This week, the United Methodist Church’s Judicial Council, at the urging of the officers of the Council of Bishops (COB), effectively made one of the United Methodist Book of Discipline’s congregational exit ramps unusable for this present season of separation.
This means that the windows and opportunities for congregations to leave the denomination and keep their properties are narrowing, and congregations should move quickly before they run out of time.
In Decision #1449, the Judicial Council, once again, gave leading liberal bishops everything major they asked for, largely invalidating Discipline ¶2548.2 for this season of separation.
This provision, originally part of the Methodist Church’s 1948 Discipline, allows for a congregation’s property to be transferred to “another evangelical denomination” at the request of the congregation and with the consent of the annual conference, the bishop, proper representatives of the receiving denomination, and key leaders…
