Discernment

Members of CUMC,

In recent years there has been growing concern about the future of the United Methodist Church (UMC). Among the reasons for division within its membership, human sexuality and interpretation of Scripture are frequently mentioned.

The Executive Committee of CUMC's Church Council has named a Discernment Team of church members to faithfully study, listen and pray before making a recommendation to the Council regarding the future of our affiliation with the UMC. The team held its first meeting in April and has continued to meet weekly to study, discuss and pray about the future of our church, weighing the pros and cons of disaffiliation. As a church family, let us seek the wisdom of the Holy Spirit and trust in God's guiding hand. Our most important work is to achieve clarity about who we are as a local church and where Christ is leading us. We will follow our mission to “pursue a Christ-centered life in our self-centered world".

We value your prayers, input and participation in this process. For transparency, we have created this webpage of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and resources. Please send questions and/or concerns to . Every church member is invited to join the Discernment Prayer Team, if you would like to be a part of this email us and include the subject line of Prayer Team.

CUMC Discernment Team
Ginger Arledge, Beth Boone, Ashley Chambliss, James Coggin, Kevin Fuller, John Gresham, Beverly Johnston,
Joe Mallard, George Nicols, Stephen Samson, Jon Turner, Sandra Underwood, and Libba Wise.

Do no harm. Do good. Stay in love with God.
-John Wesley

DATES & INFORMATION

All members of the congregation are encouraged and invited to attend theses upcoming opportunities to participate in and learn more about the discernment process. Each session will be held in the Sanctuary, and childcare will be available if needed.

Information Session – Wednesday, August 9th at 6PM

Session Recording
Led by Rev. Brunson, Senior Pastor of Vestavia Hills Methodist Church (Birmingham).
In 2022, Vestavia Hills chose to disaffiliate from the UMC. Rev. Brunson will share the theological reasons behind why they chose to leave the denomination.

Exploration Meeting – Tuesday, August 15th at 6PM

Exploration Meeting Minutes
Exploration Meeting Packet from Conference
Led by Rev. Fred Britton, East-West Jackson District Superintendent, and David Stotts, Mississippi Conference Treasurer.
At this meeting, the conference representatives will lay out the path to disaffiliation, legal requirements, and the cost of disaffiliation as laid out in the Book of Discipline.

Coffee & Conversation – Sunday, August 27th at 9:15AM-12:30PM

Room 222 in the Adult Wing
Members of the Discernment team want to hear from you in an informal setting. Please join us at whatever time fits your Sunday morning schedule. This is a time for you to ask questions in a come & go format.

Information Session – Wednesday, August 30th at 6PM

Session Recording
Led by Rev. John Stephens, Lead Pastor of Chapelwood United Methodist Church (Houston).
In 2022, Chapelwood chose to remain with the United Methodist Church. Rev. Stephens will share the theological reasons they chose to stay with the denomination.

Straw Poll

The straw poll will help the discernment team determine whether the church should take the next step and call for a formal vote on the issue. Members will have the opportunity to cast their vote in person so that membership can be verified.

The dates/times of the straw poll are as follows:
Sunday, September 3 from 8:30am to 12:30pm
Wednesday, September 6 from 2:00pm to 6:00pm
Sunday, September 10 from 8:30am to 12:30pm

Church Council - September 14, 2023

On Thursday, September 14, 2023, the Discernment Team met with the Church Council to present its recommendation. The recommendation was to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church. The justification document for that recommendation is: Decision & Justification Document

The final Church Council vote was 27 in favor to disaffiliate from the UMC and 2 in favor of staying with the UMC. The required certification letter has been sent to the MS Conference and has been acknowledged as received.

The next step of this process will be to have a formal vote for all of the full members of the church. This date will be set by the Mississippi Conference, and we will update the congregation as soon as we know this date. We encourage you to prayerfully consider and continue to inform yourself as the vote approaches.

48hr Prayer Vigil - October 13th at 4pm to October 15, 2023 at 4pm

As we focus on and encourage prayer for our church in the final days of the discernment process, please sign up for our churchwide 48-hour Prayer Vigil in as many time slots as you feel led to.

This intentional covering of our church in prayer will start at 4pm on Friday 10/13 and end at 4pm on Sunday. 10/15 as we are gathering for the final congregational vote.

Beginning Sunday, 10/1- Wednesday, 10/11, Sign-up opportunities are available on the large display board in the Great Hall, not on the church website. Calendar your day and time as a reminder to pause, pray wherever you may be, and rest in the assurance that God’s plans and purposes can be carried out through his people. (Matthew 6:10)

Church Conference - October 15th, 2023 at 4pm

Church Conference Information
Above you will find important information about the Church Conference. We offer this so that members familiarize themselves with the process.

Our District Superintendent, Fred Britton has set our special called Church Conference for Sunday, October 15, 2023. The sole purpose of this meeting will be to discuss and vote upon the Certification of Disaffiliation of the Local Church filed with the Mississippi Conference of the UMC, Inc. Registration will begin at 3pm. When the District Superintendent calls the meeting to order and sets the Bar of the Conference, registration will officially close and no one else will be allowed to register, receive a ballot, or be admitted to the lower level of the sanctuary. All full members of the congregation will be eligible to vote.

Childcare will be provided for ages 11 and under. You must reserve childcare by October 11 at 11:55pm by using THIS FORM.

Please continue to pray for the discernment team, ministers, staff, and church body as we navigate the coming days.

FAQs

Click here if you would like to download a PDF copy of the Frequently Asked Questions.

What is the Discernment Process?

The discernment process is the official process for a church to prayerfully consider it’s future mission and foundational beliefs as it relates to our affiliation with the United Methodist Church as a denomination.

How will our church decide to stay in the UMC or to Disaffiliate?

The process includes the formation of a Discernment Team and making a recommendation to the Church Council.

If disaffiliation is recommended and adopted by the Church Council, a special church conference will take place. At the special church conference, every member present will be allowed to vote. A 2/3 majority vote of those present at the special church conference is required to disaffiliate. After the church-wide vote, action of the Annual Conference is required to finalize disaffiliation.

How is the senior pastor involved in the discernment process?

All 13 members of the Discernment Team are in the laity. The pastor is called upon when needed to provide theological perspective, history, and context to the ongoing issues.

What is the goal of the Discernment Team?

With the postponement of General Conference and many UMC churches disaffiliating around the topic of ordaining and marrying LGBTQ+ persons, our goal is to more fully understand the theological pulse and desires of our church so that we can help the congregation faithfully determine its future (this team does not have decision making power).

What can I do during this time?

Earnestly pray and seek the Lord in what you believe He would have us do. Search the scriptures and meditate on His word to discern what He is saying to you. Please stay informed and read all communications shared. Pray for our church, the Discernment Team, our staff, and others in the UMC. Finally, be gracious to all and be loving in all interactions throughout this discernment period.

Is there a way I can share my thoughts and opinions on the issue with the discernment team?

YES, the Discernment Team welcomes and encourages all comments through our shared email at

Why are churches considering disaffiliation?

A denomination is a religious organization that believes the same theology and adheres to the same doctrine. For the United Methodist Church, our denomination is defined and described in the Book of Discipline. Unfortunately, some clergy, bishops, and denominational leaders disagree with some of the theology and doctrine in our Book of Discipline, and they have acted in direct opposition to portions of our Discipline. In many cases, while there are processes for accountability in the Book of Discipline, the clergy, bishops, and denominational leaders have not been held accountable for breaching the covenant. This has caused the denomination to be un-governable as our theology and doctrine may vary from place to place.

Also, the UMC is facing a numerical and financial crisis that will affect and possibly hinder the future ministry of the church. The UMC continues in a downward decline in membership in the United States. Two years after its formation in 1968, the UMC had 10.7 million U.S. members. It now has 6.3 million, an average loss of about 90,000 annually. These declines also impact the financial stability of the UMC, and this instability will be exacerbated with more traditional churches exiting the UMC. There are estimates that the denominational budget may diminish by as much as 40%+ over the next two years. With a much smaller denominational budget, the UMC will see overhead costs along with the cost of bishops and denominational staff comprise a higher percentage of the budget, significantly reducing the amount which supports missions and ministries. Despite this projected downturn, no plans for restructuring have been announced by the UMC.

There is an additional concern that the pipeline of future pastors with the ability to lead a large church such as ours is diminishing. Having a shortfall of strong leadership within the Conference could put our own pastoral leadership stability at risk.

Additionally, the UMC has been in a long-standing debate over the role of scripture in determining beliefs. Lately, certain issues related to human sexuality have received the most attention. While the conflict involving human sexuality normally dominates any public discussion of the challenges currently facing the UMC, the main source of division is the authority of Scripture.

What does the Book of Discipline teach regarding human sexuality, and has that changed? If not, why are we doing this?

First and primarily, the Book of Discipline teaches that all persons are of sacred worth and value and made in the image of God. It further teaches that we are to love, respect, and care for all persons and that human sexuality teaches us important truths about God, the gospel, and human flourishing, as well as human brokenness. In these truths, the Book of Discipline also states that the church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and that it is incompatible with Christian teaching. This was upheld in the Specially Called General Conference in 2019 and has not changed. The 2019 vote was at 54% to keep that language the same.

What are the reasons that prevent someone from being clergy in our current discipline?

Paragraph 2702 of the Book of Discipline states, “A bishop, clergy member of an annual conference (¶ 370), local pastor, clergy on honorable or administrative location, or diaconal minister may be tried when charged (subject to the statute of limitations in ¶ 2702.4) with one or more of the following offenses: (a) immorality including but not limited to, not being celibate in singleness or not faithful in a heterosexual marriage; (b) practices declared by The United Methodist Church to be incompatible with Christian teachings, including but not limited to: being a self-avowed practicing homosexual; or conducting ceremonies which celebrate homosexual unions; or performing same-sex wedding ceremonies; (c) crime; (d) disobedience to the order and discipline of The United Methodist Church; (e) dissemination of doctrines contrary to the established standards of doctrine of The United Methodist Church; relationships and/or behavior that undermines the ministry of another pastor; (g) child abuse; (h) sexual abuse; (i) sexual misconduct including the use or possession of pornography, (j) harassment, including, but not limited to racial and/or sexual harassment; (k) racial or gender discrimination; or (l) fiscal malfeasance.”

What would it take to make a change to make the Book of Discipline?

The process to change doctrinal statements is highly complicated. A special general conference would have to be called relating to the proposal to change doctrinal statement. The request would be sent out to all general conferences all around the world to be ratified with a percentage of approval required to make that change.

Since the book of discipline has not changed why do the churches that have a traditional view on the issues have to be the ones to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church?

Churches with traditional views are currently in line with the Discipline. At the 2019 special session the Discipline as written was upheld with delegates narrowly voting to adopt what was known as the Traditional Plan. But the debate was hardly settled. Many progressives and centrists immediately vowed to resist and remain in the denomination. Among them there is a sense of right and a sense of advocacy and justice that drives them to stay. They have chosen not to exit the denomination but to stay and push for progressive reform to the Discipline.

Is membership in the United Methodist Church shrinking?

Unfortunately, yes; however, that’s not just a Methodist issue.

“For the first time in 80 years of surveys, Americans’ membership in houses of worship dropped below 50%. A survey by Gallup finds that in 2020 47% of Americans said they belonged to a church, synagogue, or mosque, down from 50% in 2018 and 70% in 1990.”
-thegospelcoalition.org, March 31, 2021

These are disheartening statistics for all houses of worship, not just the UMC.

What are the reasons to stay a part of the United Methodist Church?

Many members are lifelong Methodists and wish to remain committed to the United Methodist Church. These members have strong feelings of God leading CUMC to remain part of the UMC. We believe and recite the Apostles’ Creed and are committed to our mission to live “a Christ centered life in a self-centered world”. All CUMC’s programs are thriving, from preschool to Mountain Toppers.

The UMC has an enormous number of institutions and camps that have long served the needs of the world. The UMC has helped fund hospitals, orphanages, colleges, camps, and seminaries around the world. UMCOR has provided humanitarian relief in times of disaster, often being the last to leave a devastated area.

United Methodists have always had differing interpretations of Scripture. Despite this, we have been able to go to church together and respect each other.

Regarding UMCOR, UMVIM, Global Board of Missions, and other UMC related missions, will these entities continue to operate? What happens to missions?

Those organizations will continue to operate within the United Methodist Church and will be funded by remaining church’s mission shares. There have been several UMC boards and organizations that, over the past eight years or so, have become independent organizations but with continued affiliation and partnership with the UMC.

Will homosexual persons or allies still be welcome at Christ United?

The position will not change that all seeking God’s love are welcome. The book of discipline Social Principles-Paragraph 161-G states: “We affirm that all persons are individuals of sacred worth created in the image of God. All persons need the ministry of the Church in their struggles for human fulfillment, as well as the spiritual and emotional care of a fellowship that enables reconciling relationships with God, with others, and with self. The United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and considers this practice incompatible with Christian teaching. We affirm that God’s grace is available to all. We will seek to live together in Christian community, welcoming, forgiving and loving one another, as Christ has loved and accepted us. We implore families and churches not to reject or condemn lesbian and gay members and friends. We commit ourselves to be in ministry for and with all persons.”

Can you become a member of CUMC if you are openly gay?

¶ 4. Article IV. Inclusiveness of the Church, The United Methodist Church is a part of the church universal, which is one Body in Christ. The United Methodist Church acknowledges that all persons are of sacred worth. All persons without regard to race, color, national origin, status, or economic condition, shall be eligible to attend its worship services, participate in its programs, receive the sacraments, upon baptism be admitted as baptized members, and upon taking vows declaring the Christian faith, become professing members in any local church in the connection. In The United Methodist Church no conference or other organizational unit of the Church shall be structured to exclude any member or any constituent body of the Church because of race, color, national origin, status, or economic condition. 214. Eligibility, The United Methodist Church is a part of the holy catholic (universal) church, as we confess in the Apostles' Creed. In the church, Jesus Christ is proclaimed and professed as Lord and Savior. All people may attend its worship services, participate in its programs, receive the sacraments, and become members in any local church in the connection (¶ 4). In the case of persons whose disabilities prevent them from reciting the vows, their legal guardian[s], themselves members in full covenant relationship with God and the Church, the community of faith, may recite the appropriate vows on their behalf.

Is CUMC’s property owned by the United Methodist Conference? What does it mean to hold property “in trust”?

Our property is held in trust by the conference to be used exclusively for the purposes of and to benefit the United Methodist Church. As long as that church remains United Methodist, the management and ownership of the property belongs to the local congregation’s board of trustees. If the congregation chooses to leave or withdraw from the conference, the property’s trust “lien” causes the property to revert to the Conference’s trustees. There was a time limited trust clause approved at the 2019 General Conference which allows congregations to leave the denomination with their property and assets “for reasons of conscience” related to changes made by the 2019 General Conference regarding homosexuality after meeting certain requirements. The requirements include the following:

1. At least two-thirds of the professing members present at a church conference must vote in favor of disaffiliation.
2. The church must pay 2 full years apportionments and the congregation’s pro rata share of their conference’s unfunded clergy pension liability as determined by the annual conference.
3. After all payments are completed, a majority vote of an annual conference session must affirm the closure of the church as a United Methodist congregation and its disaffiliation from the denomination.

These provisions expire Dec. 31, 2023

Is the UMC going to extend the life of Paragraph 2553 at the next General Conference? Refer to the resources section for Paragraph 2553 of the UMC Book of Discipline

General Conference does not meet until 2024, at which point Paragraph 2553 will not exist, since it set its provisions to expire Dec. 31, 2023. It is not possible to “extend” a paragraph that does not exist. Thus, if anything like Paragraph 2553 is to be approved at the General Conference, it would be new legislation, not an actual extension of then-current legislation.

The General Conference has yet to receive legislation that would have the effect of re-enacting Paragraph 2553 as it currently exists but with a different expiration date. It is possible the General Conference could receive such a proposal. It is also possible for delegates to the General Conference to propose and adopt such itself. Whether either of those two things will happen remains to be seen.

The Mississippi Conference Board of Trustees completed work on a plan for the post sunset clause of Paragraph 2553. This new plan outlines a fair and equitable way for Mississippi churches to depart after the December 31, 2023, cut-off date, beginning January 1, 2024, and continuing to the last day of the 2025 Session of the Mississippi Annual Conference.
https://www.mississippi-umc.org/disaffiliation

What are the differences in the current disaffiliation process and the new process through Paragraph 2549?

Basically, they are the same, but disaffiliation is a General Conference adopted paragraph (2553) that expires December 31, 2023, and it does not require a church to close. The Mississippi Conference Trustees will use Paragraph 2549 to allow churches who are leaving over human sexuality to close so that the trustees can dispose of the property at their sole discretion and the local church gets their property back through meeting the covenants and other votes, etc. or remain in The United Methodist Church.

If a congregation decides to remain United Methodist after General Conference in May 2024, they will not be required to pay the covenant payments to receive their property back. It is only the congregations that enter the Paragraph 2549 process and decide to leave The United Methodist Church that will be required to pay the covenant payments for mission shares and pension liability.

What would be the timeline for disaffiliation for our church if we voted to do so?

The following timeline for the December 9, 2023, called session, is very important. All dates will be followed precisely. Each church should read, understand, and be prepared to follow the due dates. No exceptions will be made for this schedule.

1. Local church lay leadership requests an Exploration Meeting in writing by email or letter to the district superintendent no later than August 1, 2023
2. An Exploration Meeting which was held on August 15 with District Superintendent Fred Britton and David Stotts.
3. The last day to enter the disaffiliation process is within 30 days of your Exploration Meeting as dated on the meeting packet (September 14). A congregation is not in the process until the certification form is timely submitted in writing by the lay leadership to the district superintendent.
4. All church conferences to hold the official disaffiliation vote will be called and scheduled at the discretion of the district superintendent. All special church conferences will be completed no later than October 25, 2023.
5. A Special Duly Called Annual Conference Session for disaffiliation affirmation vote will be held on December 9, 2023.

What would disaffiliation cost?

Paragraph 2553 sets standard terms for disaffiliation for all churches. The paragraph includes the following terms:

Apportionments. The local church shall pay any unpaid apportionments for the 12 months prior to disaffiliation, as well as an additional 12 months of apportionments. This amount for CUMC is $1,053,758.

Property. A disaffiliating local church shall have the right to retain its real and personal, tangible, and intangible property. All transfers of property shall be made prior to disaffiliation. All costs for transfer of title or other legal work shall be borne by the disaffiliating local church.

Pension Liabilities. The local church shall contribute withdrawal liability in an amount equal to its pro rata share of any aggregate unfunded pension obligations to the annual conference. The General Board of Pension and Health Benefits shall determine the aggregate funding obligations of the annual conference using market factors like a commercial annuity provider, from which the annual conference will determine the local church’s share. CUMC’s current responsibility is $847,044 (This amount will be updated in October based on a new evaluation of the market).

Summary of fees:
$1,053,758.00 Apportionments
$847, 044.00 Pension Fund
$1,900,802.00 Total
(NOTE: The church will deduct any apportionments already paid for 2023. This is not included in this total.)
Payment is due when deeds and disaffiliation are to be signed.

There will also be miscellaneous costs associated with deconsecrating the church after disaffiliation. (Removal of items associated with UMC)

What is the pension fund?

The UMC Pension fund is for the clergy - both current and retired. It is like a traditional pension plan that a private company would have. Clergy gain credit into the plan based on their years of service in the UMC. The plan has assets (stocks, bonds, etc.) that are used to pay the obligations (retirement benefits) of the plan. The assets are created through contributions from the churches on an annual basis. At any given point in time, comparing a pension plan's assets to its obligations, or liabilities, results in its funded status. There are actuarial assumptions used to determine the funded status, such as expected return on assets, retirement dates, life expectancy, market interest rates, etc. The calculation is updated quarterly and currently the status of our plan is that it is underfunded - the expected liabilities exceed the expected assets.

How would we cover these costs?

God has blessed our church with a cash reserve. We would not have to borrow money to cover the cost of disaffiliation.

If we disaffiliate, would our pastors remain the same and can they keep their pension?

The way we recruit, retain, and release clergy leadership will be different if our church disaffiliates. If our church remains independent, we will be responsible for all matters related to finding, hiring/dismissing, and ordaining clergy. If our church affiliates with another denomination, pastors will likely be recruited and received through a “called” or "networking" system, rather than an "appointed" system (our current method) - with possible guidance from a denominational structure. Your current pastoral leadership is discerning along with you currently. Pastors that disaffiliate will keep the money already contributed to their pension plans, but they will stop being credited “years of service” within the UMC.

Would Christ United lose its UMC ministers should it choose to disaffiliate?

The decision to remain at Christ United would be up to each individual clergy person to decide whether to surrender their credentials (certificate of membership and certificate of ordination) or remain with the United Methodist Church.

Does the church membership get to vote only if we disaffiliate?

The church membership will get to vote only if the Church Council votes to approve a motion from the Discernment Team to disaffiliate. If there is no motion to disaffiliate, there will be no congregational vote.

Is it required to be a church member to vote?

Membership at Christ United Methodist Church is required to vote.

You can check membership status by emailing

Can my children vote?

Any child who has completed Confirmation and joined the church is eligible to vote at the congregational meeting.

Is there an absentee ballot?

No, there is no absentee ballot. Members must be present to cast their vote. The United Methodist Church set the voting requirements in the Book of Discipline under paragraph 2552, including the rule that absentee ballots are not allowed during a disaffiliation vote.

Is the ballot secret?

The United Methodist Church set a disaffiliation voting process in the Book of Discipline. The Annual Conference prepared the required ballot, which cannot be changed by a local congregation. CUMC is following the requirements of the UMC and the Annual Conference, which includes a signed ballot. Signatures are used to verify that only members are voting.

Is voting in the straw poll required to be eligible to vote in the official disaffiliation vote?

No, voting in the straw poll is not required, the only requirement is that you are a member of Christ United Methodist Church. The straw poll is simply a tool to help aide the Discernment Team in their decision-making.

What happens to the members that wish to remain United Methodists if the majority votes to disaffiliate from the UMC?

The hope is that all members will choose to remain members of the congregation that meets at 6000 Old Canton Road.

If not, Lighthouse congregations are local churches in the Mississippi Conference of the United Methodist Church that are equipped and willing to be a caring hospitable place to welcome any whose church has closed or disaffiliated who want to remain a United Methodist member. https://www.msumcconnect.org/

What happens to the members that wish to disaffiliate from the United Methodist denomination if the majority votes to remain UMC?

The hope is that all members will choose to remain members of the congregation that meets at 6000 Old Canton Road.

There are churches in the area that have voted to disaffiliate and would welcome new members.

Now that the MS Conference has been notified of CUMC’s decision to have an official vote, what should I do?

Please continue to pray for God’s will to be done. Pray for our pastors and staff and the leadership teams of our church.

Please Sign up for the CHURCHWIDE PRAYER VIGIL anytime Sun.10/8-Sun.10/15 on the large display board in the Great Hall. The 48 Hr. vigil of unified prayer focusing on our way forward will begin Fri.10/13 at 4PM and run through the start of the formal vote meeting, Sun.10/15 4PM.

What time should I plan to arrive at the church for the vote?

The doors will open at 3:00 for registration to begin.

The doors will close at 4:00 and those arriving late will not be allowed to enter the building.

Who will be handing out the ballots and checking the membership?

The discernment team will hand out ballots and check membership.

Who will count the votes?

Lay leaders of the church will count the votes.

Who determined when the vote will occur?

The MS Conference sets the date and time for the vote.

Can I vote absentee?

No, only those members present can vote.

I have another engagement that day, can I come early or late to cast my vote?

No, you have to be on time to cast your vote.

Will we know the results of the vote immediately?

Yes, once the votes are counted, the results will be given immediately.

What if I do not have a means of transportation to get to the church?

Please reach out to neighbors, friends, and other church members to ask for a ride.

Where can I learn more about the issues within the UMC?

We have established a library of research materials located at christunitedjxn.org/discernment. These materials cover many issues and perspectives concerning the UMC. This library of resources contains all the articles and videos studied by the Discernment Team.

Resource Library

Brief History of the United Methodist Church Powerpoint

Paragraph 2553 of the Book of Discipline

Disaffiliation Process Using Paragraph 2549

Reference Scriptures

Excerpt from The Path to Depth by Charles E. Poole

Mississippi Conference of the UMC about Discernment
https://www.mississippi-umc.org/disaffiliation

Rob Renfroe's Differences that Divide the UMC
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0tdBSkYKNUka0KiJ28rSUM1H1hdc3MUs

Adam Hamilton Responding To Rob Renfroe
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYx1IY4ptubjGvzbjKkJ8otHGHAht5EXn

Andy Miller's Conservative vs. Progressive Vision for the United Methodist Church
Part 1 with Adam Hamilton - https://youtu.be/eKkyhEbugyg
Part 2 with Rob Renfroe - https://youtu.be/d9dDReWDP-8

The Weight Podcast - Human Sexuality Changing My Position with Adam Hamilton
https://www.theweightpodcast.com/episodes/human-sexuality-changing-my-position-with-adam-hamilton

The Weight Podcast - A Traditional Christian Vision with Dr. Tim Tennent
https://www.theweightpodcast.com/episodes/human-sexuality-a-traditional-christian-vision-with-dr-tim-tennent

From the Discernment Team

The information contained on this website is for informational purposes only and represents a good faith effort by the CUMC Discernment Team to educate and inform our congregation on the full range of perspectives regarding the current issues facing the UMC and their impact on the future of our church. The inclusion of any links herein does not imply a recommendation or endorsement of the views expressed within them by the Committee, and we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness or factual accuracy of any opinions/information presented. We encourage the congregation to prayerfully consider all information disseminated, independently verify any information upon which you rely, and seek out truthful information on your own such that if the time comes, you will be able to make a decision on disaffiliation or not based upon your own informed heart and mind.