by Steve | May 11, 2021 | In the News
According to a press release, the National Chinese Caucus (NCC) of the United Methodist Church urges “all parties involved in the process of appointment to maintain a spirit of peace and goodwill toward those who hold differing theological and ethical values, while awaiting the decisions of the General Conference on the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace through Separation.”
The United Methodist Chinese ethnic caucus has been consistently supportive of the denomination’s long-held views on marriage and human sexuality. The group issued a statement of support for the adoption of the “Traditional Plan” at the 2019 Special General Conference.
The goals of the caucus are to “advocate for the development and concerns of our ethnic Chinese-American churches within The United Methodist Church, and to formulate strategies for the missional priority of our local congregations.”
******
PRESS RELEASE
May 10, 2021
We received published reports that five theologically conservative senior pastors were moved from their theologically conservative congregations to other appointments when neither party requested a change: one in North Georgia Annual Conference, one in Greater New Jersey Annual Conference and three in California-Pacific Annual Conference. Four of the affected pastors are Korean.
Subsequently, the President of the National Laity Association of the Korean UMC expressed in a letter to Bishop Grant Hagiya of the California-Pacific Annual Conference, that their theologically conservative Clergy and churches were being persecuted. This matter also generates deep concerns in the ethnic minority, including Chinese, clergy and churches.
While wide deference is given to the authority and accountability of Bishops (Chapter Three, Section IV, Specific Responsibilities of Bishops), the Book of Discipline specifically states, “Consultation is a process whereby the bishop and/or district superintendent confer with the pastor and committee on pastor-parish relations, taking into consideration the criteria of para. 427, a performance evaluation, needs of the appointment under consideration, and mission of the Church” (para. 426). This same paragraph continues, “Consultation is not merely notification.” Further, para. 426 (1) of The Book of Discipline states that “The process of consultation shall be mandatory in every annual conference.”
Therefore, we urge all parties involved in the process of appointment to maintain a spirit of peace and goodwill toward those who hold differing theological and ethical values, while awaiting the decisions of the General Conference on the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace through Separation.
Executive Committee
National Chinese Caucus
The United Methodist Church
by Steve | May 4, 2021 | In the News
Valley Korean United Methodist Church
By Thomas Lambrecht –
Over the last two weeks, Good News has shared information about pastors of large churches in North Georgia and New Jersey where centrist-progressive bishops removed the appointments of their senior pastors without the consultation required by the Book of Discipline.
On April 21, Bishop Grant Hagiya of the California-Pacific Annual Conference (Cal-Pac), through his district superintendents, notified the senior pastors of three large Korean United Methodist congregations that they would not be reappointed to serve their churches after July 1. In an unusual maneuver, the bishop simply informed them they would have a new appointment on July 1, but did not share with them what that appointment would be. He also did not give any indication that there would be further consultation with the pastors involved in identifying that future appointment.
This notification was also done without any prior consultation with the pastors involved or with their staff-parish relations committees, as required by the Discipline. The reason given each of the pastors was that they had “intentionally and actively advocated for [their] congregation, for other clergy and other churches to leave the annual conference, to leave The United Methodist Church. And this is a violation of the bishop‘s directives, his goals, his ministry, and it is counter to his vision for the mission of the church.” All the pastors have sought to do was prepare their congregations for the potential passing of the Protocol for Reconciliation and Grace through Separation and the decisions the congregations would need to make at that time.
Hagiya “has repeatedly talked about and visioned [sic] that we would have an annual conference that is a big tent kind of place, where all theological perspectives are taken into account and respected.” Given the way this appointment was communicated (no consultation), how it was framed (removal from the current appointment, rather than being offered a new appointment), the reason given (that the pastors disagreed with the bishop’s vision for the annual conference), and the timing (just weeks before the annual conference session), it is hard to avoid the implication that these were punitive appointment changes, meant to silence these pastors and other pastors who might have wanted to provide good information to their own congregations.
Hagiya’s vision is in essence a return to the One Church Plan that was defeated at the 2019 General Conference in St. Louis. His attempt to unilaterally impose that vision on his annual conference is contrary to the Book of Discipline and the actions of General Conference. His insistence that pastors refrain from educating their people about the option to withdraw and join a traditional Methodist denomination when the Protocol for Separation is passed by General Conference is not only poor leadership, but against the very spirit of the Protocol itself, which seeks to provide an amicable resolution of the church’s crisis, rather than continue the damaging winners/losers conflict.
The three pastors involved have requested reconsideration of their change in appointment. In addition, the Korean UMC Laity Network has sent the following letter to all active bishops of the UM Church.
Thomas Lambrecht is a United Methodist clergyperson and vice president of Good News.
* * * * *
Open Letter: Stop the Persecution of the Korean Church
April 29, 2021
Bishop Grant J. Hagiya
California-Pacific Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church
Dear Bishop Grant Hagiya:
This letter is tendered in the hope that it would receive your kind understanding and consideration.
My name is Stuart Ahn, and I am the President of the Korean United Methodist Church Laity Network in the United States. Our Network has five regional Vice Chairs, representing about 40,000 Korean lay members across the United States.
I am writing this letter on behalf of the council members of the Korean UMC Laity Network. This is to inform you of our great concerns following the recent notification of discontinuance of appointment of senior pastors of the Korean churches that transpired in the California-Pacific Annual Conference.
On Wednesday, April 21st, the Bishop of the Cal-Pac Conference notified the removal of the three Korean church pastors, after June 30th, 2021. The problematic reason is that “they have been inciting the neighboring churches and pastors to leave the denomination and not abiding by the course of our conference set by the Bishop.”
Even during these difficult times of COVID-19 Pandemic, the Korean church and its pastors have been faithfully fulfilling our ministry without skipping a day. From online worship to new ministries, community serving Food Bank ministry, the 40 days of early morning prayer services, and the launch of an online lay training program which have been amazing.
Where is the Bishop’s encouragement and consideration for the pastors that have faithfully served the church and maintained the solidarity of The United Methodist Church during the pandemic? Rather than supporting and encouraging them, the Bishop is leading the Korean churches into an unnecessary conflict and chaos by punitively appointing Korean church pastors who have held traditional positions. Where is the Bishop’s leadership toward the faithful Korean churches in this shocking, unilateral, and biased decision?
We do all know that pastors come and go. We do all understand that. And that is especially true in The United Methodist Church with the system of itinerancy. With all due respect, we recognize the authority of the Bishop over the appointment of pastors to the local churches, but not in this way, not for this reason, and not now.
Over the years, Bishop Hagiya has been personally and officially stating that we can coexist regardless of our differences in the theological positions, cultures, and traditions by respecting one another. You are aware of the theological position of many Korean churches, laity, and the pastors in the Cal-Pac Conference, which is a traditional position. However, you have accused the three pastors of encouraging and recruiting members and other churches to leave The United Methodist Church. We, the laity, can tell you clearly, that is absolutely and positively false. In addition, the conference leadership ignored the Book of Discipline and the decision to discontinue the appointment for not following the course set by the Bishop is a failure to comply with the procedures. Moreover, this is a baseless, punitive action, taking the Korean church lightly, and an insult to the entire Korean churches.
Removing Korean church pastors without prior consultation is a result of a failure to comply with the procedures in accordance with the Book of Discipline. This action is far from fairness and justice toward minority churches and Asian minority churches the Bishops has harped on over the years.
The notification of discontinuance, especially targeting the three influential Korean churches in the Cal-Pac Conference, is a racist action towards the Korean immigrant church. This chaos is causing great and irrecoverable damage to the church, and the action which the Bishop should have never taken. Please withdraw this unjust decision immediately.
We are a racial minority and also a minority in upholding what the Book of Discipline stands for, which is in line with the Bible. It is not only undermining the integrity of the Korean churches, but also harming it.
The pastors of the Korean church have carried out their responsibility of helping the laity understand the Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church and the Bible in the midst of the chaotic issue of human sexuality. This decision not only violates the amicable spirit of the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace through Separation (which upholds “being held in abeyance” meaning neither side will face repercussions until the decision to separate gets approved at the General Conference), but also damages the Korean church that has a different theological view than the Bishop.
We’re also paying attention to the fact that Rev. Jae Duk Lew, Chair of Korean National Caucus of The UMC and the Pastor of Valley Korean United Methodist Church, Rev. Sunghyun Jonathan Lee, former Chair of Korean National Caucus of The UMC and the Pastor of Korean United Methodist Church of San Diego, and Rev. Nak-in Kim, Chair of Korean Caucus at Cal-Pac Annual Conference of The UMC and the Pastor of Bell Memorial United Methodist Church were notified of their removals on the same day. This is clear evidence that the Cal-Pac Conference is targeting and persecuting the Korean Church community. This is a punitive appointment towards the Korean churches that has a traditional theological position. The Bishop’s action is a testament to ignoring the Korean American United Methodist Church community across the country.
We do know that pastors are servants of the Lord who have been called and answered the call to our God. It is our sentiment that these clergy members are anointed, subjects of respect, and to be protected. Bishop, if any one of us or our community is insulted, or our core values are attacked, you should know that we will never take such insults cast upon us lightly. The decision to remove the pastors is a misuse of power by the powerful person like you while ignoring the Korean churches and insulting the faithful heart of the Korean UMC laity members. Such actions by the leaders of the denomination will only solidify us and begin a holy resistance to overcome the persecution of faith.
We do not want this kind of conflict. Thus, we’ve been minding our own business. But what are we supposed to do when you pick on us, who are the ethnic church and racial minority, in such a rude and ruthless way? However, if through this we can protect our faith, what we believe, then this will be our mission.
Problems with this decision:
1) This decision is an unrighteous and blatant persecution against the Korean church that complies with the Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church by the cabinet that does not comply with the Book of Discipline and the Bishop whose term was already expired.
2) It is an undemocratic argument that all churches and pastors must unconditionally agree to the course of action the Bishop mapped out for the annual conference.
3) The notification of discontinuance of appointment is institutional racism, shown by the denomination targeting the Korean churches, and this is the concrete evidence of Asian racial discrimination.
4) The Bishop and the cabinet of the Cal-Pac conference committed a faithless act and violated the spirit of our denomination, which supports mutual respect and reconciliation.
Our position:
- The Cal-Pac Annual Conference and The United Methodist Church Bishop and leaders, please immediately stop the unrighteous persecution against the Korean church.
- The Cal-Pac Annual Conference and the United Methodist Bishop should immediately stop the racially motivated malpractice of administrative actions against the Korean churches and the Asian minority churches.
- The Bishops of The United Methodist Church and the Cal-Pac Annual Conference should respect the traditional view of faith in the Korean churches.
- We request that the Cal-Pac Annual Conference and the United Methodist Bishop postpone the appointment of pastors in light of the delayed the General Conference.
- Please withdraw the discontinuance notice which had no consultation process with the SPRC as set by the Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church.
- If you do not respond to the plea of the Korean United Methodist Church Laity Network, we would like to inform you that we will not avoid taking the legal action against the Bishop, the superintendent, and the annual conference who are violating the Book of Discipline clearly.
Thank you for listening to us, and making an effort to understand us.
Peace and Grace to you from our LORD Jesus Christ.
Sincerely yours,
Stuart Sung Ju Ahn (Los Angeles KUMC)
President, Korean UMC Laity Network
Jeonggwan Choi, (La Palma KUMC) WJ Chair of Korean UMC Network
Yongjung Yun, (KUMC of Detroie) NCJ Chair of Korean UMC Network
ChulHyun Hwang, (Dallas Central KUMC) SCJ Chair of Korean UMC Network
Kwanho Choi, (Korean Community Church of NJ) NEJ Chair of Korean UMC Network
YoungRae Yoo, (KUMC of Southern FL) SEJ Chair of Korean UMC Network
by Steve | May 4, 2021 | In the News
Attendees stand for singing and prayer at the Wesleyan Covenant Association’s Global Gathering, held at Frazer Memorial United Methodist Church in Montgomery, Ala. Photo by Sam Hodges, UM News.
By Sam Hodges —
The Wesleyan Covenant Association met in person and online April 30-May 1, continuing to plan for a new, traditionalist Methodist denomination and passing a resolution criticizing three United Methodist bishops for recent appointment-making decisions.
Many at the WCA’s fifth Global Gathering were clearly excited at the prospect of leaving the big tent of The United Methodist Church for a denomination they say will stress evangelism, scriptural authority, historic Methodist practices and a traditional understanding of marriage as between one man and one woman.
But the meeting, held at Frazer Memorial United Methodist Church in Montgomery, also had an air of frustration. COVID-19 has pushed back to 2022 the United Methodist General Conference at which a proposed separation will be considered.
“I get discouraged at times,” the Rev. Keith Boyette, WCA president, said during his May 1 address. “But I’ve learned God does amazing work while we’re waiting.”
The WCA formed in 2016, and while strongly aligned with older traditionalist groups in The United Methodist Church, such as Good News and the Confessing Movement, it has become the incubator for a planned new denomination recently given the name Global Methodist Church.
Boyette joined a diverse group of church leaders in negotiating the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace Through Separation, aimed at dealing with decades of division in The United Methodist Church over how accepting to be of homosexuality. Traditionalist churches would, under the proposal, be able to leave with their properties and form their own denomination, getting $25 million to start.
But the protocol was unveiled in January 2020, and General Conference has been rescheduled twice since then due to COVID-19, with the current dates set for Aug. 29-Sept. 6, 2022, in Minneapolis.
To read the entire UMNS report, click HERE
by Steve | Apr 30, 2021 | Magazine Articles, Uncategorized
Mt. Bethel
By Rob Renfroe —
A number of our larger, most healthy churches have recently been told that their senior pastor is being moved to another appointment, without consultation with the pastor or the congregation. One is Mt. Bethel in the North Georgia Annual Conference. It’s one of the ten largest churches in the denomination. The others are in the Greater New Jersey and the California-Pacific Annual Conferences.
Thus, they are in different regions of the country. One, Mt. Bethel, is predominantly white. The other four, one in New Jersey and three in California, are Korean. What do they have in common? They are all strongly traditional in their beliefs. They are all under the authority of a centrist to progressive bishop.
Something else they have in common is that none of these churches appreciate how they have been treated in the removal of their senior pastor. All United Methodist pastors serve at the pleasure of their bishop. All United Methodists churches know their bishop has the right to appoint whoever he or she believes is best for their church. But every church and every pastor, unless there is some moral failure, expects to be treated with common courtesy and respect in the process.
Some have condemned Mt. Bethel’s unwillingness to receive a new pastor. The expected liberal critics have blasted the church for wanting to be treated differently than other churches because of its size. But these critics are missing the point. Neither the pastor nor the church’s SPRC were consulted before the appointment was announced as required in The Book of Discipline. And though larger churches are not special or above the rules because of their size, replacing their senior pastor in a way that screams, “I am the bishop and I know what’s best for you,” is not smart, respectful, or helpful to the person who is taking over the removed pastor’s position.
The senior pastor at the church I serve announced his retirement this January. The Woodlands United Methodist Church, just north of Houston, is also one of the denomination’s largest. The process of appointing his successor began three years ago. The bishop and our SPRC worked closely and amicably together with the same goals – finding the right person for the position and conducting the process in a way that guaranteed the new pastor would be well-received by the congregation and begin his or her ministry with the greatest chance of success. Replacing the pastor of a large church does not require three years. But to be effective and healthy for the church, the process – well, first it must be a process, not a pronouncement from on high – needs to be open and collaborative.
A church does not need to be the size of The Woodlands or Mt. Bethel to know when its lay leadership and its congregation are being disrespected. And it is wise to be aware that if you appoint someone to be the senior pastor of a church without proper consultation, you are likely doing harm to that congregation.
Why three different bishops would show such little regard for thriving churches and their ministries is indeed puzzling. The five churches involved have either stated or have given reason to believe they will leave the Post-Separation United Methodist Church when the Protocol for Reconciliation and Grace through Separation is passed. It is easy to believe, possibly wrongly, that these disruptive appointments are punitive in nature – a way of insuring that these churches will not leave as whole and as healthy as they might have.
It’s also natural to wonder if removing beloved senior pastors is a strategic play for financial gain. If a bishop can make things so difficult for a traditional church that it decides to leave before the Protocol is passed, it will need to pay a high financial price for disaffiliation. In the case of Mt. Bethel it could be several millions of dollars. It makes sense. If a church leaves after the Protocol, it takes its property and its assets without any payment to the Post-Separation UM Church.
So, what does a bishop have to lose if she or he so offends a traditional congregation that it decides to leave early? It was departing anyway. Why not fill dwindling annual conference coffers with a costly disaffiliation exit fee? In fact, it might be considered a shrewd play. Turn up the heat until the church feels it must depart – either leaving its buildings and property behind or paying dearly for the privilege of taking what it has sacrificed to build over the decades.
Another possibility is that a bishop, by disrespecting a congregation, could hope to run off all of its strongly traditional members. Make them so upset that they decide to leave and form a new church. Those remaining would have decided they could live with such a bishop and the UM denomination he or she represents. They would also retain the rights to the property. Perhaps those who stay would vote to remain in the post-separation UM Church, the denomination that bishop represents, and bring their buildings and their assets with them.
It’s hard to believe that any representative of Christ, particularly bishops of The United Methodist Church, would be cynical and Machiavellian enough to play these games. Especially one who told the Washington Post after the 2019 General Conference, “If the Methodist church has to get leaner and nicer, I’m all for it. I’m tired of the meanness. I’m tired of the pettiness. I’m tired of the fighting to win at all costs.”
And one would think that, in this time when we have all become aware of how Asian Americans are often the victims of prejudice and mistreatment, bishops would be sensitive to the optics of how they treat predominantly Asian congregations and clergy.
But three different Annual Conferences. Three different centrist to progressive bishops. Five different traditional churches. One has to wonder what’s behind it. And where it will go next.
Rob Renfroe is a United Methodist clergyperson and the president and publisher of Good News.
by Steve | Apr 27, 2021 | In the News
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.
******
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.
