May 29, 2024
By Rev. Dr. Scott Field
Judging by the vigorous, often impassioned, always earnest, recent social media posts in the subculture of all things Methodist, it seems that those of us who have disaffiliated from United Methodism may be having trouble with our depth perception. Literally, depth perception is our ability to see objects in three dimensions, including their size and how far away they are from us. Metaphorically I am suggesting that we may be having some challenges in gauging the relative proximity and importance of things that may, or may not, be in the rearview mirror for disaffiliated United Methodists.
Not So Big and Not So Close, Really
As the NewUMC has clearly stepped into the broad daylight of its progressive/liberationist trajectory, some of us post comments and reactive emojis ranging from disbelief to anger to self-justification:
“I can’t believe it”.
“I KNEW it all along”
“How can they treat the Central Conference churches, especially Africa, this way?”
“Did you see/hear what Bishop SoandSo said/wrote/preached/has done?”
“I simply can’t believe how people in “stuck churches” are being treated. Whatever happened to ‘first, do no harm’?
The United Methodist Church that was is not the United Methodist Church that is. You (and I) left. Let’s not invest time, prayer, energy, or even much attention on what was. Reform and renewal of the UMC is no longer our focus.
If you have disaffiliated as a congregation or if you, as a clergyperson, have withdrawn from the UMC to join the GMC, or you were a UM church member who walked through the exit door, all of this is behind you. Don’t let the headlines and startling developments of your former denomination take up much space in your field of vision, your heart, your prayers, or your emotions. Yes, you may have devoted decades of your prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness on behalf of the UMC, but before you left the UMC, the UMC left you. And, amazingly, by the grace of God, there is a new, compelling vision and a vibrant, expanding, international community of believers in which we are welcome to be part: the Global Methodist Church.
Like the Israelites returning from exile, we can in so many ways echo Psalm 126:
When the Lord brought back his exiles to Jerusalem,
it was like a dream!
2 We were filled with laughter,
and we sang for joy.
And the other nations said,
“What amazing things the Lord has done for them.”
3 Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us!
What joy!
4 Restore our fortunes, Lord,
as streams renew the desert.
5 Those who plant in tears
will harvest with shouts of joy.
6 They weep as they go to plant their seed,
but they sing as they return with the harvest.
For those who have disaffiliated, the actions and progressive/liberationist trajectory of the NewUMC really is not so big and not so close. We are putting it behind us. We’re already investing our prayers, presence, resources, and witness – as well as our enthusiasm and great joy – in a new denominational family with a mission and culture we can enthusiastically embrace.
The Fellowship of the Stuck
But others, who are still “stuck” in the UMC or in court contending with the UMC or have not, like Africa, even been allowed the option for congregational disaffiliation, are much closer to us and a much larger concern for those of us who have disaffiliated already.
We can recall the experience, can’t we, of disregarding for a long time the things that seem to have suddenly become so clear? We remember believing what we were told by the bishop, by our District Superintendent, yes, even by our pastor. They discounted or dismissed our concerns. They told us we were being influenced by misinformation and radical insurgent groups. They pretended that the decisions made “by them over there”, wouldn’t have any impact “on us over here.” They said, despite the mounting evidence, that “nothing would change.”
We remember, too, the names we have been called by our “spiritual leaders”, don’t we? We’ve been patronized and marginalized. We know the heartbreak of coming to the reluctant and traumatic conclusion that our spiritual shepherds have been more committed to protecting their institutional privileges than in caring for the sheep of their flock (Ezekiel 34).
Even more, we are familiar with the dawning apprehension that we as individuals and, perhaps, the congregation of which we are part, can no longer remain within the United Methodist Church. We know the timid initial contacts with others who might provide information, assistance, and networking on our journey to a new, faithful and fruitful future in mission and ministry. Relationships are challenged and frayed. Our comfortable but complacent ways of Christianity are replaced by the freshening breeze of the Holy Spirit calling us to vibrant Christian discipleship. We might like to defer or delay, but we cannot ignore the disturbing summons of the Lord…and, honestly, we can’t imagine ignoring it anyhow.
So, what then is our reaction to and relationship with the “fellowship of the stuck”; the United Methodists who are just now coming to the conclusion that they, too, must join us in the journey of departure and new beginnings?
The Wesleyan Covenant Association remains committed to be an advocate and ally, a source of information, assistance, and networking, with and on behalf of those individuals, congregations, and conferences globally seeking pathways out of the UMC and into the Global Methodist Church.
These sisters and brothers are not left behind. They are close to us and we remain close to them. They are a large part of what we see in the aftermath of the UMC General Conference. They matter to us.
There is a lot of work yet to do with and for those who are waking up, getting informed, and beginning to network with those of us who have made the disaffiliation/separation journey already, but as far as social media posts go, ours is first and foremost: “Welcome home.”
Resources for the “fellowship of the stuck” as well as others, can be found at wesleyancovenant.org