Last week, I began a series of newsletter articles addressing five reasons church consultant Thom Rainer suggests local churches are in decline and dying and what we can do to reverse the trend. It was my intent to continue that series this week. However, we learned this week that there is a matter that needs some significant clarification, so I am putting the previous series on hold for a week while we address the matter at hand.
As you know, Charge Conference was held this past Sunday at First United Methodist Church of Richardson. We met in a new format of a Combined Charge Conference in which we gathered with 24 other churches to approve our Charge Conference reports that are required each year. In order to expedite the report approval process so the local churches could gather to focus on our common ministry and mission, the Church Council of each local church was asked to pre-approve all reports so they could be submitted to the Metro District Office in advance. The reports of all 25 churches were then included in a consent agenda for us to approve in a single block. This allowed us to worship together, hear an address from Bishop Mike McKee, and see a presentation regarding the New Spaces for New Faces missional emphasis of the North Texas Conference.
I address this because there was a misunderstanding as to how the process would work. Having served for the past five years in the Northwest District, I and the church I served knew this year’s process to be the norm since it had been the process we followed with our Northwest District Office. I had no idea how different the process was this year from years past in the Metro District and was unaware there was a need to prepare everyone for how different the process was this year. Without that explanation, Charge Conference created confusion for many when we did not have our own break out session with our district superintendent to approve CHUMC’s reports.
Also, it was brought to my attention this week following Charge Conference that CHUMC has traditionally held a Church Conference including all the members where we review and discuss the reports before Charge Conference. This is a practice that is not prescribed by our United Methodist Book of Discipline although such Church Conferences are given as an option. It has not been the practice of other churches I have served, and I had not been informed this was CHUMC’s regular practice prior to Charge Conference so CHUMC’s usual Church Conference did not take place.
I offer my apologies for the oversight. For those who were unable to see our reports beforehand as you are used to and would like to review them after the fact, a copy will be available in the church office for you to review and, in 2020, we will be sure to schedule the Church Conference prior to our 2020 Combined Charge Conference for approval of our reports.
Grace and peace,
Rev. J.D. Allen
Comments are closed.