‘Plain Grace’ Offers ‘Gracious Affiliation’ Alternative to Acrimonious Split

Timeline Would Extend Discernment Period

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A United Methodist Exclusive

Designs for the United Methodist Church’s future have come thick and fast over the summer. At last count there were at least six alternatives under discussion: the Bard-Jones Plan, the Indianapolis Plan, the UMC Next Plan, the Connectional Table’s regional conferences proposal, the Rev. Chris Ritter’s “United Methodist Communion of Conferences,” and UM Forward’s N.E.W. plan announced this week..

However, a new concept that has flown under the denominational radar for a couple of months has come into view. Drafted by a retired “repurposed” Tennessee attorney who will be a first-time General Conference delegate from the Memphis Annual Conference, the plan is called Plain Grace.

Frank Holbrook of Martin, Tenn., told United Methodist Insight that he sees his “Plain Grace” Plan as a distinct alternative to everything that has been put forth to date. The 23-page plan summary and legislation were submitted Sept. 13 to the General Conference petitions secretary.

“The thought process I have used in drafting the plan is what I call ‘controlled methodical pessimism,’” Mr. Holbrook said in a telephone interview. “I think separation has to happen, not just because of the issue of human sexuality, which is the presenting issue, but because of all the other issues such as accountability and episcopal authority. ‘Plain Grace’ is a way for that to happen so that we foster unity rather than division based on human sexuality disputes, which is what I see in other plans.”

Mr. Holbrook introduced the concept underlying his “Plain Grace” Plan in mid-July in a post titled “An Alternative Approach to Unity on the Rev. Chris Ritter’s blog, People Need Jesus. Shortly thereafter Mr. Holbrook realized that if he was going to submit a plan he needed to find a way to offer his plan in greater detail, so he created his first-ever blog site, Plane Grace.

The difference in spelling between “Plain Grace” and “Plane Grace” is no mistake. As he says in an early post, Mr. Holbrook chose the blog name as an analogy to woodworking; that is, using a plane with a sharp blade to carefully shave rough wood and leave a smooth surface in its place. 

Blog posts offer details

Detail and delicacy are two apt ways to describe “Plain Grace.” Although Mr. Holbrook resists boiling down his proposal to the General Conference norm of “a three-minute floor speech,” he nonetheless has tried to frame the plan’s basic aims more simply to invite broad discussion. His recent “executive summary” of Plain Grace explains it this way:

“The plan focuses on the means of multiplying witness and not the underlying disputes between members who have honest good faith disagreements about doctrinal and social positions; this disagreement is most clearly manifested in the current debate over human sexuality.  Unlike some other approaches, the PGP does not create expressions based on the human sexuality issue.  Critically, unlike other plans it allows new expressions to adopt their polity and doctrine BEFORE an Annual Conference (“AC”) or local church receives an invitation to join; this is probably the single biggest distinction between the PGP and other proposals. Unlike other plans, it also allows two additional periods in 2026 and 2027 for ACs and local churches to either join a new expression or reaffiliate with the United Methodist Church.”

In lay terms, Mr. Holbrook said, he’s seeking to provide adequate time in a potential division for all parties involved to think about doctrine, polity and what expression of Methodism they want to join. He said his legal mind has spotted issues with other plans that could be summed up in the familiar adage of “putting the cart before the horse.” He hopes to forestall this error with a process he calls “Gracious Affiliation.”

See timeline at the end of this article

Instead of simply breaking up the UMC, “Plain Grace” proposes a period of discernment leading to multiplying “fresh expressions of Methodism,” Mr. Holbrook said. The goal would be for these new forms of Methodism to remain in “full communion” with The United Methodist Church through at least 2028 and potentially beyond, meaning that each would accept the validity of the other’s baptism and ordination, but that no denomination would be forced to accept doctrine, polity, members or ministers.

Hoping for at least two outcomes

Mr. Holbrook said he hopes his design will accomplish at least two outcomes. First,  it removes content from the process of separation, specifically by not dividing United Methodism on the single issue of human sexuality. Secondly, he hopes that by creating FCEs before an annual conference or a local church is asked to join , annual conferences and local congregations won’t be forced to decide their future path before they know more about what a “fresh expression” will be and do.

“After all, as FCEs alter the composition of the church, the UMC could change its polity or doctrine  about many things,,’” Mr. Holbrook said. “Annual conferences and local congregations shouldn’t be forced to choose a path until they know more about what it will look like.

“’Plain Grace’ gives churches and conferences a couple of opportunities to decide where to go and their decisions wouldn’t be irreversible until 2027,” he added. “In the end they may decide they want to stay in the UMC.”

“Plain Grace” also includes a “gracious exit” option modeled after the “gracious exit” adopted in 2019, for those local congregations that don’t want to commit to the Gracious Affiliation process , Mr. Holbrook added. “Bluntly, the current ‘gracious exit’ provision that exists in the Book of Discipline isn’t very gracious at all,” he said. 

“’Plain Grace’s ‘gracious exit’ expedites the time frame for local congregations to get out so that if they want out using ‘gracious exit’ that will occur before invitations are issued under the Gracious Affiliation process,” he explained. The plan cuts the time frame from 120 days to 60 days for the district superintendent to work with the church [on its departure]. If they really want out, they should be able to get out.”

Mr. Holbrook emphasized that he wasn’t “naïve or Pollyanna-ish” about the ticklish issue of dividing United Methodist properties and assets.

“The trust clause remains in ‘Plain Grace,’” he said. “All assets are still held in trust by The United Methodist Church through 2028. Then properties are inventoried and assigned values.

“After that, a small group with one member from the UMC and each FCE will create a plan to divide assets. It’s very specific that assets are divided ‘in whole and in kind’ according to what the panel decides.  The division is based on numbers of professing members in 2027, after all opportunities to affiliate or reaffiliate are over. If the panel cannot agree to the division, then the dispute resolution process kicks in.”

Mr. Holbrook said he also was aware that “Plain Grace” might be overlooked or discounted because it hasn’t had the high profile of other proposals. Nonetheless, he said, “there are some UMC leaders who are looking at this plan.” Thus, he hopes “Plain Grace” will gain equal consideration along with the other proposals now being discussed throughout the denomination.

Timeline Sets Milestones for New Methodist Expressions

If adopted by General Conference 2020, “Plain Grace” would proceed like this:

Beginning in 2020 “Full Communion Expressions,” or FCEs, would begin to coalesce among like-minded groups within the UMC.

  • FCEs would begin to formulate their respective plans for structure and doctrine In order to be allowed to extend invitations to join and ultimately share in the division of assets, however, they would be required to include a “common core” of Methodist beliefs.
  • By May 29, 2021 any group desiring to form a new expression will file a very simple petition of intent to form the new expression signed by fifty ordained clergy or one Bishop. Once a proper petition is submitted, the UMC tenders a Full Communion Agreement to the new expression contingent on the new expression meeting four limited requirements at its organizing conference: (1) adopt a common core of beliefs, (2) enter into a Full Communion Agreement, (3) enter into a Gracious Affiliation Agreement and (4) enter into a Dispute Resolution Agreement requiring mediation and arbitration of unresolved disputes. On this date the window for creating potential new expressions that wish to engage in the Gracious Affiliation process closes.
  • Through the Gracious Affiliation Agreement FCEs also would be required to continue their support for what Mr. Holbrook calls “the ABCs” – certain specifically identified agencies, boards and conferences included in current apportionment formulas through 2024. Through the agreement FCEs would also be required to provide missional support for Central Conferences and other agencies through 2028.
  • Between August 15 and November 15, 2021,  annual conferences will hold special called sessions to select representatives to attend the organizing conferences for each new expression that has submitted a petition of intent.
  • Between May 1 and June 30, 2022, new expressions that have submitted a petition of intent will hold their organizing conferences where they establish their polity and doctrine and incorporate it into their Book of Discipline. The organizing conference also must authorize the new expression to enter into the Full Communion, Gracious Affiliation and Dispute Resolution Agreements. Organizing conferences may employ technology to allow remote sites to participate in the organizing conference so that Central Conference participation is encouraged with minimal expense.
  • By August 2022 FCEs would be fully formed and prepared to invite  annual conference and local churches to join. Full Communion Agreements would be executed by the UMC and each FCE. Each FCE’s Book of Discipline, including polity and doctrine, would be available for public review.
  • Between October 15 and November 15 2022, an annual conference invited to join an FCE would be required to hold a special called session to decide whether to join.
  • Between November 15, 2022 and March 15, 2023 local churches that disagree with the decision of their annual conference may join a FCE.
  • By 2023, annual conferences and local congregations would have decided whether to affiliate with an FCE  or to remain a part of the UMC.
  • In 2024 those agencies, boards and other institutions receiving missional support from the FCEs would be asked to devise plans for their future based on the different environment resulting from creation of the FCEs. Boards and agencies could include in their plan the option of joining one of the FCEs with like-minded theologies and missions. The 2024 General Conference could then act upon the proposed plans.
  • In 2026 and 2027 there would be two additional windows for annual conferences and local churches to consider joining an FCE or reaffiliating with the United Methodist Church.
  • In 2028 the PGP would sunset, except for the provisions dealing with asset division and dispute resolution.
  • Between 2028 and 2030 assets would be divided between the United Methodist Church and the FCEs and the trust clause would be released by the UMC and transferred to the appropriate FCE.

Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011.