On August 11, both of our charge congregations voted unanimously to become a part of the South Georgia Conference of the Global Methodist Church. These votes authorized our church leadership to take the steps needed to join the new denomination upon the successful completion of the departure process from the United Methodist Church.

On August 17, the South Georgia Conference met in a special called session via Zoom to ratify the requests of churches for departure from the denomination. 106 churches, including Vienna and Shiloh, were approved for departure by an 80% majority vote. You can click here to read the conference report...

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On September 2, the Transitional Leadership Council of The Global Methodist Church officially approved our charge congregations as member congregations in the South Georgia Conference of the GMC, pending our completion of the departure process from the UMC. This marks the final official action needed for our churches to join this new denomination and to become a part of this new branch of the Methodist family. Our church leaders continue to work toward completion of the departure process which will include making the final payments to the South Georgia Conference of the UMC of our fees and for official walkthroughs with the district superintendent.

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On September 9, the Transitional Leadership Council of The Global Methodist Church officially approved our pastor as an ordained elder in the South Georgia Conference. This is the final step in the process of our pastor's clergy credentials and ordination status being fully recognized and will be effective retroactively to September 1.

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On September 9, the Vienna Methodist Church met our fundraising goal to pay our departure costs from the UMC, raising over $70,000 in just around a month. We are so grateful for the outpouring of generosity that has been represented in these gifts making it possible for us to complete the departure process.

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On September 16, the Vienna Methodist Church remitted our departure fees to the South Georgia Conference. We fulfilled our financial obligation to complete the departure process and have confirmed receipt of the funds.

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On September 19, the Vienna and Shiloh churches' representatives signed the closing statements. This completes all steps of the departure process.

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Affiliating with the Global Methodist Church will puts us back in connection with the already more than 150 churches who have united with the GMC who were formerly in our South Georgia UMC family. The number of GMC churches is likely to grow with a number of the 106 UMC churches exiting with us choosing to affiliate with the GMC. Here are some other ways the GMC will benefit us:

• Shiloh and Vienna can continue on a charge together, sharing a pastor under appointment by the GMC.

• The GMC contains the same historic articles of religion and doctrinal statements of the historic Methodist denominations and includes official affirmations of the Apostle’s Creed and the Nicene Creed.

• The GMC will not hold any interest in local church property.

• The GMC contains a similar local church governance structure to the UMC while aiming to have far less denominational bureaucracy, thereby leaving more dollars in the local church for ministry. The South Georgia Conference of the GMC is giving churches exiting the UMC a year waiver for any denominational giving to financially recover from the costs of exiting the UMC.

• The GMC is committed to loving and welcoming all people in the life and ministry of the church while maintaining traditional views on marriage and human sexuality.

• Click here to read more details about the Global Methodist Church beliefs and governance…

 

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by clicking here to visit the South Georgia Conference GMC site or the denominational site:

• South Georgia Conference of the GMC

• The Global Methodist Church

• The GMC General Conference - So the World Will Know

• The Transitional Book of Doctrine and Discipline

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