March 14, 2022, Centennial, Colo. – Separating fact from fiction and discovering major consequences of a forthcoming schism within United Methodism will be the focus of a Zoom Webinar on April 5, 2022, sponsored by the United Methodist Association of Retired Clergy and Friends (UMARC).
To Stay Webinar
Hosting the free Webinar will be Rev. Dr. Rebekah Miles, veteran United Methodist General Conference delegate and the Susanna Wesley Professor of Practical Theology and Ethics, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas.
Joining Miles as co-host will be a keen observer of how the United Methodist Church functions in Central Conferences outside the United States, Rev. Dr. Israel I. Alvaran, a native of the Philippines and staff member of the Reconciling Ministries Network, San Francisco, California.
Scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern time, April 5, the 90-minute topic will be “’To Stay Or Not to Stay, That Is The Question’ Facing United Methodists.” To be interviewed are three leaders of the Western Pennsylvania Conference, who have recently completed an analysis of the contrasting perspectives and policies of the United Methodist Church and the emerging Global Methodist Church. Sharing their research and responding to questions will be Tracy Merrick, lay delegate or alternate to seven General Conferences, Pittsburg, PA, the Rev. Dr. B. T. Gilligan, Senior Pastor, Nixon UMC, Butler, PA, and the Rev. Dr. David L. Morse, retired United Methodist Studies Lecturer, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.
As United Methodism begins splintering, congregations, clergy, and members have choices “to stay or not to stay” within the denomination. Topics to be explored include the options and consequences related to differences between organizational models, power of bishops, appointment or non-appointment of pastors, property questions, retirement issues, teaching on human sexuality, chargeable offenses, etc.
“Unfortunately, most United Methodist clergy, laity, and conferences think the only denominational differences stem from contrasting understandings of human sexuality,” said Rev. Dr. Donald E. Messer, UMARC Chair and President Emeritus, Iliff School of Theology, Denver, Colorado. “Actually, the new break-away church being launched is far from being traditional Wesleyan in many of its teachings and policies. Lest misinformation and misunderstanding abound; pastoral shepherds need to beware of drastic divergences, if they are to care for their flocks during ‘amiable separation.’”
Free registration and details can be found at www.umarc.org Registrants can review a copy of the Pennsylvania document at the same website.