The Rev. Dr. Jody Ray, Mt. Bethel
By Walter Fenton —
“We were taken completely by surprise,” said Lindsay Hill, chairwoman of Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church’s Staff Parish Relations Committee (SPRC), as she still tries to absorb Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson’s decision to move the congregation’s senior pastor to a still evolving assignment on the North Georgia Annual Conference staff related to racial reconciliation.
Neither Mt. Bethel UM Church’s senior pastor, the Rev. Dr. Jody Ray (pictured above), nor its SPRC requested a change in senior leadership. But on April 6, 2021, Ray was informed that he was to begin his new position on May 2, 2021, and Hill was told a new senior pastor would arrive at Mt. Bethel soon thereafter. Haupert-Johnson did relent on the start date for Ray’s new assignment, allowing him to begin his new appointment on July 1, 2021, as is the case for most clergy making a transition. [Editor’s note: After this article was written, Haupert-Johnson put the start date as “immediately,” after Ray and Mt. Bethel continued to resist the appointment change.]
Mt. Bethel, located in Marietta, Georgia, is the largest congregation in the North Georgia Annual Conference, and it is also a member congregation of the Wesleyan Covenant Association. It hosted the WCA’s 2018 Global Gathering, and it has made clear it is a theologically conservative church. It is likely, along with many other local UM churches, to join the Global Methodist Church (in formation) should the Protocol for Reconciliation and Grace through Separation be adopted at the next General Conference.
“As an elder in the church I certainly understand the appointive process,” said Ray. “However, I was disappointed by the lack of intentional and substantive consultation regarding this proposed change. Many people know my heart regarding racial reconciliation. So had the bishop come to me last December or earlier this year to engage in a conversation about the emerging position, invited me to help shape it, and then given me some time to pray and think about it, then we might be in a different place now. Unfortunately, my options were to accept the move, take a leave of absence, or surrender my credentials. That’s not exactly the way colleagues in the Order of Elders expect to be treated.”
“Local churches expect the bishop and her cabinet to work collaboratively with them when it comes to making changes in senior leadership,” said Hill. “In my professional experience, collaboration involves much more than simply one party telling another party what they’re going to do and then leaving the other party to deal with all the repercussions. I would expect the church to far exceed all the expectations we have in the secular world. Now, more than ever, we need to work together for the effectiveness of local churches in our communities.”
Moves at many of the denomination’s largest churches are often initiated by senior pastors who inform a bishop they are planning to retire, by SPRCs who believe a top leadership change is in the congregation’s best interest, and sometimes by a bishop who needs to fill a vacancy at another large church. Whatever the case, conversations about these transitions typically begin six to 12 months before they happen. As most clergy know, it is unusual for such a major change at a large church to be announced just weeks before an annual conference convenes. Moves at large churches are typically shared in January or February.
“Making a change at a mid to large size local church often requires significant and careful planning,” said the Rev. Rick Just, a former district superintendent and currently the senior pastor at Asbury Church in Wichita, Kansas. “The attention given is not simply out of bias for large churches; it’s done because there can be anywhere from a dozen to hundreds of employees who will be impacted by a change in senior leadership. It’s not something you want to do without carefully considering the serious ramifications for everyone involved. In fact, it is not uncommon for bishops and SPRCs at some of the denomination’s very largest churches to work with a search firm to help the bishop and congregation find a suitable pastor who has proven administrative skills.”
In addition to a large ministerial and administrative staff at the church, Mt. Bethel also operates Mt. Bethel Christian Academy, a K – 12 school that employs dozens of teachers, administrators, and support staff. The church has been a fixture in the Marietta community for over 175 years.
Both the SPRC and Ray have repeatedly asked the bishop to reconsider her decision.
Hill wrote to the Rev. Dr. Jessica Terrell, a member of Haupert-Johnson’s cabinet and the district superintendent serving Mt. Bethel, “This decision to abruptly move any leadership without the buy-in of the congregation will have detrimental effects to the many faithful that are employed by the church, the academy, the recreation fields, and our mission partners.”
And Ray wrote to Bishop Haupert-Johnson, “While I understand the importance of the new role you would like me to assume and understand the reasons why my background and experience would potentially be a good fit, I respectfully ask you to reconsider this appointment. I think it would be best for me to remain at Mt. Bethel as we complete our pandemic recovery and continue to build a strong and vital congregation dedicated to making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”
Haupert-Johnson has rebuffed their overtures and has remained adamant that the appointments she has made should go forward.
Citing fiduciary responsibilities it has to the church, the academy, and its staff members, Mt. Bethel’s SPRC and Administrative Council have determined the church is not in a position to receive a new senior pastor. It fears such an unforeseen and abrupt change in its senior leadership, initiated by a bishop the congregation believes champions theological and ethical positions it does not share, will immediately have an adverse impact on its witness in its community, the engagement and morale of its member, and on financial giving. Consequently, it believes accepting a change at this juncture would erode support for its missions and ministries, and the staff who lead them.
“This hasty decision, at a time when we’re coming out of the pandemic, and like so many other local UM churches praying to discern our future, would be very disruptive to all we do in the community and around the world,” said laywoman and SPRC member Casey Alarcon. “My parents brought me to Mt. Bethel many years ago, and my husband and I have raised our children in the church and sent them to its academy as well. It has been a privilege to grow in our faith here and serve together with so many others as we work to make disciples of Jesus Christ. I would hate to see that undermined by a decision that doesn’t seem well thought out to me and so many others at Mt. Bethel.”
At the close of morning worship services April 18, Hill read a statement to the congregation regarding Bishop Haupert-Johnson’s decision. She also reported that the SPRC and Mt. Bethel’s Administrative Council both unanimously voted to tell the bishop the church is simply “not in a position to receive a new senior minister.” Before Hill could finish reading her statement the congregation gave her a standing ovation. [Editor’s note – the video of Ray’s sermon and the SPRC statements can be accessed here.]
Shortly after Mt. Bethel’s morning worship services, the lay leadership of the church sent a petition statement to the church’s members so they too could register their opposition to Bishop Haupert-Johnson’s decision. By April 26, nearly 5,000 Mt. Bethel members had signed the petition.
And in light of the situation at Mt. Bethel, another petition is now being circulated by a group called “Concerned Laity of the North Georgia Annual Conference,” giving conference laity an opportunity to express their concerns regarding the situation at Mt. Bethel.
Walter Fenton is a United Methodist clergyperson and the Vice President for Strategic Engagement for the Wesleyan Covenant Association. This article is reprinted by permission of the Wesleyan Covenant Association.
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Mt. Bethel update
By Thomas Lambrecht
On April 26, the Rev. Jody Ray announced at a press conference that he was surrendering his credentials as a United Methodist clergyperson. Bishop Haupert-Johnson’s attempt to appoint him to a conference staff position without any prior consultation “violates both the spirit and letter of the covenants that bind us together,” stated Ray.
Ray believes that, whatever the bishop’s motives in making the “hasty and ill-conceived action,” she has “undermined her credibility with the people of Mt. Bethel Church and jeopardized the health and vitality of this great congregation that is a beacon of hope and light in this community and beyond.”
Mr. Rustin Parsons, a lay leader at the church, declared the church’s position. “Despite our repeated requests that she reverse course she has refused to do so – or provide a reason or rationale for her capricious action. Consequently, Mt. Bethel’s 49-member administrative council has informed the Bishop we are very happy to have Dr. Ray continue to serve as a lay minister at our church, and therefore we are not in a position to receive or in need of any pastor she intends to send us.” The church further indicated, “We will not pay any pastor sent to the church by the Bishop under these circumstances.”
In his statement, Ray asserted that, while he would no longer be an ordained clergyperson, he would “make myself available to work and joyfully serve in whatever capacity they have for me as we continue to trust the Lord and serve this great community and the wider world.” Parsons confirmed that Mt. Bethel “has hired Dr. Ray to be chief executive officer and lead preacher, and we look forward to his continued service to our congregation and community.”
As to next steps, Parsons announced, “Furthermore, under a provision outlined in our denomination’s governing by-laws, we have initiated the process to disaffiliate from The United Methodist Church. … Given the recent actions of our bishop and the direction of the United Methodist denomination, both the leadership and members of Mt. Bethel Church strongly believe it is time for us to part ways with the denomination. It is our hope that our disaffiliation will be amicable, orderly, and timely. We long to go our separate way in peace so we can give our full attention to being the church God has called us to be in this community, the greater Atlanta area, and in our missions around the world.”
Video of the press conference, the written statements of Ray and Parsons, and an FAQ document are available here.
Thomas Lambrecht is a United Methodist clergyperson and the vice president of Good News.
4/27/21 UPDATE:
The day after announcing it was leaving the United Methodist Church, Mt. Bethel UMC filed a formal complaint against leaders in the denomination’s North Georgia Conference.
Mt. Bethel sent out out a release Tuesday morning saying a complaint had been lodged against North Georgia Conference Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson and Jessica Terrell, District Superintendent of the Central West District of the North Georgia Annual Conference.
The complaint alleges “Disobedience to the Order and Discipline of The United Methodist Church” for the reassignment of Mt. Bethel senior pastor Dr. Jody Ray. The complaint also accuses of Haupert-Johnson of “Relationships and/or Behaviors that Undermines the Ministry of Another Pastor.”
Mt. Bethel is saying that the North Georgia leaders went against stated UMC requirements (“Discipline”) to consult with congregations and pastors before making new appointments in reassigning Steven Usry of Sugarloaf UMC in Duluth to Mt. Bethel before either Dr. Ray or Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church were informed that a change in appointment was projected.
“Such notification and failure to consult denied the Committee on Pastor-Parish Relations of rights assured it by the Discipline and constitute disobedience to the order and discipline of The United Methodist Church.”
And on it goes with the progressive bishops ignoring vital congregations to push ideological position.
No United Methodist church or pastor, regardless of size, should be able to consider self above the rules that govern the denomination.
In their ordination services, United Methodist elders pledge “to go wherever you are sent, to serve however you are called, to exercise your ministry within and on behalf of the whole Church, to love all among whom you are placed, and to love God above all.”
“When the district superintendent called the pastor to discuss the projected appointment, he replied, ‘Let me stop you right there. I’m not interested. I’m staying at Mt. Bethel. I’m not going, I do not accept this appointment,’” Haupert-Johnson wrote. “He then hung up on the superintendent, giving no opportunity to discuss that appointment or any possible alternatives.”
To me, it appears that there may be far more to this story We keep hearing stridency about how the denominational ‘rules’ are not being followed so some are choosing to destroy. It seems that there is a level of hypocrisy present in this disappointing turn of events. “My way or the highway” may not be building the Kingdom of God.
Neither of these articles mentions the fact that this church has paid only a small percentage of their apportionments for the past two years. This is a sign of an obvious breakdown in the leadership of this congregation. The articles make it sound as if the conference action is “out of the blue” when the church leadership has been undermining their relationship with the conference for some time. Your readers deserve to have the entire story told, not just the parts that support one particular view. Paying apportionments is a requirement of the Book of Discipline, which I thought we all supported. Additionally, not paying apportionments puts an unfair burden on all the other churches in conference, no matter their perspectives.
This doesn’t surprise me at all. Conservatives can be judgmental and self-righteous, but I wonder if this doesn’t come from conscientiousness. Liberals, on the other hand, can be authoritarian and unrepentantly unchristian, all in the name of Christ. There is a lack of shame for shameful things, but they don’t even care and they’ll call their lawlessness holiness, even if it means trashing an entire church and its flock. I’ve been denied fellowship by so called inclusive liberals all because I didn’t recite their inclusive creeds. I’m glad the pastor was able to prioritize the real church over formalities weaponized to destroy it.
This should convince us all that the intentions of the progressive leadership of the UMC is to do all in their power to marginalize the evangelicals within the church before the coming separation can happen. Their hope is that evangelicals will be driven away, leaving a much diminished presence to fill the coming Global Methodist Church.
Thank you for your comment. Pastor Jody Ray gives a different account of that conversation. We are hoping that Mt. Bethel Church will release further information to counter the perspective shared by Bishop Haupert-Johnson in her pastoral letter.
Tom Lambrecht
W.F,
With all due respect — you have no idea what you’re talking about. Even progressives should be incensed by the TACTICS used in following these “rules” by a bishop who, just the week before, had issued an edict to her clergy and ordination board indicating it is ok violate the “rules” with relation to marriage and ordination. This is an egregious wrong perpetuated against the largest congregation in the North GA Conference by using the “rules” to punish this pastor, the SPRC, and congregation because they are a traditionalist church. Great harm has been done across this conference by a reckless bishop who constantly accuses others of doing harm.
David,
The Book of Discipline? These same bishops hold dear to it when it fits their agendas and encourage and enable violation of it when it doesn’t. Can’t have it both ways. These bishops took a vow to uphold and defend the BOD, in its entirety. The BOD is dead. Why should a church honor it when their bishop is dishonoring it? The North Ga bishop encourages the violation of it on marriage and ordination standards as recently as a week before the Mt Bethel crisis in an apostate statement issued to her clergy. She then turned around and strongly references it on appointment of ministers. Can we all say HYPOCRISY again.
Bishop Haupert-Johnson implies she incorporated a consultative process outlined in The Book of Discipline which includes superintendents, pastors, and staff/parish relations committees. The pastor says she did not. How do we discover the truth?
I am in agreement with this and think if we are to call out the hypocrisy from the opposing camp, we need to make sure the plank in our eye has been removed. Withholding apportionments is against the discipline and lacks holiness and purity. If you are going to leave, leave with integrity. You pledge your support to the rules of our church, do so, so that others will not be able to speak maliciously against your good behavior.
I am aware my comment may not be published as others on this topic have not, but United Methodists at congregations like Mt. Bethel have only one means of being heard by bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson. That one means is to do what other congregations have done, and withhold all apportionments in escrow.
Good News Magazine and the Institute on Religion and Democracy continually publish accounts of these liberal bishops suffering reprisal on congregations and traditional pastors. This will not get better between now and next year’s general conference. It is past time for the WCA to stand up to these actions by liberals that are neither in keeping with the Gospel nor the book of discipline.
I call on the WCA to vocally recommend traditional congregations withhold apportionments in escrow until next year’s vote.
Many Traditional churches are not paying full apportionments because they don’t like how the ultra liberal council of bishops, agency heads, and seminar presidents are spending conference money to espouse beliefs that are not in keeping with the Bible in general, Jesus teachings, and the traditions of Wesley theology. Why pay good money to a failing entity that refuses to listen to the people in the pews?
When it goes to trial.
If a local church decides to withhold paying apportionments it might be best to advise their Lay Members of Annual Conference to vote “NO” on the Annual Conference budget. Otherwise, it’s a lie to vote ‘yes’ and then not keep the promise. The little people without a voice e.g. children’s ministries, camping, outreach to those in need, etc. etc. are always the first to be cut when the Conference budget is not met. So much for ‘doing it to the least of these’. It is easy to blame anyone and everyone else for our mediocrity and division. The sadness comes when those who perceive they want to serve God but only in an advisory capacity. God have mercy on each of us.
I agree with your first statement. But Methodist Bishops should be accountable to the Book of Discipline as well as to their flock. Bishop Johnson is headed in a direction that is not followed by the Book Discipline, Mt Bethel or the Worldwide Methodist organization, who has voted twice to reject the Bishop’s direction. It’s time she listened to her conference’s congregation, who by the way, have been reticent to speak their minds, like Mt Bethel, for fear of retribution. We, her flock, deserve better than what we are receiving from our Methodist leadership.