What's in the Disaffiliation Plans?

[Edit: It was announced this morning that both of these plans have currently been ruled unconstitutional by the Judicial Council.]

Disaffiliate (verb): to end an official connection

There are two disaffiliation plans on the table today: 1) Taylor and 2) Boyette. These are basically plans for churches that want to leave the UMC.

What is in these plans? As submitted, the plans included (quick summary):

Taylor Plan: Rationale - Creates a consistent process for local churches who desire to disaffiliate from the UMC over disagreements related to human sexuality to receive their property while reducing the impact on the annual conference by paying their portion of conference pension liabilities, and other financial considerations.

• Local church shall have limited right to disaffiliate from the denomination for reasons of conscience regarding a change in the Discipline
• Local church needs to make a decision by the end of 2023.
• Church council shall submit a request to the District Superintendent
• DS will appoint a task force to recommend whether the church will have a viable future within or outside the UMC
• DS shall call a church conference if church is found to have viable future
• DS shall recommend closure, if church is not found to have a viable future; if closed, all property of the local church shall remain with The United Methodist Church
• The church conference shall be held within 120 days from the DS requesting it
• Decision to disaffiliate must be approved by 2/3 majority vote of the professing members of the local church present at the church conference
• If church decides to disaffiliate, the terms and conditions for that disaffiliation shall be established by the resident bishop of the annual conference, with the advice of the cabinet, the annual conference treasurer, the annual conference benefits administrator, the director of connectional ministries, and the annual conference chancellor
• Agreement for disaffiliation will be made between annual conference and the trustees of the local church, acting on behalf of the members
• General Conference of Finance and Administration shall develop a standard form for disaffiliation agreements to protect the United Methodist Church
• Apportionments: local church shall pay any unpaid apportionments for the 12 months prior to disaffiliation, as well as an additional 12 months of apportionments
• Grants (this part was removed by legislative committee yesterday and will be voted upon by plenary today) - All grants received by the local church form the annual conference or its ancillary organizations within 5 years from the date of disaffiliation shall be repaid
• Property: church has right to retain its property. All costs for transfer of title or other legal work shall be borne by the church
• Pension: church shall contribute withdrawal liability in an amount equal to its pro rate share of any aggregate unfunded pension obligations to the annual conference
• Other: church shall assume all other debts, loans, and liabilities
• Payment: term of payment shall be specified in agreement between annual conference and local church and shall not exceed 10 years
• Disaffiliating church shall continue to share common religious bonds and convictions with the UMC based on shared Wesleyan theology and tradition and Methodist roots (unless church expressly resolves to the contrary). As such, church shall remain eligible to participate in voluntary employee benefit plans through the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits
• Once all obligations are fulfilled by local church, the UMC shall release any claims that it may have under the Discipline related to the Trust Clause (P2501)

Boyette Plan: Rationale - Churches should not be constrained to remain part of the UMC. A path must be created to disaffiliate without the loss of property and in a ministry-affirming way.

• Local church may surrender its charter based upon the church's declaration that it is in irreconcilable conflict for reasons of conscience with the doctrine or moral teachings and requirements of the Discipline, or with the way in which such requirements are being enforced
• Minimum of 30 days of study and discernment required
• 55% of church's professing members present and voting at a duly called church conference or 2/3 of members present and voting at a duly called charge conference
• Local church shall retain full rights to its property and funds
• Debts assumed by local church
• Church pays annual conference their proportionate share of the net unfunded pension liability
• Bishop, DS, annual conference board of trustees, and the appropriate individuals of the UMC shall facilitate the orderly and timely administration of this process, including holding such church or charge conference within 120 days of the date on which the local church's pastor or church council requests such action
• Deed - not subject to Trust Clause in favor the the UMC or the annual conference - shall be provided to church or its successor -