GC 2020 – The Plain Grace Plan’s Process of Joining a Full Communion Expression – Flow Chart

Frank Holbrook 3 GC 2020

Yesterday’s flow chart received favorable comments and many views.  Consequently, I’ll continue to help illustrate the Plain Grace Plan using this visual aid for now.

Today’s chart shows the process of annual conferences and local churches joining a Full Communion Expression (“FCE”).  The process occurs after the FCE has been created.  That was the subject of yesterday’s chart found here. Keep in mind that the first date to issue an invitation is approximately one month after the FCE’s Book of Discipline has been posted to the internet by the Council of Bishops.  Each FCE was required to provide the council with a PDF version of the Book of Discipline to minimize the council’s time and expense.  Making the Book of Discipline widely available is intended to insure that delegates to an annual conference receiving an invitation to join are given the opportunity to understand the FCE’s polity and doctrine.  Of course, FCEs are free to provide addtional information so the PDF posted to the internet is a minimum, it does not limit additional informational efforts by an FCE.  I assume any FCE would be using newsletters, e mails, social media and other methods to communicate with those interested in the FCE.

An annual conference that doesn’t receive an invitation won’t conduct a Special Called Conference.  FCEs, as “start ups”, must be able to decide where to use their organizing resources; they should not be required to attempt to have annual conferences join them if they believe there is no reasonable possibility that such an event may occur.  However, even if an annual conference doesn’t receive an invitation, the local churches within the annual conference will have an opportunity to join any FCE they discern as the right choice.

If an annual conference joins an FCE, it notifies the College of Bishops so its geographic territory may be reassigned.  This allows United Methodist Church churches who wish to remain in the denomination an annual conference with which to reaffiliate.  Since Bishops and clergy do not automatically join the new FCE, they are required to remain in place until the FCE replaces them.  Of course, in many instances the clergy will be issued an invitation to join the FCE and technically they may be their own replacement.

If an annual conference joins an FCE that is not favored by a local church, that local church may choose to join a different FCE.  This initial period is intended to allow local churches maximum freedom to make alignment decisions.

After April 30, 2023, there is a period where no additional movement will take place until 2026.  This gives the United Methodist Church’s 2024 General Conference an opportunity to act knowing the new  “shape” of the church.  Remember, that the 2024 GC will be acting on the proposed plans by the Commissions and Boards identified in ¶725.  Since all movement ceased in April 2023, the Commissions and Boards will be able to develop their plans with a better understanding of the church’s new direction.

Because of membership changes, GC 2024 may be substantially different in its outlook on polity and doctrine and may make significant changes to the United Methodist Church Book of Discipline.  Because of these possible changes, certain annual conferences and local churches may reconsider their initial decisions made in the 2022-23 time frame and decide to either join an FCE or reaffiliate with the potentially reimagined United Methodist Church during the two additional windows during 2026 and 2027.  Invitations made in those years would be addressed at a regularly meeting of the annual conference,  All movement is concluded by April 30, 2027.  This allows the determination of professing members in each FCE and the United Methodist Church so that those numbers may be used in the asset allocation that will take place in the 2029-30 time frame.

Although some have the initial impression that the PGP process is slow, all initial movement is concluded by April 30, 2023.  I believe that compares favorable with all other plans that I have seen proposed and is relatively quick while allowing a reasonable time for annual conferences and local churches to make informed decisions.

Hopefully, this flow chart and explanation helps the reader understand how the invitation for annual conferences and local churches works.

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