As discussed in our 3/15 Administrative Council here are selected sites for additional Internet research on the United Methodist Church and its future. Thanks to Jack Helmer for his work to compile this list.

Additional resources

https://www.unitedmethodistbishops.org/newsdetail/bishops-seek-ruling-on-whether-an-annual-conference-can-leave-umc-16387925  

03/08/22 Council of Bishops is requesting a declaratory decision from the Judicial Council on whether an annual conference can separate from the denomination under the provision of the Book of Discipline

https://firebrandmag.com/articles/the-politics-of-postponement-and-the-2020-general-conference

            03/08/22 The politics of postponement

https://juicyecumenism.com/2022/03/04/methodisms-prolonged-split/

            03/04/22 UMC prolonged split ramifications

https://www.westohioumc.org/conference/news/bishop-palmer-breathe-stay-mission-be-not-afraid

            03/03/22 Bishop Palmer: “{separation}will be undertaken with dignity and grace…I desire that none leave…we have journeyed together to bring that desire to be fulfilled with little or no fanfare but always with respect and love.”

https://wesleyancovenant.org/2021/12/20/dear-members-and-friends-of-the-wesleyan-covenant-association/

            03/03/22 Wesleyan Covenant Assn’s Sixth Global Gathering, Indianapolis

https://globalmethodist.org/resources/

            03/03/22 GMC video 1min11sec

https://globalmethodist.org/global-methodist-church-sets-official-launch-date/

            03/03/22 GMC will launch May 1

https://globalmethodist.org/about/#about-leadership-section

03/03/22 Transitional Leadership Council

https://resistharm.com/communications/a-message-to-the-umc-resist-harm/

03/03/22 UMC Resist Harm action movement: “hold in faithful abeyance anti-LGBTQ+ complaints related to the celebration of Christian marriage with LGBTQ couples and those related to the ordination and ministry of LGBTQ+ clergy.”

https://goodnewsmag.org/2022/03/04/on-the-further-postponement-of-general-conference/

            03/03/22 avoidance of UMC to allow disaffiliation

https://www.umnews.org/en/news/general-conference-postponed-until-2024

            03/03/22 alternatives to GC postponement

https://www.unitedmethodistbishops.org/newsdetail/general-conference-cancelled-16384635

            03/03/22 GC Postponed to 2024

https://juicyecumenism.com/2022/03/03/scripture-church-history-united-methodist-split/

            03/03/22 UMC issues leading to split

https://www.resourceumc.org/en/agencies/communications/church-and-conference-resources/people-of-god-campaign-new/beumc-messaging

            03/22 BeUMC Promotion of diversity

https://um-insight.net/in-the-church/umc-future/setting-the-record-straight-on-church-disaffiliations/

            02/10/22 Missouri disaffiliations

https://um-insight.net/in-the-church/umc-future/church-court-clarifies-disaffiliation-rules/

02/09/22 Annual conferences may develop additional procedures and standard terms (https://www.resourceumc.org/en/churchwide/judicial-council/most-recent-decisions)

https://um-insight.net/in-the-church/umc-future/church-disaffiliations-court-cases-mount/

            02/08/22 Disafiliation court cases are building  

https://www.westohioumc.org/conference/news/2022-annual-conference-be-held-virtually

02/04/22 West Ohio Annual Conf to be virtual June 2&3

https://um-insight.net/in-the-church/umc-future/up-to-a-third-of-general-conference-delegates-can-t-get-visa/

            02/04/22 “the outlook for holding General Conference this year does not look good”

https://um-insight.net/in-the-church/umc-future/ballistic-methodism/

            02/02/22 Progressive UMC

https://www.umnews.org/en/news/debate-about-church-future-heats-up

            01/26/22 Debates

https://juicyecumenism.com/2022/01/24/2021-north-central-jurisdictional-conference/

            01/25/22 10 Takeaways from the North Central Jurisdictional Conference

https://www.umnews.org/en/news/bishops-others-denounce-wcas-vaccine-plan

01/18/22 Bishops renounce WCA proposal to help foreign delagates attend 2021General Conference

https://juicyecumenism.com/2022/01/18/cindy-mcclendon-how-did-united-methodists-get-to-this-place/

            01/18/22 History of UMC progressivism since 1972 ® 50 years

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X03gY7HPr7Q&t=5357s

01/04/22 Rick Warren, Finishing Well, Church Leadership

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQ1VMY20T20 Rod Martin, Keith Boyette

01/06/22 UMC So Baptist Developments

https://um-insight.net/in-the-church/umc-future/schism-in-united-methodism-is-the-ground-level-for-open-deba/

01/22 Disaffiliation depends on the Bishop, some of whom are taking negative intimidating action on outspoken members/clergy re: keeping one UMC and preventing split rather than separation

https://juicyecumenism.com/2021/12/21/no-more-asbury-grads-in-post-separation-umc-psumc/

12/21/21Pastor Bryan Bucher of the West Ohio Conference, Westwood UMC, Cincy

‘Centrist’ Leader: No More Asbury Grads in Post-Separation UMC (psUMC)!

https://www.umnews.org/en/news/church-exits-covid-lead-to-steep-budget-cuts

            12/03/22 Recommended budget cut by 1/3 beginning 2023 to 407M, disaffiliations will accelerate cuts

http://www.ncjumc.org/ncj-202/1-summary/ see tabs on Bishop Bard’s Ruling of Law, Delegates commitment to LGBTQIA+, Covenant and Grace Letter, etc.

12/01/2021 hold off action re LGBTQIA+

https://www.umnews.org/en/news/judicial-council-to-review-church-exit-rules

            11/22/21 Deciding exit rules

https://www.umc.org/en/content/bishops-agree-on-narrative-for-the-continuing-umc

11/08/21 On November 4, the Council of Bishops overwhelming approved A Narrative for the Continuing United Methodist Church. the North Central Jurisdiction voted to affirm the document.

JH: “Correct in essence but insult in reality.” (Russian proverb)

https://www.westohioumc.org/conference/news/narrative-continuing-united-methodist-church

            11/04/21 West Ohio Conference Bishop Palmer: I commend the following for your prayerful reflection and earnest conversation.

https://www.unitedmethodistbishops.org/files/websites/www/a+narrative+for+the+continuing+united+methodist+church...._.pdf

            11/04/21 A Narrative for the Continuing the UMC

https://www.acalltograce.com/

            11/11/21 NCJ Delegates statement to be inclusive and allow differences to disaffiliate in grace

https://www.acalltograce.com/ hold off action re LGBTQIA+, pursue Protocol

11/02/21 GC expected to be ‘delayed by Covid’

https://religionnews.com/2021/11/22/united-methodist-meeting-to-consider-split-is-still-on-for-now/

11/21 Gen Conf keeps postponing the vote

https://juicyecumenism.com/2021/12/21/no-more-asbury-grads-in-post-separation-umc-psumc/

https://juicyecumenism.com/2021/11/01/adam-hamilton-on-methodist-future/

http://eastcobbnews.com/mt-bethel-church-allowed-to-retain-methodist-leader-in-lawsuit/ 2021/11/15

http://eastcobbnews.com/mt-bethel-umc-asks-for-disaffiliation-vote-in-counterclaim/ 2021/10/08

https://juicyecumenism.com/2021/07/14/methodist-bully-bishop-escalates-north-georgia-crisis-for-love/

https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2021/july/umc-leave-church-methodist-split-lgbt-conference-protocol.html          +++

07/2021, 89 disaffiliations (31,000+ UMC churches & 54 Conferences in the US) in 2020 thru June 21 under varying financial conditions set by the leadership in the involved Conferences.

https://www.umnews.org/en/news/exiting-congregations-face-hefty-price-tag

            06/13/19 Exit costs, old but notes financial considerations

https://www.westohioumc.org/conference/2021-recommendations-update

06/07/21 Recommendation tabled: consider requests for ordination and conference membership without prejudice toward a candidate’s sexual ordination or gender identity

https://www.resourceumc.org/en/churchwide/judicial-council/judicial-council-decision-home/judicial-decisions/in-re-petition-for-declaratory-decision-from-the-council-of-bishops-re4

            04/25/19 ¶ 2553. Disaffiliation of a Local Church Over Issues Related to Human Sexuality—

https://www.umnews.org/en/news/churches-across-theological-spectrum-exiting

            04/19/2021 Exits

https://wesleyancovenant.org/2021/04/15/departing-the-united-methodist-church/

04/16/2021 WCA Keith Boyette Exiting UMC

https://www.resourceumc.org/en/churchwide/judicial-council/judicial-council-decision-home/judicial-decisions/memorandum-1407

04/16 2021, UMC Judicial Council, Memorandum Number 1407 Petition for Declaratory Decision from the Council of Bishops Concerning the Constitutionality of Proposed Legislation Implementing the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace Through Separation

Without a General Conference meeting with discussion, motions, amendment and votes, the “Protocol” becomes a nonissue. Other Decisions/Memorandums about the same time are also interesting but show little promise for Protocol progress.

https://juicyecumenism.com/2021/01/21/why-united-methodist-church-splitting/

01/21/21 Lack of enforcing BoD discipline (esp. sexuality/marriage vs. Biblical teaching)

https://www.umnews.org/en/news/ohio-pastor-charged-with-disobedience

10/17/17 Rev. David W. Meredith, Cincinnati, same sex marriage, charged, listed 1/19/22 West OH Conference website, still pastor

GMC Transitional Book of Doctrine and Discipline 10/2021 (103 pages)

https://globalmethodist.org/what-we-believe/

UMC Book of Discipline 2016 (998 pages) & UMC Book of Resolutions 2016 (873 pages)

https://www.cokesbury.com/book-of-discipline-book-of-resolutions-free-versions