By Rev. Dr. Scott Field
October 10, 2023
On Saturday, October 7th, the Global Legislative Assembly of the Wesleyan Covenant Association met via video platform. The voted unanimously to confirm the election of Rev. Dr. Scott Field as the new president of the WCA. He made an inaugural speech that outlined the mission of the WCA now. You might be interested…so here’s are his comments.
Introduction
I want to thank the Global Leadership Council and you, the members of the Global Legislative Assembly, for this opportunity to serve the Lord Jesus and His church so that, in a particular way, we might together contribute to the healing of the world in Jesus’ name.
Some of you I have known for years, in fact, decades, as we have prayed and worked toward reform and renewal in the United Methodist Church, in the development of the Wesleyan Covenant Association, and in the launch and growth of the Global Methodist Church. Others of us are meeting for the first time on this video platform.
But finding ourselves together in this video meeting at all is as surprising to me as it is humbling. I am honored to be called upon and affirmed to serve in this role as President of the Wesleyan Covenant Association.
Let me take a few minutes to share a my thoughts with you about our Lord, about our work together, and about our future as a missional network.
First, we must give glory to God!
The Apostle Paul expresses our own experience and our devoted praise, writing in Ephesians 3:
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
(Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV)
We have seen this, haven’t we? God doing immeasurably more than we could ever imagine? I expect that all of us have personal stories of God’s relentless grace and mercy. For us today, however, I want to focus on our experience together of the unexpected launch, growth, and rapid development of the WCA. And, importantly, on the work ahead in fulfilling our mission.
Some of you will remember the formation of the Wesleyan Covenant Association at its initial meeting in 2016 at the Donald Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. We had planned on maybe 900 people showing up from far and wide. (That was the reasoning behind having the session near O’Hare Airport). When nearly 1800 people showed up, it was clear that major change for Methodism was on the near horizon.
Presuming the 2019 Special Session of the UMC General Conference would resolve the UMC’s denominational conflict turned out to be a naïve miscalculation by all parties involved. The follow-up proposal, called the Protocol for Reconciliation and Grace through Separation, was intended to provide a large-scale mechanism for amicable separation of the United Methodist Church. It was expected to be voted upon at the 2020 General Conference. That also turned out to be a naïve miscalculation.
And then a pandemic.
The General Conference was postponed. Then it was postponed a second time. And, after a third postponement of the General Conference under questionable circumstances as well as the withdrawal of the centrist and progressive leaders who had committed to the Protocol, the Global Methodist Church was launched.
The WCA, as you know, had been instrumental in anticipating the needs of launching a new denominational network and had made preparations for that contingency.
So now, well over 6,000 congregations have separated from the UMC and the Global Methodist Church has just announced its convening conference for next September in San Jose, Costa Rica.
God has done and is doing immeasurably more than we could have imagined just a few short years ago. So, first and foremost, we give glory, honor, and praise to God.
Many would conclude, then, that it is time for the benediction and the dismissal. The work of the Wesleyan Covenant Association is over. I want to say clearly that our work is not over yet. The largest part of the work, meaning, the largest number of congregations seeking to separate from the United Methodist Church is, I think, still on the horizon. This is not the time to rest. The next year is critically important in fulfilling our mission.
Secondly, we recognize that, as the Apostle Paul put it, God does immeasurably more than we ask or imagine according to his power that is at work within us.
We are not spectators. We are the instrumental people, networks, movements, and relationships through which the Lord continues to offer salvation, redemption, and purposeful community.
In the Scriptures we often find agricultural analogies to the work of God. Many of the parables of the Lord Jesus, of course, are rooted in agriculture. I have in mind, however, another observation the Apostle Paul made about the differing phases that go into the work of planting, cultivating, growing, and harvesting.
5 After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. 6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 7 It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose.
(1 Corinthians 3:5-8a NLT)
Let me recognize right here that while I am newly elected as President of the Wesleyan Covenant Association, the mission is not mine. It is God’s mission that has been placed in the hands of us all.
I must first acknowledge with profound gratitude my predecessors in this role. You might think that having three Presidents in just seven years means the Wesleyan Covenant Association is unstable, disorganized, and lacking direction. That is the farthest thing from the truth. The Wesleyan Covenant Association is adaptive, nimble, and, frankly, has sent its first two presidents on to other tasks in the same mission.
Rev. Keith Boyette is an innovative leader who helped lead the launch of the WCA, became its first President, was instrumental in developing the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace Through Separation, and connected a widespread global network of advocates, both laity and clergy, seeking a pathway for separation from the UMC. We are all deeply in his debt. The growth of the Global Methodist Church has in no small part been facilitated by his visionary and detail-oriented leadership.
With the UMC’s 2020 General Conference postponed three times, the withdrawal of support for the Protocol that had previously been pledged by centrist and progressive UM advocates, and the subsequent launch of the Global Methodist Church, Keith moved on to help lead the development of the GMC. The WCA Board wisely chose a perfect leader in the Rev. Jay Therrell. Jay worked tirelessly for the past 15 months to develop regional chapters of the WCA, provide a depth of effective, helpful, and useful resources, and has given firm, steady, pastoral leadership for congregations, clergy, and United Methodist laity in this chaotic season of disaffiliations. Though Jay will now lead the formation of the Florida Provisional Annual Conference of the GMC, the current overall global strength of the WCA is due, in many respects, to the leadership Jay has provided.
Presidents have an important role, but the essential grassroots networking, relationship building, advocating, resourcing, and supporting work of the WCA is done by the regional groups and now, the developing jurisdictional level associations. I am just getting acquainted with regional leaders, but I am so impressed with your sense of calling, wisdom, persistence, and care for the people and congregations looking to you for help.
And our jurisdictional-level coordinators, Chris Akers in the SEJ, Patti Molik and Ed Rodarmel in the NEJ, Cindy Evans in the SCJ, Norma Morrison in the NCJ, and Helena Titus in the WJ, are all tested leaders who are helping us adapt to the changing landscape of our mission now. Beyond these networks, of course, there is our collaboration with Africa Initiative and our partner organizations of Good News and UMAction. The organizing work of Simon Mafunda in Africa, along with other leaders, is worth an entire chapter in the book of the Methodist Revival in our time. And I have yet to make connections with our other leaders in the other Central Conferences.
I appreciate your patience with me. On August 4 I received a phone call about the possibility of considering this position. I had a couple of interviews along the way, was elected interim president by the executive committee on August 30 and became the acting president on September 1. We’re just over a month into this new role for me, so I still have some initial connections to make with you. In addition, with the retirement of Debbie Moore as Administrative Assistant to Jay Therrell, I am delighted that Elizabeth Fink has been hired as the new Administrative Assistant.
Supporting all of that is the wise and faithful Executive Committee and Leadership Council that has overall responsibility for this ministry. They are, without question, gifted servant-leaders God has equipped for this time and this mission. We are all ably led by our Chairperson, Elizabeth Chryst, and the leadership cohort on both the Executive Committee and the Leadership Council as a whole.
There are different seasons in agriculture and, using the analogy suggested by the Apostle Paul, there are different times and seasons in gospel ministry, too.
We are now in a transitional season. Some things are ending, and some things still need our continuing attention, and some are newly developing on the horizon.
So, if God is doing immeasurably more than we ask or think through us, what is the part we are responsible for doing now?
Here are my three reasons that the WCA must continue to pursue its mission:
- There are still over 20 special sessions of Annual Conferences in the US that will vote upon disaffiliation for many local churches before the end of this year. The congregations seeking disaffiliation are often in need of support and information resources. In addition, there are legal proceedings underway in five and perhaps six areas that may continue into 2024. Further, at least two UM Annual Conferences in the US have indicated they will process disaffiliation requests under paragraph 2549, which provides for church closures, through 2024. The WCA has a well-regarded role in helping inform, resource, and counsel the leaders and members of these churches. You have developed and cultivated supportive relationships in all these situations. That work continues.
- The disaffiliation process (paragraph 2553) has been available exclusively to UM congregations in the USA. Congregations in Africa, the Philippines, and Eastern Europe have been denied access to it provisions. This discriminatory situation simply must be addressed and resolved by the delegates to the UM General Conference in Charlotte next spring. The WCA, along with our partners, Good News and UMAction, will bring legislation, advocacy, and on-site workers to the General Conference that seeks the option of disaffiliation to be extended uniformly in all areas of the UMC worldwide. We believe that fair-minded General Conference delegates will agree that what is fair for some must be fair for all so that a disaffiliation pathway will be extended to Central Conferences and the congregations within them.
- The overall outcome of the General Conference next spring is expected to confirm a “new order” for the United Methodist Church. Changes in the Book of Discipline long sought by progressive and liberationist advocates likely will be approved since many traditionalist delegates have departed in this season of disaffiliations. The definition of marriage, qualifications for ordination, sources and norms of authority for what we believe and how we live, including long-held understandings of the mission of the church, will, almost undoubtedly, be substantially revised. On May 4, 2024, the day after the General Conference concludes, many United Methodists, laity and clergy, will find that their denominational home no longer has a place for them. And the WCA will, in partnership with the Global Methodist Church, provide resources, networking, and counsel to those seeking a preferred alternative for their own future at the conclusion of the UM General Conference next spring.
So what shall we do?
Communicate and Inform
We have a number of ways to strengthen our network through communication and the sharing of pertinent information.
- Weekly Outlook blog
- WCA Y’all Call (video option about every six weeks)
- Dropbox Shared Resource Locker (for WCA regional and annual conference leaders)
- Shared Reports/Observations from GLA delegates
- Brief video uploads shared through social media
Collaborate and Network Globally
Continue networking efforts in Africa, support of the Africa Initiative, and development of the Global Methodist Church.
Partner with Good News and UMAction in preparation for the UM General Conference through legislation, advocacy, and tracking of developments there.
Developing resources for congregations and their leaders who find themselves “stuck” in the UMC after the General Conference and seek a way to separate at that time.
Consecrate
This may be a rarely used word among us.
Many of us in the mission of renewal and reform used to organizational development and political strategy and finding funds to support the work to which we have been called.
But it is the Lord who gives the growth. The Lord is the one who does immeasurably more than we ask or even imagine. So it is to the Lord that we must dedicate ourselves and first turn our prayers. This mission is not ours. We are invited to join the Lord in it.
So I invite you, as the tempo of disaffiliation and global network development increases, to set aside time to pray. Set aside time to connect with others who are part or may become part of your own network. Set aside money to support this work. For the time being, set aside other plans that may conflict with or hinder this work together. So that we may commit ourselves in this season to fulfill the mission to which we have been called. For the joy set before us, for the glory of God, and for the healing of the world in Jesus’ name.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
(Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV)
Amen.
Rev. Dr. Scott Field
President, Wesleyan Covenant Association
October 7, 2023
If you would like a link to the video of these comments as shared with the Global Leadership Assembly of the Wesleyan Covenant Association, contact Elizabeth Fink, WCA Administrative Assistant, at efink@wesleyancovenant.org