen between now and the next General Conference, we don’t consider The Protocol something we can count on.
+ Separation, however, seems inevitable. And Protocol or not, we want the process to be fair and kind. Since the Protocol is not expected to be the answer, Church leaders are studying and working to reach an agreement on existing paragraphs in the Book of Discipline that can provide a path for local churches who wish to exit The UMC. 
 
  • When given the opportunity, the Texas Annual Conference will surely vote to move to the new Global Methodist Church (GMC) as a whole conference. 
+ While some disagree, Book of Discipline scholars do not think leaving as a whole Conference is constitutional. If a vote were to be taken, and the result was for the Conference to leave as a whole, experts don’t believe that vote would stand up to legal scrutiny. It is possible for individual churches to vote to leave, and that seems like an approach that is more fair, and more likely to avoid litigation after the fact. 
+ Even if a conference level vote were deemed legal and appropriate, it is not a foregone conclusion that the Texas Annual Conference would vote to leave The UMC.  
 
  • After traditional churches move to the GMC, the remaining UMC will be inclusive of LGBTQ+ people. 
+ This is a myth. While those most passionately opposed to LGBTQ+ affirmation might choose to leave, many who also oppose will discern that The UMC is still the best fit for them. These will likely be friends who are more comfortable with differing biblical interpretations and theological perspectives. We’ll need to adjust to our new reality and then continue our advocacy toward a just and equitable UMC. 

Common Questions

  • What is the WCA?
+ The Wesleyan Covenant Association is an organization that attracts more traditional United Methodists, most often rooted in their shared belief that “the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching” as stated in the United Methodist Book of Discipline (BOD). They oppose ordination and marriage equality for people who are LGBTQ+. 
 
  • What is the GMC?
+ The Global Methodist Church is the new denomination formed by the WCA.
 
  • Does Bishop Jones plan to move to the GMC?
+ Bishop Jones’ long standing opposition to LGBTQ+ equality in the Church, his participation in the writing of the Traditional Plan, his participation with the WCA, and his leadership in forming the GMC each send strong messages. We do not know his intentions as to moving to the GMC or remaining in The UMC.   
 
  • Why is it important for churches and small groups to affiliate with RMN?
+ To provide community, support, and ministry with and for LGBTQ+ United Methodists in all areas of the Texas Annual Conference (TAC).
+ And, to help shift the false and harmful narrative that the TAC, as a whole, is anti-LGBTQ+. 

How YOU Can Make A Difference!

Help us create additional safe and affirming places for LGBTQ+ United Methodists and shift the false and harmful narrative that the TAC is anti-LGBTQ+. We need inclusive churches and groups to take the next step and be more public with their witness.
 
  • Does your church welcome and affirm LGBTQ+ United Methodists? Has your church considered affiliating with Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN)? Believing out loud matters!  
  • What about your Sunday school class, chancel or bell choir, youth group, UMW Circle, bible study group, or other? If your small group ministry has the potential to affiliate with RMN as a Reconciling Community, please let us know. We can help you take next steps.
  • Can you help RUMTX establish additional Regional Reconciling Communities? Regional groups are not attached to a local church. They are a community of individual Reconciling United Methodists who all attend different churches within a region. We’d love to add one Regional Reconciling Community in each district. 
  • Consider talking to your pastor, Sunday school class, and other groups of which you’re a part. Share with them why it’s important to you that The UMC be a welcoming and affirming place for LGBTQ+ people.
  • Encourage your church leadership to host church-wide conversation about the state of The UMC and the important decisions ahead. Offer to help!
 
For more information about any of these important ways to get involved, contact a RUMTX board member or Laura Young, RMN Organizer. 

RUMTXC@gmail.com
laura@rmnetwork.org