Because the General Conference of the United Methodist Church scheduled for late August of this year has been canceled, I wanted to give all of you an update as to where the future of the Church stands. There is very little coming from the leadership of the United Methodist Church, the more progressive arm of the denomination, but because the Global Methodist Church is set to launch next Sunday, May 1st, I have received numerous emails as to the status and values of the new Church. After reading numerous press releases from the Wesleyan Covenant Association, of which I am a member, I have finally decided the following is the most concise, easy to understand document to pass on to all of you.
Values of the Global Methodist Church
OUR MISSION
To make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.
OUR VISION
To join God in a journey of bringing new life, reconciliation, and the presence of Christ to all people, and to helping each person reflect the character of Christ.
CORE CONFESSIONS
The Global Methodist Church professes the Christian faith, established on the confession of Jesus as Messiah, the Son of God, and resurrected Lord of heaven and earth.
This confession, expressed by Simon Peter in Matthew 16:16-19 and Acts 2:32, is foundational. It declares Jesus is the unique incarnate Word of God, and He lives today, calling all to receive Him as savior, and as the one to whom all authority has been given.
This faith has been tested and proved since its proclamation by Mary Magdalene, the first witness to the resurrection. It was defended by the women and men of the early church, many of whom gave their lives as testimony. Their labor, enabled and inspired by the Holy Spirit, resulted in the canon of Scripture as the sufficient rule both for faith and practice (the Greek word kanon means rule). And the early church succinctly formulated its principal confessions in the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds that many Christians recite together when they gather for worship.
METHODIST DISTINCTIVES
The Global Methodist Church is for all people who wish to join in a “methodical,” practical, and warmhearted pursuit of loving God and serving others as Jesus’ disciples in the world. Through the organization and published works of John and Charles Wesley, the Methodist movement’s founders, a distinctly Methodist articulation of the Christian faith and life was developed.
Methodism placed particular emphasis on the universal work of grace, the new birth, and the fullness of salvation. The movement set as its mission: “to reform the nation, especially the church, and spread scriptural holiness over the land.” Supported by fervent prayers, faithful discernment, and a sure hope for the future, the Global Methodist Church is a Holy Spirit inspired movement. We invite you to learn more about us, and to join other brothers and sisters around the world for a bright and bold new future!
The Global Methodist Church’s beliefs and practices are set forth in a Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline, available on its website, ( www.globalmethodist.org) during the period culminating in its convening General Conference.
The following is an email from Rev. Tom Anderson, Chair of the Michigan Wesleyan Covenant Association, as to churches desiring to leave the denomination for the Global Methodist Church:
Hey everyone, I just wanted to give a quick report on our meeting with the Bishop today. I'm not going to give specific details until he emails his notes to us who attended--just to make sure I speak accurately.
The good news is that the Bishop is highly motivated to investigate using paragraph 2548.2. He appears to want to make it work. The association of conference chancellors is meeting this week on this very issue and he wants to hear from them. He also wants to speak with the Annual Conference Trustees as well as Wespath. With this important research to be done, it is unlikely that we'd have a comity agreement before this year's Annual Conference. However it's possible churches could take votes to join the GMC this fall and the Bishop is amenable to calling a special session of the annual conference for early spring of '23 to ratify the comity agreement. Local churches would then be in the GMC by July 1. All of this at this point is mere conjecture--no promises here. We will probably meet again when the Bishop feels he has substantive answers to the many questions surrounding pensions and legal matters. Once I have the Bishop's notes of our time together today, I'll write again!
In closing, an event will be scheduled where members of both Berlin Center and LeValley Churches can come and hear and ask questions of representatives of what would be the two churches resulting from the former United Methodist Church. Additional Information can be found at the Global Methodist website above, at www.wesleyancovenant.org., the website of the Wesleyan Covenant Association, and at the Conference website, www.michiganumc.org. Please study, be in prayer, and ask questions as to the future of the Ionia Parish: Berlin Center and LeValley Churches.
Love In Christ,
Pastor Nancy
