By Walter Fenton
May 13, 2022
In addition to revising its mission statement and naming a new president, the 240 delegates attending the Wesleyan Covenant Association’s Fourth Global Legislative Assembly passed several resolutions and elected nine new members to its leadership council.
Meeting on Friday, May 6, at Kingsway Christian Church in Avon, Indiana, the delegates debated, and overwhelming passed the following resolutions.
Resolution Urging Fair and Gracious Exits for Churches Separating from The United Methodist Church. Delegates called on UM Church annual conferences, bishops, and annual conference boards of trustees to allow local UM churches to depart the denomination free of its trust clause; to not add additional disaffiliation terms beyond those specifically stated in the UM Church’s Book of Discipline; to use other provisions in the Discipline for fairly settling property and pension liability matters; and, to facilitate the departure of local churches to the Global Methodist Church as expeditiously as possible. The delegates voted 226 to 0 in favor of the resolution. To read the resolution in its entirety, click HERE.
Resolution Celebrating the Launch of the Global Methodist Church. Having played an integral role in the formation and resourcing of the new church, the delegates voted 232 to 1 to celebrate the launch of the new denomination, and to continue to work for the adoption of the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace through Separation, enabling theologically conservative local UM churches to join the Global Methodist Church under fair, amicable, and just terms. To read the resolution in its entirety, click HERE.
Resolution Commending Proposed Catechism for the Global Methodist Church. A proposed catechism, prepared by the WCA’s Catechesis Task Force and reviewed and commended by the association’s Doctrine and Practice Committee, was put before the delegates. By a vote of 231 to 4 the delegates endorsed the Catechism and passed the resolution. To read the resolution in its entirety, click HERE. And to read the Catechism, click HERE.
Resolution Endorsing the Recommendations of the Sexual Holiness, Wholeness, and Brokenness Task Force. After hearing the summary of a 13 page report on sexual holiness, wholeness, and brokenness, the body voted 227 to 9 endorsing a resolution to support it. It included nine recommendations to be shared with the Transitional Leadership Council of the Global Methodist Church, and to commend the recommendations to the new church’s convening General Conference. To read the resolution in its entirety, click HERE. And to read the report, click HERE.
The delegates also elected the following individuals to serve on the WCA’s Global Council. Beth Ann Cook (Poseyville, Indiana), Agnes Kadama (Jinja, Uganda), and Kenneth Levingston (Houston, Texas) were elected to their first terms on the Council. And Joe DiPaolo (Wayne, Pennsylvania), Tom Lambrecht (Spring, Texas), Carolyn Moore (Evans, Georgia), Suzanne Nicholson (Wilmore, Kentucky), and Steven Sparks (Indianola, Mississippi) were elected to serve additional three year terms.
To learn more about the Wesleyan Covenant Association visit wesleyancovenant.org.