Disaffiliation FAQs

This has been covered by Pastor Steve in a Town Hall that can be viewed on the Burnt Factory website  https://youtu.be/S5PxAtdMsjo.

Since 2019, there have been significant changes within the makeup of the U.S. Episcopacy (Bishops) and the voting population (i.e., delegates) that will attend the 2024 General Conference. The margin of progressively-minded delegates over traditionally-minded delegates has grown substantially. For example, 20 out of 46 UMC Bishops retired or resigned between 2020 and 2022. They were replaced in November 2022 by 13 new Bishops that support the change to the BoD human sexuality language. (The total number of US Bishops is now 39, down from 46 in 2019).

Because the international delegates’ votes against BoD changes made the difference at the 2019 General Conference, the possible exclusion of these votes in the U.S. region because of potential changes that would allow U.S. conferences to act independently from the rest of the world connection strongly increases the likelihood that the BoD will be changed to permit same-sex marriages and ordination of practicing, self-avowed homosexuals in the U.S.

Below question and answer was added on 5/16/23 as part of FAQ 1.1

FAQ 1.0 Most Frequently Asked Questions, Question 3, paragraph 2, seems to say that if the US delegation is again confronted with a conservative international delegation that holds to the past BoD and is indeed in the majority, the U.S. conference will make the changes it wants despite being in the minority. To me this says the U.S. conference is breaking with the UMC as a worldwide organization. Is this right?  Only time will tell.  But if this is truly a plan in place today we need to know. What you have stated makes me very concerned.

ANSWER: The legislation referred to in this answer is known as the Christmas Covenant. It is likely to be proposed at the 2024 General Conference. The Christmas Covenant, which has many valuable and valid purposes, and thus is likely to be enacted, will create five autonomous but connected regions in the worldwide UMC. The United States UMC will be one of these five regions, the others being international. In the context of the vote on human sexuality issues, if the Christmas Covenant is enacted, votes for changing the BoD language on human sexuality in the U.S. will not apply to an international regions. Likewise, the expected traditional votes of the international regions will not apply to the vote in the United States to change the BoD language. In that case, the international regions could continue to prohibit same-sex marriage and homosexual ordination while the U.S. region permits the same-sex marriage and homosexual ordination. These differing rules can exist without breaking the connectional relationship between U.S. and international regions.

Even though nothing has yet been changed and cannot be changed until the 2024 General Conference, there are serious considerations related to postponing such a decision. Since the 2019 General Conference, the human sexuality issue has fueled increased division, hard feelings and expensive court battles within the UMC, creating anxiety for all churches. Paragraph 2553, which enables disaffiliation, expires at the end of 2023. There cannot be an extension of Paragraph 2553 (as currently written) because it expires December 31, 2023; thus, new legislation is necessary and cannot be voted on until the 2024 General Conference. A new version of 2553 is a possibility, but by no means definite; nor is it possible to know whether a new provision would have similar terms.

It is also possible, if Burnt Factory chooses to remain in the UMC, that new legislation could be introduced that would allow individual churches to choose whether they would conduct same-sex marriages or accept practicing, self-avowed homosexuals as pastors. There is no way to confidently predict what, if any, provision will be made for churches to choose their own paths regarding human sexuality. Finally, it must be noted that the UMC cannot directly force any pastor to conduct a same-sex marriage, or any marriage, whether the BoD language is changed or not.

Pastor Steve has kept his position regarding his future to himself because he does not want it to affect Burnt Factory’s vote on the issue. The vote of each professing member must be made from their conscience regarding how God is leading them. Pastor Steve was “re-appointed” on April 23, 2023 as BFUMC’s pastor for the next year.

If BFUMC disaffiliates, Pastor Steve has choices that can be summarized as three basic options: 1) accept appointment to another church that remains in the UMC; 2) retire; or 3) pursue other pastoral opportunities outside of the United Methodist Church. 

Pastor Steve must inform the UMC District Superintendent of his personal decision if and when BFUMC elects to continue with the disaffiliation process following the straw vote.

Below question and answer was added on 5/16/23 as part of FAQ 1.1

Regarding FAQ 1.0, Most Frequently Asked Question 5, Paragraph 3, after the straw vote Pastor Steve will inform the District Superintendent of his intentions, will he also inform the congregation at that time?

ANSWER: Since FAQ 1.0 was published, the UMC Judicial Counsel issued Ruling 1482, which held that pastors cannot be required to disclose their intent to the District Superintendent in the event that a church votes to disaffiliate, either in the straw vote or the official vote. Pastor Steve loves Burnt Factory UMC and whatever the church decides, we can trust him to make the best decision for the church. Whichever way the church decides, Pastor Steve will try to the best of his ability to continue to serve Burnt Factory, as he always has.

Absolutely not! All people have been and will always be welcome at Burnt Factory and be able to hold  full membership and any lay leadership position. This is an immutable element of Burnt Factory’s mission. The BoD human sexuality language applies only to the covenant of marriage and the ordination of pastors.

This would be a decision for the Church membership to make when the time is appropriate. The UMC is the largest of many Methodist expressions. Following disaffiliation, Burnt Factory could join another Methodist organization or become an independent Methodist church following Wesleyan (“Methodist”) theology. Burnt Factory could also choose to join another denomination, but we think it extremely unlikely. As an independent Methodist church, the authority for all church decisions, including human sexuality issues, would reside within Burnt Factory.

 If the straw vote results in Burnt Factory moving forward with the disaffiliation process, the Servants intend to recommend to the Church Council that, if and when Burnt Factory leaves the UMC, it should become an independent Methodist church.

The answer is the same for both votes: only professing members of Burnt Factory UMC can cast votes. There are no age limits so long as you are a professing member.  When you come to vote, there will be a membership roll to verify eligible voters. The final vote can only be made in person at Burnt Factory at a called Church Conference chaired by the District Superintendent as required by Paragraph 2553.

A professing member of Burnt Factory is a person whose membership is recorded with Burnt Factory and who is baptized and has taken vows declaring the Christian faith. Professing members include all people who have come into membership by profession of faith or by transfer from other churches.

Under Paragraph 2553 and the related processes, there will only be one straw vote and one final vote, the latter which will be held at a called Church Conference. There are no second votes in either case.

In UMC jargon, a “conference” is more than just a large meeting, it refers to an organizational structure. Charge or Church Conferences are meetings of a church such as Burnt Factory, which is a “charge”. Charge Conferences are geared toward Church boards, councils, etc. Church Conferences are geared toward the entire membership of a church.  Annual Conferences are meetings of a larger organization within the UMC, such as the Virginia Annual Conference. There are 54 Annual Conferences in the United States. Jurisdictional Conferences meet every four years and are primarily responsible for electing Bishops. Finally, the General Conference (which meets every four years) is a meeting of all the Annual Conferences throughout the UMC, world-wide.

The process of disaffiliation in Paragraph 2553 of the BoD is designed to enable disaffiliating churches to keep their personal and real property. The value of such property possessed by Burnt Factory will be a part of the financial analysis. 

The Trust Clause is set forth in Paragraph 2501 of the Book of Discipline and provides, in pertinent part: 

2501. Requirement of the Trust Clause for All Property-
1. All properties of United Methodist local churches and other United Methodist agencies and institutions are held, in trust, for the benefit of the entire denomination, and ownership and usage of church property is subject to the Discipline.

In plain language, Paragraph 2501 means that the local churches, such as Burnt Factory, do not own their real property (e.g., land, buildings, etc.) and personal property (e.g., pianos, electronics, furniture, TVs). The UMC holds all church properties in a trust for the benefit of the entirety of the UMC, and not necessarily for the benefit of the local church. Thus, local churches that want to disaffiliate for any reason must either leave all their property behind or avail themselves of a process such as Paragraph 2553 in order to obtain ownership of their property. The Trust clause applies regardless of where the money to purchase the property originally came from, e.g., local church members.