Dear Central Family, 

Most families come with a variety of ideas and perspectives. Our Central family is no different, yet we still have much that unites us. We all strive to follow Christ’s example. We all take the Bible to heart as the inspired word of God. We are all proud heirs of John Wesley. And we all love Central United Methodist Church. We must remember all that we share as we navigate uncharted territory for our denomination and our church. 

The passage of the Traditional Plan in 2019, which harshly reinforced the United Methodist Church’s long-controversial position on human sexuality, left a significant number in our own church family feeling hurt, excluded and concerned for the future of both the UMC and Central. As a few people reached out to a few more people, it quickly became clear that a larger discussion was needed not only to support one another but also to engage in loving dialogue with our fellow members. It is from those needs that UNITED for Central was formed. 

Our hopes are threefold: 

1. We pray for Central United Methodist Church to be a fully inclusive church that wholly welcomes and includes all, truly serving our unique mission field of Fayetteville. 

2. We intend for Central United Methodist Church to be attractive to newcomers for as long as we can imagine, thus multiplying disciples of Christ well into the future. 

3. We want to remain in the United Methodist Church and have the exclusionary language in the Book of Discipline removed because it forms a barrier to many who are seeking God’s love and His teachings. 

We believe these aspirations are merciful, grace-filled, and in line with Christ’s urgent calling to serve our neighbor. We ask you to prayerfully consider joining us as we engage our fellow members in respectful discussion about these matters. If you share in our vision, please send your name, email address and cell phone number to UNITEDforCentral@gmail.com. If you are unsure, have questions or would just like more information, please let us know that as well. One of us will be happy to visit with you. Finally, even if you do not share our vision for Central, please know that we come in Christian love as we move forward in these uncertain times. 

Your brothers and sisters in Christ, 

UNITED for Central

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ –

This holiday weekend we celebrated the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Fortified by faith, Dr. King demonstrated remarkable strength and endurance in seeking to break down unjust barriers in our society.  While venerated today, he was considered controversial by many during his lifetime.

The holiday provides an opportunity to take a step back and reflect on a major aspect of the discussion we are currently having at Central on whether to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church.  If we reach a church conference, to paraphrase, the ballot will state that those who vote to disaffiliate will seek to do so for reasons of conscience regarding the church’s stance on sexual orientation.  In essence, those seeking to leave the UMC want to preserve existing restrictions on full participation in the life of the church by those who are gay and lesbian – specifically, they want to maintain prohibitions on marriage and ordination for such individuals. 

United for Central believes we should fully welcome those who are gay and lesbian as a part of our faith community.  We believe this would place us more in line with one of Central’s “pillars,” to be “An Open and Friendly Church . . . where everyone who walks through our doors feels welcome and accepted.”  We understand that many who disagree with us have genuine empathy for members who are LGBTQ, and believe that being kind and worshipping together means being fully welcoming.  Such members don’t bear animosity to LGBTQ persons.  As it stands now, Central is more accepting of gay and lesbian members of our community than certain other churches -- so let’s acknowledge that. 

However, it is not being fully welcoming to say, you can gladly worship with us, you can even join as a member, but we will not recognize your ability to marry the person you love most in the world and whom you are committed to living the rest of your days with.  It is not being fully accepting to say, you can be a member of our community, but if you are called by God to serve as a pastor, preaching and sharing the Gospel with a yearning world, we will not allow you to be ordained as a recognized servant of the church. 

No matter how earnest or how kindly expressed, it is also not being fully welcoming to communicate through our programming for youth, directly or indirectly, that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian life.  Such a message can be truly devastating for young people who may already be facing alienation and uncertainty about how they fit in to society.  We can’t allow them to have a moment’s doubt whether they can be completely loved and accepted by our church as children of God and servants of Christ. 

We don’t seek to oversimplify complex issues regarding mental health and what ultimately leads to tragic consequences.  We also don’t seek to cast blame on anyone – we can’t emphasize that enough.  But recently Central lost a wonderful young man who was deeply committed to Christ, and loved our church, but was tormented by the thought that the way God had made him was incompatible with Christian life, a message that he grew up sadly perceiving in our church.  His perception was that he could either choose to honestly recognize and live out his sexual orientation, or he could be a good Christian and accepted by his church -- but not both. 

Ultimately, suffering from a deep depression, and with that tragic choice playing greatly into his thoughts, based on words he left behind, he chose to end his own life.  This young man’s family has invited United for Central to share their son’s story, not out of anger, but out of hope for a better future of other youth who may feel similarly conflicted.  Among other things, his mother states:

We are called to love first and leave the judgement to God.  Treat every single person as God’s child that is created equally in His eyes. . . . If you are treating anyone as “less than”, then you are not loving all as Jesus did.

Treating homosexuals as if they are less than equal by not allowing them the same rights in the church as anyone else tells them that they are not equal, that something is wrong with them, and leaves them feeling judged, hurt, marginalized.  In [our son’s] case, he was taught at church during very crucial formative years that something was wrong with him, causing him to feel unworthy of love and so broken that his life was not worth fighting for.  Is this what Christians are meant to do to one another?  Is this what Jesus would have done? 

Again, we want to recognize that many within Central, including some with a different view on the question of human sexuality, displayed love and kindness toward this young man and were heartsick when he died.  But United for Central is deeply committed to the proposition that no young person in our congregation should ever be subject to doubts about whether they are fully accepted and beloved, exactly as they are.

The implication for us is clear – we must say no to any path that would perpetuate restrictions that marginalize our fellow Christians who are gay and lesbian, some of whom have been part of our congregation for decades, living quiet lives of dignity, hoping and praying for a change.

We want to emphasize that it is not just the view of United for Central that it is time to reassess how we approach the emotional issue of sexual orientation, it is the view of, among others, former Bishop of Arkansas Richard Wilke, author of the Disciple Bible Study, Rev. Adam Hamilton, senior pastor of the Church of the Resurrection, and former Central senior pastor John Robbins.  We will continue to share resources that thoroughly address the scriptural and moral issues involved in this debate.  But for now we ask this: why is it that some insist on taking a literalist approach to the issue of sexual orientation when the church has rejected such an approach when it comes to such topics as slavery, divorce and remarriage, and the role of women in the church?  Why is this the ground on which to base severing our ties with our denomination? 

For those that may be unsure where they stand on the issue, if in doubt, shouldn’t we err on the side of mercy, avoiding harm to anyone in our faith community, and preserving bonds of connection?

And how does this all square with our community’s long tradition of welcoming the outsider?  Which brings us back to Dr. King and the movement that he helped inspire. 

Fayetteville was among the first in the South to publicly declare that African Americans were just as welcome to be a part of our public schools as whites.  Implementation of that decision was not swift or easy, but it happened.  Local leaders were at times vilified by those adamantly opposed to such a change, but they persevered.  Later, Central was ahead of neighboring congregations in welcoming African Americans as a part of our choir and as youth ministry leaders.  That’s our heritage, quietly leading in favor of grace and inclusion.  Staying true to that heritage means remaining as part of the United Methodist Church when our discernment process resumes.

We give thanks for all members of Central, and pray that those that may have different beliefs on these issues will understand that for those of us advocating to be a fully welcoming church, the issue is not abstract.  It is not about bowing to “the culture,” it is not about political correctness.  It is about real life. It’s about the infinite grace that Jesus taught all of us through his ministry and through his death and resurrection. 

We have in mind beloved family members – children, siblings, parents, aunts and uncles -- as well as dear friends, treasured co-workers, and longtime fellow members of our church.  When we speak of being fully welcoming, we have specific faces and names in mind.  We don’t want those folks to feel they are at the margins any longer. 

When we say, “you are welcome at Central,” we want that to mean, “you are welcome to fully participate in all aspects of our Christian life together.”  We believe that’s the best way to live out the boundless love of our Savior.

Yours in Christ,

UNITED for Central

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ –

Sometimes we get asked, if Central votes for disaffiliation, what would really change?
Here are at least ten things that would happen if we vote for disaffiliation and leave the United Methodist Church:

1. Central would turn its back on its long history as a moderate church that honors a range of theological perspectives, rooted in core Wesleyan beliefs, where traditionalists, centrists, and progressives worship, study, and serve together.  
    

2. Central risks becoming known as the local church that voted in favor of permanent restrictions on full participation by gay and lesbian Christians. The ballot expressly states that we would be leaving for reasons of conscience relating to the practice of homosexuality. This would become known as Central’s defining value – a sad legacy.  
    

3. Central would no longer be affiliated with life-changing UMC ministries such as the United Methodist Committee on Relief. 
    

4. Central would no longer be connected to over 500 United Methodist Churches in local communities across Arkansas, including peer churches similar to Central, and tens of thousands of UMC churches around the world. Hundreds of current members came to us looking for the flagship United Methodist Church in our community – that would never again happen.
    

5. Our church would immediately throw ourselves into a financial crisis, because hundreds of members, if not more, would likely reject this decision and be forced to leave.  To compound the issue, we would have to spend over a million dollars – money that we don’t have – in order to pay the costs of leaving. We may well have to begin discontinuing ministries and reducing paid staff. We are already seeing the early stages of financial instability as a result of the disaffiliation process.  
    

6. We would no longer be affiliated with important United Methodist institutions in Arkansas such as Hendrix College, Philander Smith, Camp Tanako, Mount Eagle, Camp Aldersgate, most campus Wesley Foundations, or with United Methodist seminaries that produce the next generation of pastors.
    

7. We would no longer have a Book of Discipline stating our core beliefs. We would no longer have a bishop and Central’s pastors would no longer be accountable to a higher supervisory authority beyond the church level. 
    

8. Our music ministry would likely become destabilized. It is likely that many musicians would no longer wish to perform at Central. 
    

9. We would be prohibited from using the Cross and Flame logo, one of the most successful and recognizable logos worldwide. Central would have to discard our United Methodist Hymnals, each of which has been dedicated to friends and loved ones, many of whom are long deceased.
    

10. We would have to tear down the sign on Dickson and replace it – with what?  We don’t know. 
     

The bottom line – disaffiliation makes no sense. It would be unwise, unjust, and harm our ability to carry out our charge to make disciples of Christ and serve our unique local mission field. Why in the world would we do this to ourselves?  

The United Methodist Church is not perfect, but with over 12 million members worldwide, and tens of thousands of churches in the U.S., it remains a force for good.  It’s still worth being a part of.  

Most of us want to end this season of division.  We don’t want to be a part of somebody else’s schism.  We want to get back to worshipping and serving with each other and making a difference in our community.  We want to make it clear that we truly welcome everyone, regardless of sexual orientation.  We want to keep our church united.  We want to stay rooted in the UMC. 

If you share these concerns – or even if you are uncertain and just want to avoid causing harm -- on January 8 we urge you to vote against calling a church conference for purposes of considering disaffiliation. 
 

Yours in Christ,

UNITED for Central
 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ –

As we begin this holy season of Advent, we give thanks for the opportunity to pray and prepare for the miracle of Christ’s arrival among us. This is also a time of anticipation about the future of our beloved Central United Methodist Church -- a time that is leaving many anxious, rather than comforted.

As we enter the closing weeks of the discernment process, we want to remind our fellow members of Central of these basics:

We hope and pray that, on Sunday, January 8, members of Central will vote against requesting a church conference to consider disaffiliation.

We want Central to stay in the United Methodist Church.
At our church, traditionalist, centrist, moderate, and progressive Christians worship and serve together – that’s worth preserving. 

We support Central being a fully welcoming church, regardless of sexual orientation.This means that, eventually, all of our sisters and brothers in Christ should be able to participate fully in the life of the church, including marriage and ordination. 

Being inclusive is the future and lets us truly serve our local mission field.
The United Methodist Church remains a vibrant, compelling denomination – the UMC is still right for Central based on its approach to theology and ministry, in connection with churches throughout the world. 

The Bible is God’s Holy Word – it is our sacred guide, informed by tradition, experience, and reason. 
We stand by the historic creeds such as the Apostles Creed.
 
If we stay in the UMC, we can continue to carry out all of Central’s missions and ministries from Good Sam to Community Meals to our children’s and youth ministries serving the Kingdom of God.  
Nearly 1000 members participated in the church survey this summer and made it clear there’s no consensus to leave the UMC. 
 
Most UMC pastors, bishops, and seminary faculty are doing a good job. The very few exceptions are outliers that don’t outweigh the good being done in local UMC churches globally. 
 
We don’t want to be an independent, non-denominational church or a Global Methodist church – we want to stay connected to the United Methodist Church. 
 
Bottom line: we need to continue forward as a United Methodist Church that emphasizes Jesus’s love, grace, and forgiveness.

We hope this clarifies the future we seek for Central. We hope you agree and will make your voice heard on January 8 and vote AGAINST moving this process forward. 

For more info about United for Central, please visit www.unitedforcentral.net. We’d love to add your name to our list of supporters. You can also find United forCentral on Facebook and Instagram.  
If you would like to help, please contact us at unitedforcentral@gmail.net.

Yours in Christ,
UNITED for Central
 

Things that make you go Hmmm:

If it has been known that all the UMC-supported seminaries have been bastions of progressive indoctrination for the past 50 years, why did so many now seeking disaffiliation choose to attend and graduate?

If it has been known that the UMC has been drifting for the past 50 years, why did all our clergy give vows to support it during their ordination?

If the UMC has become so theologically suspect, why do any of our pastors remain, and how did this happen when those now seeking disaffiliation were part of the majority of delegates at every General Conference since the beginning?

If the problems of the UMC have been well-documented for decades, why did this only become a major issue at CUMC under our most recent pastor?

If statistically divorce is a greater threat to traditional marriage than homosexuality, why haven’t those now favoring disaffiliation made an effort to enshrine in doctrine the commands by Jesus on this subject?

How do the excesses of one “drag queen” in Illinois, hoping to be ordained and whom we had never heard of, outweigh the lives and dedicated ministries of every UMC pastor in the Arkansas Conference?

If Paul issued ecclesiastical directives about women, and especially about leadership roles in the church, should these be enforced the same way as prohibitions on sexual orientation?

FOUR TRUTHS ABOUT THE DRIVE TO DISAFFILIATE

If you want truth to go round the world you must hire an express train to pull it; but if you want a lie to go round the world, it will fly; it is as light as a feather, and a breath will carry it. It is well said in the old Proverb, ‘A lie will go round the world while truth is pulling its boots on.’ Rev. C.H. Spurgeon, Joseph Attacked by the Archers, New Park Street Pulpit. Vol. 1 (April 1, 1855)

(1) The charge by some disaffiliation advocates that the UMC will change core tenets of the faith is an absolute lie.

This is an unconscionable, knowingly false scare tactic. Our shared core beliefs are immutably protected by our United Methodist Constitution, Section III, Article I: “The General Conference shall not revoke, alter, or change our Articles of Religion or establish any new standards or rules of doctrine contrary to our present existing and established standards of doctrine.”

Those promoting disaffiliation are not simply standing on what they believe, they are making assertions as to what UMC loyalists believe and don’t believe as well. In truth, everyone on either side knows we share in the core beliefs of the faith, but differ on this: the treatment of homosexuality and homosexuals.

(2) Other attacks on our denomination are calculated misdirections.

With ever greater regularity, other issues unrelated to the root issue of the treatment of homosexuality and homosexuals are being touted as compelling reasons, in and of themselves, to abandon, if not destroy, the UMC.

These misleading allegations include frenzied claims of a suffocating church bureaucracy, burdening apportionments, and lately, Godless UMC-supported seminaries. Just like the “lack of spirituality” claims that came a century and a half ago, these are intended to mask the discomfort of disaffiliation advocates in addressing the real seminal issue.

As for our seminaries, there are 13 seminaries supported by the UMC and another 41 that are approved for those seeking ordination in the UMC, including Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky, Asbury Theological Seminary in Florida, and the Asbury Theological Seminary Extended Learning Program. At UMC-supported seminaries, students seeking ordination in the UMC must complete a specified Methodist course of study. Other seminary students can pursue courses of study for pastoral roles in other faiths, denominations, or the US military, or for general theological knowledge.

With UMC support at the 13 UMC-supported seminaries accounting for only a fraction of the operating expenses for these institutions, it should not be surprising that these graduate schools offer many other fields of study and often offer tracks to ordination for denominations other than United Methodist. Living in a college town we understand this. The Graduate School of the University of Arkansas offers 130 diverse graduate degree programs.

Oft-cited Duke Divinity School has students representing 30 different denominations. Even Asbury boasts that it has students representing 80 different denominations and that one can even specialize in Anglican (Episcopal) Studies. Be careful about stories that purposely conflate unrelated occurrences like student comments, or small student-led worship activity, or the beliefs of an administrative staff member, with official positions of any of these schools, Methodist courses of study, or the theological soundness of any graduate seeking ordination as a UMC pastor.

Likewise, when getting information on any specific faculty member, check what role they play at the school or courses they teach, or most importantly, whether they are associated with Methodist instruction.

Our own traditionalist Bishop Gary Mueller was a student at two United Methodist-supported seminaries targeted by our traditionalist friends – Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado, and Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.  And Pastor Emeritus Jack Wilson is a graduate of St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City.

The bottom line is that all of this is simply a red herring to deflect from the core issue. If an issue exists regarding denominational bureaucracy, fix it. If another issue exists about the level of apportionments, fix it. And, if yet another issue exists about protecting Methodist instruction at our seminaries, fix it.

Traditionalists have controlled General Conference from the beginning, including up through the last one in 2019. Effecting change is, and always has been, within their power. If the system is truly broken, then who is responsible? Nothing is beyond reform. 

(3)  In real life here in Arkansas, nobody has ever met a member of the UMC clergy who holds the wildly unorthodox spiritual tenets that disaffiliation advocates continually warn us about.

People at Central UMC didn’t just wake up one day in a dither about questionable statements by a handful of students at UMC-supported seminaries or the fate of a drag queen ordination candidate in Indiana. Our members have been led to the trough. Every such assertion has been gleaned from the internet, and almost universally from the same sources. In fact, an entire industry has sprung up to fuel and cheer schism.  

Importantly, the one thing missing in all these assertions – THEY ARE NOT LOCAL. They aren’t situations we in Arkansas would encounter as we go about our lives. What UMC pastor in Arkansas is preaching heresy? What UMC pastor in Arkansas was corrupted by a Godless seminary? What UMC church in Arkansas would put your salvation at risk? List them, please.

(4) Members at Central UMC are not to blame.

The faith community at Central UMC did not start this divisive debate; it was imposed on us. And now the overwhelming bulk of the membership is just trying to figure out what is going on, why it is happening, what to believe, and what it means for them and their families.

The bottom line is this: we can best honor our Wesleyan heritage by recognizing these four truths and reaffirming our deep connection to the UMC, not by casting all that aside.  Principled discussion across the theological spectrum, from traditionalists to moderates, from Centrists to progressives, is to be honored, but cynical distortion to distract and drive apart our denomination is not.           

We hope that you are looking for the truth. If you would like more information, please contact us at unitedforcentral@gmail.com.

Our Vows

“When you make a vow to the Lord your God you must not delay in fulfilling it, for otherwise he will surely hold you accountable as a sinner. If you refrain from making a vow, it will not be sinful. Whatever you vow, you must be careful to do what you have promised, such as what you have vowed to the Lord your God as a freewill offering.”    Deuteronomy 23:21-23

“It is a snare for a person to rashly cry, “Holy!” and only afterward to consider what he has vowed.”    Proverbs 20:25 

At the first Discernment meeting concerning disaffiliation, the pastors were each given the opportunity to share their personal recommendation. Each favored disaffiliation by CUMC from the United Methodist Church. It should be noted that there is no linkage between a pastor disaffiliating and the process of a church disaffiliating under ¶2553 of the Book of Discipline. A pastor can disaffiliate at any time by surrendering their credentials, and immediately should, especially if they are truly deeply convicted, as asserted by one, that the entire denomination is raising the “banner of cultural relevancy slightly higher the cross.”

Each pastor is guided by their own conscience and sense of personal ethics. However, to actively advocate and organize for our church to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church, while continuing to serve as paid ordained clergy in the Arkansas Conference of the UMC, does seem incompatible with the ordination vows taken by every pastor to be loyal to the United Methodist Church. Additionally, how can an oath to defend the UMC “against all doctrines contrary to God’s Holy Word” be fulfilled by abandoning the UMC? And finally, how can a pastor honor a vow committing themselves “to be accountable with those serving with you, and to the bishop and those who are appointed to supervise your ministry” if one actively advocates to become independent of this very authority?

It is immensely ironic that a principal rationale for the pastors taking actions seemingly incompatible with the vows they took at their ordination is the charge that other clergy within the denomination have broken their ordination vows and have not been sufficiently held to account. To add to the incongruity of the situation, the pastors also have been asked to provide a justification for professing members to disregard the members’ vows “(t)o be loyal to Christ through The United Methodist Church and do all in their power to strengthen its ministries,” even though the current Book of Discipline contains the very language the pastors support. If vows have become merely circumstantial or situational, how does this align with the recent sermon series on the immutability of sacred truth?

Perhaps we should all be reminded of our vows (especially the provisions in red) 

Book of Discipline: ¶217. Membership Vows

The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church - 2016 (as amended)  

When persons unite as professing members with a local United Methodist church, they profess their faith in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; in Jesus Christ his only Son; and in the Holy Spirit. Thus, they make known their desire to live their daily lives as disciples of Jesus Christ. They covenant together with God and with the members of the local church to keep the vows which are a part of the order of confirmation and reception into the Church:

•             To renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil powers of the world, and repent of their sin;

•        To accept the freedom and power God gives them to resist evil, injustice, and oppression;

•             To confess Jesus Christ as Savior, put their whole trust in his grace, and promise to serve him as their Lord;

•             To remain faithful members of Christ’s holy church and serve as Christ’s representatives in the world;

•             To be loyal to Christ through The United Methodist Church and do all in their power to strengthen its

  ministries;

•             To faithfully participate in its ministries by their prayers, their presence, their gifts, their service, and their

  witness; and

•             To receive and profess the Christian faith as contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.

Services for the Ordering of Ministry in The United Methodist Church

The General Examination

The bishop examines the candidates for commissioning, ordination, and recognition:

My sisters and brothers in Christ, you have been called to an ordained, commissioned, or recognized status in set apart ministry. The church now confirms your calling. As ordained or commissioned ministers and associate members, you are to be coworkers with all the people of God: with laity, bishops, elders, deacons, local pastors, provisional members, diaconal ministers, deaconesses, home missioners, supply pastors, with all who serve God in the Church.

Remember you are called to serve rather than to be served, to proclaim the faith of the church and no other, to look after the concerns of God above all.

So we may know you believe yourselves to be called by God and that you profess the Christian faith, we ask you:

•              Do you believe that God has called you to the life and work of ordained or licensed ministry?

I do so believe.

•              Do you believe in the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and

  Savior? 

I do so believe and confess.

•              Are you persuaded that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments contain all things necessary for

  salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and are the unique and authoritative standard for the church’s

  faith and life? 

I am so persuaded, by God’s grace.

•              Will you be faithful in prayer, in the study of the Holy Scriptures, and with the help of the Holy Spirit

  continually rekindle the gift of God that is in you?

I will, with the help of God.

•              Will you do your best to pattern your life in accordance with the teachings of Christ?

I will, with the help of God.

•              Will you, in the exercise of your ministry, lead the people of God to faith in Jesus Christ, to participate in

  the life and work of the community, and to seek peace, justice, and freedom for all people?

I will, with the help of God.

•               Will you be loyal to The United Methodist Church, accepting and upholding its order, liturgy, doctrine, and

  discipline, defending it against all doctrines contrary to God’s Holy Word, and committing yourself to be

  accountable with those serving with you, and to the bishop and those who are appointed to supervise

  your ministry?

  I will, with the help of God.

•               Will you, for the sake of the church’s life and mission, covenant to participate in the life of the order,

  [fellowship, or membership] into which you are ordained, commissioned, received, or recognized? Will

  you give yourself to God through the order [or fellowship] in order to sustain and build each other up in

  prayer, study, worship and service under the rule of life set forth in the vows you take this day?

I will, with the help of God.

May God, who has given you the will to do these things, give you grace to perform them, that the work begun in you may be brought to perfection.

Made with words, a vow is a voluntary, explicit promise that creates both a sacred relationship and a paramount commitment to fulfill it, both now and in the future. Like a wedding vow, a vow by clergy and professing member alike is life-long, not subject to current or future whims. As Christians and United Methodists, we are called upon to remain steadfast in our sacred vow, knowing that our church is not “broken” even if some are dedicated to claiming it so.

The Arkansas UMC is NOT Broken…

The Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church does not have an accountability problem. Those claiming “brokenness” repeatedly cite the same few fringe examples. None of those examples are in Arkansas, and our conference leadership has been steadfast in its upholding of the Book of Discipline.

What our conference DOES have is both a vast majority of churches staying put and an ongoing tradition of good works right here in Arkansas. 

With well over 80% of churches in the Arkansas Conference choosing not to even enter the discernment process, we remain a strong connectional force for good throughout the state. You can read more about our faithful local generosity below.

United For Central is proud of the United Methodist Church and wants to continue to be a key part of its contributions here in Arkansas as well as around the world. 

UMC at Work in Arkansas

1.  Camp Aldersgate:  Camp Aldersgate in Little Rock (Pulaski County) is Arkansas’s only non-profit organization dedicated to serving children with disabilities, youths, and senior citizens in a camp environment.  Seeing a need for social change and racial harmony, a group of women of the Little Rock Methodist Council requested a grant of $25,000 from the Women’s Division of the General Board of Global Ministries of the Methodist Church in 1946. 

The camp was one of the first integrated facilities in the United States, and resentment against Camp Aldersgate developed because of the camp’s active role in promoting racial integration. Following the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, KansasSupreme Court decision, the camp became an important location for interracial groups to meet to discuss the ruling and how they might bring about peaceful school integration in Arkansas. During the desegregation of Central High School in 1957, Camp Aldersgate was one of only a few places where leaders, parents, and students of both races could meet to try to resolve the situation.

2. Philander Smith College:  As a United Methodist Church affiliated institution, the heritage of Philander Smith College is deeply rooted in faith. Philander Smith College’s mission statement echoes its first mission by The Methodist Church to provide an education during “conflict and social change,” by educating current students to become “advocates for social justice.” The mission statement also inter-relates the current mission of The United Methodist Church by charging Philander Smith College students to “change the world for the better.” 

Mission:  "The College's mission is to graduate academically accomplished students, grounded as advocates for social justice, determined to change the world for the better."

3. 200,000 More Reasons:  200,000 Reasons to fight childhood hunger is an initiative of the Arkansas Conference through which we work to have 100 percent of Arkansas United Methodist Churches to significantly reduce childhood hunger through feeding ministries, public witness, and education for long-term stability. 

4. Ozark Mission Project:  Ozark Mission Project (OMP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit mission that serves across the state of Arkansas. We have been transforming lives and legacies through building projects for 36 years. Our largest program, summer missions, aims to organize youth and community groups to engage in Arkansas communities by serving individuals and families, our neighbors, who are in need of minor construction and yard work. In addition to the physical service projects, we strive to meet social and emotional needs by spending part of our time visiting, sharing lunch and, if the neighbor so chooses, a devotional. We do not discriminate in the selection of our neighbors.

5. Camp Tanako: The mission of Camp Tanako is to welcome children, youth, and adults to a place set apart where they can grow in their faith by experiencing God through nature and spending time in community and respond to the call of the Holy Spirit.

6.  Mt. Eagle Retreat Center:  Our mission is to provide Christian hospitality and opportunities for Holy listening. Their mission is to provide Christian hospitality and opportunities for holy listening.

7.  Wesley Foundation: A Wesley Foundation is a United Methodist campus ministry sponsored in full or in part by the United Methodist Church on a non-church owned and operated campus. Wesley Foundations claim ancestry in the founding "Holy Club" of the Methodist movement, a group of students at Oxford University guided by Wesley in "methodical"  study, prayer, and self-discipline. Today a Wesley Foundation is the presence of the United Methodist Church on or near, and in service to, a state-run, non-church affiliated college or university.  The following colleges and universities in Arkansas have campus ministries:

University of Arkansas:  Fayetteville, Little Rock, Monticello, Pine Bluff.  

University of Central Arkansas

Hendrix College

Philander Smith

8.  Methodist Family Health:  Methodist Family Health is a complete continuum of care for Arkansas children who are abandoned, abused, neglected and struggling with psychiatric, behavioral, emotional and spiritual issues.

We provide a range of treatment and therapy options for our patients and their families, such as:

·       Methodist Behavioral Hospital (inpatient)

·       Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities (PRTFs)(inpatient)

·       Qualified Residential Treatment Programs (QRTPs or group homes) (inpatient)

·       Arkansas Center for Addictions Research, Education and Services (Arkansas CARES) (inpatient)

·       Day Treatment School (outpatient)

·       Counseling (outpatient)

·       Kaleidoscope Grief Center (outpatient)

The UMC is NOT Broken…

Despite the false narrative that the United Methodist Church is completely broken & everyone is leaving, the UMC continues to do so much good, and most congregations are staying put.

We embrace Jesus' mandate to love God and to love our neighbor and to make disciples of all peoples. United Methodists are active in our local communities and strive to make the world a better place for all people. With more than 12 million members across the globe, we bring our unique talents, diversity and commitment to work for global health, education, creation care, child welfare, disaster recovery and countless other efforts.

United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) enjoys the highest possible ranking from charity evaluators for its work "To provide immediate relief of acute human need and to respond to the suffering of persons in the world caused by natural, ecological, political turmoil, and civil disaster."

The vast majority of UMC churches are staying UMC. In the Arkansas Conference, approximately 16% of churches are in or have completed the discernment process. Conversely, well over 80% have not chosen to enter that process.

United for Central believes staying UMC is the best way for Central to continue serving as the hands and heart of Christ locally and around the world.

Characteristics of the United Methodist Church

•The United Methodist Church has a long history of advocating for social justice. The early Methodists expressed their opposition to societal ills such as slavery, smuggling, inhumane prison conditions, alcohol abuse, and child labor. Today United Methodists work, march and pray for racial justice, environmental care, and fair treatment for everyone.

•Social Principles of the UMC A handbook of Methodist positions based on scripture: access to health care, capital punishment, immigration, racism, etc.

•United Women in Faith is the largest faith-based organization for women in the world with a membership of over 800,000.

•UMCOR (United Methodist Commission on Relief) our disaster relief fund which rivals the Red Cross. We have already contributed over $5 million to the war effort in Ukraine.

•We believe the Apostle’s Creed

•We believe in making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. United Methodists are disciples of Jesus Christ who continue to heed the lessons John Wesley taught his followers: to live lovingly and justly as servants of Christ by healing the sick, feeding the hungry, caring for the stranger, freeing the oppressed; being a compassionate presence, and working to develop social structures that are consistent with the gospel.

•The Wesleyan Quadrilateral It places scripture as primary (prima scriptura) but also values tradition, reason, and experience (though secondary) used simultaneously in matters relating to interpretation and faith.

•Itinerancy refers specifically to the commitment by pastors to go and serve wherever their bishops send them.

•The UMC/Episcopal Church prides itself as being focused on community centered upon Christ while maintaining unity in diversity. WE are dedicated to open minds, open hearts, and open doors.

•Worldwide the UMC is approximately 12 million with over 6.2 million in the USA.

•Because we care about the well-being of all people health is a major focus of the work of The United Methodist Church. Together, we combat diseases of poverty such as malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis; we provide health education, advocacy and infrastructure; and we continue our more than 160-year history of being a key provider of healthcare through the hospitals, clinics and mission centers we have operated across Africa. Through its Abundant Health initiative, now the church has achieved its goal to reach 1 million children with lifesaving and health-promoting measures by 2020.

•There are 30,000+ UMC congregations in the USA.

•The United Methodist Church does not have a central headquarters or a single executive leader. Duties are divided among bodies that include the General Conference, the Council of Bishops and the Judicial Council. 

 Facts about the United Methodist Denomination

U.S membership: +6.2M

Average Attendance:  1,767, 681

Professions of Faith 2020: 17,698

Baptized:  25,628

Active Churches:  30,543

Clergy membership:  38,308

(above information comprise 54 annual conferences and 5 jurisdictions)

Bishops: 46

In the Arkansas Conference

Membership: 117,440

Average Attendance:  43,765

Churches:  612

Professions of Faith:  297

Largest Protestant Denomination Worldwide:  12,000,000

 13 United Methodist Seminaries

100+ Colleges and Universities:  Emory, Duke, Southern Methodist, Hendrix

 360 + Schools and educational institutions in other countries

 Boards and Commissions

Discipleship Ministries                                              Nashville, TN

General Board of Church and Society                     Washington DC         

General Board of Global Ministries                          Atlanta, GA

General Commission on Religion and Race            Washington, DC

General Board of Higher Education & Ministry       Nashville, TN

United Methodist Committee on Relief                   Atlanta, GA

General Commission on Status & Role of Women   Washington, DC

General Commission on United Methodist Men     Nashville, TN            

United Women in Faith (formerly UMW)                  New York, New York

United Methodist Publishing House                        Nashville, TN

United Methodist Volunteers in Ministry

            400+ international projects

            100,000 volunteers

The United Methodist Church is in mission in more than 130 countries.

United Methodist-related community centers and other national mission institutions in 35 of the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands

Health and Welfare

The health and welfare ministries related to The United Methodist Church serve more than 32 million people in 1,555 locations across the United States and provide more than $2 billion in charity care annually.

Beliefs

 • The United Methodist Church seeks to create disciples for Christ through outreach, evangelism, and through seeking holiness, also called sanctification, by the power of the Holy Spirit

 •  Belief in the Apostle’s Creed and the Nicene Creed.. The United Methodist Church seeks to create disciples for Christthrough outreach, evangelism, and through seeking holiness, also called sanctification, by the power of the Holy Spirit

Doctrine

The officially established Doctrinal Standards of United Methodism are:

• The Articles of Religion of the Methodist Church;

• The Confessions of Faith of the Evangelical United Brethren Church;

• The General Rules of the Methodist Societies;

• The Standard Sermons of John Wesley;

• John Wesley's Explanatory Notes on the New Testament.

These Doctrinal Standards are constitutionally protected and nearly impossible to change or remove. Other doctrines of the United Methodist Church are found in the Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church.

Summary of basic beliefs

The basic beliefs of the United Methodist Church include:

• Triune God. God is one God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

• The Bible. The Bible is the inspired word of God. United Methodists take seriously both the original inspiration and today's contemporary inspiration. "...In this way, the Bible itself becomes the balancing, clarifying, even correcting tool for understanding the Scripture.

• Sin. While human beings were intended to bear the image of God, all humans are sinners for whom that image is distorted. Sin estranges people from God and corrupts human nature such that we cannot heal or save ourselves.

• Salvation through Jesus Christ. God's redeeming love is active to save sinners through Jesus' incarnate life and teachings, through his atoning death, his resurrection, his sovereign presence through history, and his promised return.

• Sanctification. The grace of sanctification draws one toward the gift of Christian perfection, which Wesley described as a heart "habitually filled with the love of God and neighbor" and as "having the mind of Christ and walking as he walked." This emphasis in Methodism has led to the heralding of the motto "Holiness unto the Lord".

• Sacraments United Methodists recognize two sacraments: Holy Baptism and Holy Communion.

• Other rites such as Confirmation, Ordination, Holy Matrimony, Funerals, and

• In Holy Baptism, the Church believes that "Baptism is not only a sign of profession and mark of difference whereby Christians are distinguished from others that are not baptized; but it is also a sign of regeneration or the new birth. It believes that Baptism is a sacrament in which God initiates a covenant with individuals, people become a part of the Church, is not to be repeated, and is a means of grace. The United Methodist Church generally practices Baptism by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion and uses the Trinitarian formula. United Methodists also recognize as valid baptisms performed in several other Christian denominations.

• The Church practices and encourages infant baptism; when persons baptized as infants mature, they may confirm (or reject) the baptismal vows made on their behalf as infants by families, guardians, and congregations through a process of Christian education called Confirmation.

• The United Methodist Church affirms the real presence of Christ in Holy Communion, but does not hold to the Catholic dogma of transubstantiation. The Church believes that the bread is an effectual sign of His body crucified on the cross and the cup is an effectual sign of His blood shed for humanity. Through the outward and visible signs of bread and wine, the inward and spiritual reality of the Body and Blood of Christ are offered to believers. The Church holds that the celebration of the Eucharist is an anamnesis of Jesus' death, and believes the sacrament to be a means of grace, and practices open communion.

• Free will The UMC believes that people, while corrupted by sin, are free to make their own choices because of God's divine grace enabling them, and that people are truly accountable before God for their choices.

• Social Justice The Church opposes evils such as slavery, inhumane prison conditions, capital punishment, economic injustice, child labor, racism, and inequality.

The Social Creed originated to express Methodism's outrage over the miserable lives of the millions of workers in factories, mines, mills, tenements and company towns.It was adopted by the Methodist Episcopal Church, the first denomination in Christendom to adopt an official Social Creed. As a part of United Methodist social principles, United Methodist congregations are encouraged to regularly reflect upon the creed and use it in worship services.

Social Creed

We believe in God, Creator of the world; and in Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of creation. We believe in the Holy Spirit, through whom we acknowledge God’s gifts, and we repent of our sin in misusing these gifts to idolatrous ends.

We affirm the natural world as God's handiwork and dedicate ourselves to its preservation, enhancement, and faithful use by humankind.

We joyfully receive for ourselves and others the blessings of community, sexuality, marriage, and the family.

We commit ourselves to the rights of men, women, children, youth, young adults, the aging, and people with disabilities; to improvement of the quality of life; and to the rights and dignity of all persons.

We believe in the right and duty of persons to work for the glory of God and the good of themselves and others and in the protection of their welfare in so doing; in the rights to property as a trust from God, collective bargaining, and responsible consumption; and in the elimination of economic and social distress.

We dedicate ourselves to peace throughout the world, to the rule of justice and law among nations, and to individual freedom for all people of the world.

We believe in the present and final triumph of God’s Word in human affairs and gladly accept our commission to manifest the life of the gospel in the world. Amen.

…The Rest of the Story 

Our friends and fellow parishioners in Central Wesleyans recently shared that “Central has not always been a United Methodist congregation but we have always been a Methodist congregation.” This is a true statement, but as the late, great Paul Harvey used to say, “In a moment…the rest of the story.”

Begun as an American denomination in 1784 at the conclusion of the American Revolution when all clergy of the Church of England had left for their mother country, the Methodist Episcopal Church, our forebear, became the first truly national American denomination and grew to such importance that President Lincoln, in responding to the May 1864 Methodist Episcopal General Conference salutation wrote” “Nobly sustained as the government has been by all the Churches, I would utter nothing which might in the least appear invidious against any. Yet without this it may fairly be said that the Methodist Episcopal Church, not less devoted than the best, is, by its greater numbers, the most important of all...”

Our church began as a house church in 1832 pastored by Methodist Episcopal circuit riders as part of the tremendous growth of Methodism during the 2nd Great Awakening in America. Sadly, the Methodist Episcopal Church also suffered schism during this period. African American churchmen left in 1816 due to growing segregation in the denomination, and nearly 20% of the membership left in 1830 when the Methodist Protestant Church was formed by congregations who rejected episcopal oversight and desired a “republican” church-led form of governance.

Yet, the split of the Methodist Episcopal Church over the question of Biblical authority for slavery in 1844 was the most seismic. The schism of the Methodist Episcopal Church made headlines in every paper in the country. Historians have noted that this very public split of the largest and only national denomination in the country proved that division by region was a feasible option and was a major precursor to the later secessionist movement for “Southern rights” and eventually the American Civil War.

It is not our finest moment that Central joined fellow Arkansas Methodists and split from the ME Church following formation of the new Methodist Episcopal Church, South in 1845. Full-throated in support of the Biblical authority for slavery and the “divine economy” it provided, the conclusion of the Civil War left the ME Church, South in a moral, religious, and legal quandary. Facing questions about its future, some ME South pastors met in Palmyra, Missouri and adopted a manifesto saying that slavery was not the main reason for splitting, it was only the presenting issue. The primary reason was the lack of “spirituality” in the northern churches. This manifesto swept the devastated south, and almost immediately Baptist and Presbyterian congregants who had also split north and south adopted the same lack of spirituality rationale for their previous schisms. Thus, born in shame, the ME South continued under the cloak of a professed greater loyalty to a purposely ill-defined Biblical authority.

By 1876 however, there were concerted efforts to reunify the denominations. Pride and battles over the question of race (the ME churches in the south were mostly African American) prevented merger until 1939, and even then, the stain of institutionalized racism was not erased. Nonetheless, Central, a ME South church for 94 years, proudly joined the new Methodist Church along with ME Church, ME Church South, and Methodist Protestant Church congregations across the country.

This “coming home” of Methodist/Wesleyan denominations continued in 1968 with the merger of The Methodist Church and our historically German-speaking Wesleyan cousins, the Evangelical United Brethren. Now, the Cross and the Flame graced the new Central United Methodist Church. The EUB had kept closely to the Wesleyan ethic and never had to deal with the stain of institutionalized racism. They challenged the conscience of the combined body and are credited with forcing the end of formal racial segregation within the new denomination. By 1972, the last racially segregated conference was dissolved. Yet, ironically, 1972 also ushered in the new issues around homosexuality. It has proven to be a difficult cultural struggle, but we have overcome others.  

The growing unity of our now United Methodist Church is woven within my family story. My mother was baptized into the ME South. My dad was ME. They married in The Methodist Church. I was baptized into The Methodist Church and confirmed at the exact dawning of The United Methodist Church. My wife, Barbara, whose personal and family paths are similar to mine, and I were married in The United Methodist Church by a former Methodist Protestant Church pastor whose sister was also an ordained MPC pastor and the first “grandmothered” into the Arkansas Conference before The Methodist Church allowed full clergy rights for women pastors in 1956, the year I was born. Our girls were baptized in The United Methodist Church, and Barbara and I had the greatest honor of our lives in helping to lead nearly 600 confirmands at Central UMC learn about our faith and our church and give their vows to “To be loyal to Christ through The United Methodist Church and do all in their power to strengthen its ministries.”

In the present struggle, I vote for unity. I vote for avoiding mistakes of the past. And, I vote to be a fully Biblical, fully Wesleyan Central United Methodist Church that stays in the UMC. Since I began with Paul Harvey, I’ll take the liberty to close with a warning from Mr. Harvey: “We’ve drifted away from being fishers of men to being keepers of the aquarium.” Let’s end this divisive debate and unite together in our common call to “make disciples of all nations.”

Chuck Culver
September 22, 2022

Information has been released about the discernment process for Central:


• Listening Session I will be held on Thursday evening, October 13, at 6:30 p.m. in the Activities Center and will be led by Arkansas Conference Bishop Gary Mueller. At this opening session, Bishop Mueller will provide a full overview of the process, an opportunity for question and answer, and a time of discussion.

• Listening Session II will be held on Sunday afternoon, November 13 at 3:00 p.m. It will be led by Church Council chair, Sally Davis. Its primary focus will be hearing from outside speakers who will be sharing different perspectives; one on reasons to stay in the UMC, and one on reasons to leave the UMC. This will be followed by a time of Q&A and comments.


• Listening Session III will be held on Sunday afternoon, January 8 at 3:00 p.m. It will be led by Central member and Church Council Parliamentarian, Chuck Culver. Its primary focus will be to have a time of general questions and answers followed by a comment period. Then, those in attendance will be given the opportunity to participate in a “straw poll” vote whether to request the District Superintendent to call a Church Conference. This conference would move forward with the church membership voting on whether to authorize the church to enter into a disaffiliation agreement with the Arkansas Conference UMC. A simple majority is the threshold for the vote in the straw poll. If a simple majority is not received, the discernment process will stop, and Central United Methodist Church will continue to be Central United Methodist Church.

Watch the Conversation with Adam Hamilton…

United for Central and Arkansans Staying United present

A Conversation with Reverend Adam Hamilton:
A Future with Hope for the United Methodist Church
Saturday, September 24, 2022
Fayetteville Public Library 
10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
 
In this 90-minute session Adam Hamilton, senior pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Kansas City, will discuss the future of the United Methodist Church. What’s likely to happen in the years ahead after GMC churches leave? Is there room for traditionalists and moderates in the UMC? What will and won’t change in the Book of Discipline? But he’ll also be talking about what’s compelling about the United Methodist Church and reasons a congregation might want to remain in the UMC.
 
Hamilton pastors the largest United Methodist Church in the US, a church whose focus is on reaching non-religious and nominally religious people and helping them to become deeply committed Christians. He’s authored 35 books that have sold more than two million copies. And he loves Arkansas!

Registration is limited. Click the link below to reserve your tickets.
 
ADAM HAMILTON EVENT

United Methodist clergy under appointment or retired are invited to lunch with Pastor Hamilton immediately following the event. For further information about this private lunch, please click here 
  

The best place to get answers about the UMC is from the UMC…

With some congregations considering leaving The United Methodist Church or just wondering about its future, Ask The UMC offers a series of questions and answers to help clear up some common misperceptions or misinformation around disaffiliation. If you have questions, as most of us do, this is a great resource.

• Link HERE to Part One

• Link HERE to Part Two

• Link HERE to Part Three

Why Pausing Now Makes Sense…

Dear Fellow Members of Central:
 
On behalf of the nearly 350 supporters of United for Central, we wanted to explain why we raised concerns with the disaffiliation resolution passed on August 10 by Central’s Church Council. Those concerns, in part, led Bishop Mueller to withdraw certification of the Church Council’s request for disaffiliation (SEE HERE.) This is not just a technical issue, but an issue of fundamental fairness to all those who intentionally joined the United Methodist Church and want to remain.

Paragraph 2553 of the UMC Book of Discipline was created as a pathway for leaving for churches where there’s a consensus that disagrees with “a change in the requirements and provisions of the Book of Discipline related to the practice of homosexuality or the ordination or marriage of self-avowed practicing homosexuals as resolved and adopted by the 2019 General Conference.”

¶2553 was never intended to be used by traditionalists that agreed with the Book of Discipline language, unless their annual conference took an action contrary to the sexual orientation provisions (which the Arkansas Conference, under Bishop Mueller’s leadership, has not done).
The reasons that have been given in support of Central leaving the UMC are not valid under ¶2553. The Arkansas Conference as a body adopted principles (SEE HERE) which make it clear that one of the two permissible reasons offered by a church for disaffiliation must be strictly followed, or else the provision can’t be used. ¶2553 is for specific purposes, not general grievances. The church council resolution did not meet this requirement.

More importantly, those at Central seeking disaffiliation actually favor the existing provisions in the Discipline that prohibit marriage and ordination of practicing Gay and Lesbian Christians, and don’t want that language changed. They are not objecting to the existing language or to any of the changes adopted by the General Conference in 2019. Their reasons relate to speculation about what may happen in the future, or things happening elsewhere in the country – not Arkansas.

Also, none of the reasons given concern actions or inactions of the Arkansas Conference pertaining to the practice of homosexuality or the ordination or marriage of homosexuals.

Because of that, we do not believe ¶2553 is a pathway that Central can use to disaffiliate.  The Central Wesleyans, church council leadership, and pastoral staff have already stated the reasons they want to leave, and they are not covered under ¶2553. We raised this issue at the earliest opportunity to be transparent and avoid months of unnecessary time, effort, and anxiety among our church members. 

We are glad the Church Council and pastoral staff have decided to pause before considering another resolution of disaffiliation.  We urge them to take this opportunity to take a bigger step back, completely reassess, and decline to move forward with this process. Again, the churchwide survey shows there is no consensus within our congregation to leave the UMC and we should not put our church through a divisive and exhausting process just to confirm that.

We are always happy to discuss our hopes for a future for Central United Methodist Church as an inclusive, UMC church that welcomes and respects traditionalists, moderates and progressives, all joined together by a shared belief in Methodist essentials – but we shouldn’t do that under the threat of possible disaffiliation. 

We are happy to answer any questions you may have. 
Yours in Christ,
UNITED for Central

If you are interested in being a part of our group, UNITED for Central, please click HERE to join our list.

Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. --John 14:1

 
Dear United for Central,

We are disappointed to share that the church council voted 18-6 Wednesday evening to proceed with a discernment process, despite clear evidence in the churchwide survey that there is not a consensus among our membership to leave the United Methodist Church.

Slightly more than half of the 985 responses disagreed or strongly disagreed with the current Book of Discipline relating to matters of marriage and sexuality. Of those that commented, it was clear that more than half were not in support of leaving the United Methodist Church. It was pointed out by numerous members of the council that it would be difficult to get the 2/3 needed to disaffiliate and it will likely be a painful, divisive process, which could have been avoided. 

We trust that the survey results will be shared with the congregation as promised. 

We will keep you informed as next steps are developed, but we must rededicate ourselves in sharing our vision of Central remaining in the UMC as a moderate, centrist church, blessed with a range of theologically conservative, moderate, and more progressive members, fully welcoming all who seek to know Christ. Our diversity makes us strong and able to have a remarkable impact, serving our unique mission field of Fayetteville and beyond. We need to continue forward as a church that honors all of these perspectives, emphasizing Jesus’s love, grace, and forgiveness.

We are grateful for everyone who took the time to participate in the survey, and to reach out to members of the Church Council. If you would like to get more engaged with United for Central, please contact us at unitedforcentral@gmail.net, and let us know how you would like to help.
We encourage you to continue to pray for our church during this time. 

Yours in Christ,
United for Central
 
 
 

July 26, 2022

. . . in Christ we speak as persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God and standing in his presence.

-- 2nd Corinthians 2:17

Dear United for Central Members –

This is the final week to participate in the church-wide survey. There are only 10 questions and it is very important that each member take time to respond and share your personal thoughts about the future of our congregation.

To remind you, the survey will close at midnight this coming Friday, July 29, 2022. Please take advantage of this important opportunity to state your views on the future of Central, including on whether or not the Church Council should begin a discernment process that could lead to disaffiliation from the United Methodist Church.

At the end of the survey there is an opportunity to provide your individual response to the issues currently facing our congregation; we know that many members have taken advantage of this feature of the survey to address aspects that may not be clearly presented in the set questions.

In addition to participating yourselves, please be sure and remind friends, family, Sunday School classmates, Bible study participants, and others, of the importance of being engaged in this way.

In addition, please keep the members of First UMC Jonesboro in your prayers this week as they approach a vote on the issue of disaffiliation. Many of their members are deeply troubled at the possibility of leaving the United Methodist Church, a path which is being aggressively pushed by their senior pastor and church leadership.

Of course, please continue to keep our own church in your prayers as we seek a way to move forward in love and grace.

Yours in Christ,

UNITED for Central

July 22 Update

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.

-- Colossians 4:6

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ –

First, this is a brief reminder for everyone to pause and participate in the churchwide survey, which will close at midnight on July 29, 2022.

Again, while we have serious concerns with some aspects of the survey, as we have expressed to Carness this week, we continue to believe it is extremely important for all members of Central to log in and make their voices heard. We have heard of some very important statements made in the comments section of the survey, which we hope will be conveyed to the Church Council to aid in their decisionmaking. Please let us know if you encounter any issues in accessing or participating in the survey.

In addition, this week Bishop Mueller and the Appointed Cabinet distributed an important letter to the Arkansas Conference laying out their expectations for congregations that may be exploring the possibility of disaffiliation. https://mailchi.mp/arumc/nov-342417?e=1e9c61266c

The letter continues to stress the Bishop’s desire for all to approach the process with a heart of peace, and the requirement that any discernment process be fair and open. Among other things, the letter states: “While pastors have every right to express their opinion, this time of intentional prayer, study, reflection, listening to God and conversation that allows all individuals the opportunity to voice their questions and opinions is the work of church members and will be led by laity.”

The letter states: “ . . . [the Bishop and Cabinet’s] assumption that the majority of Arkansas United Methodist Churches will remain in the denomination at this time has proved to be true for progressives, centrists, moderates and traditionalists.

Fewer than 10% of our churches have formally entered the process to possibly consider disaffiliation.” The letter also announces that the Arkansas Conference materials guiding the discernment process have been revised, including “explicitly detailing expectations about the pastor’s role, providing additional details about the discernment process that must be agreed to before the Appointive Cabinet will approve a congregation’s discernment process, and making it clear that the District Superintendent will not certify the completion of a congregation’s discernment process if he or she does not believe it has been fair and open, which is a requirement before a Church Conference can be called to vote on disaffiliation.”

The revised materials are available at the following link: https://arumc.org/current-landscape/

Of course, we continue to hope and pray that Central’s Church Council will not launch us down that road to begin with. To that end, regardless of the issues with the survey, we strongly encourage everyone to reach out to individual members of the Church Council, and share your personal perspective on why it’s so important for Central to remain a moderate church, fully open to traditionalist, centrist, and more progressive Christians, and fully welcoming to all those in our community.

We continue to trust that the Church Council will be fair in its consideration of whether to subject our church to a harmful and divisive disaffiliation process when the council reconvenes next month.

Please work to keep everyone in our church, agree or disagree, in a heart of peace. In the meantime, we will continue to pursue our desire to keep our church family united, praying, worshipping, and serving together within the United Methodist Church.

Sincerely,

UNITED for Central

July 14 Update

Dear United for Central Members,

On Wednesday members of Central began receiving letters with an access code for the congregational survey.  Although it does not directly address the key question whether Central should initiate a disaffiliation process, it remains important for all members to participate in the survey so their views can be heard by Central’s Church Council.  Please take time to participate!

While the survey does not ask some questions that it should, in question 9 it does provide an opportunity for members to express their concerns with the outdated language in the UMC Book of Discipline that restricts full participation based on sexual orientation. 

The survey does not address the question of disaffiliation specifically but it does provide a final question to furnish additional comments (question 11).  Please use that opportunity to voice your opinion regarding the need for a discernment process and the possibility of disaffiliation as you deem appropriate.

Please keep in mind our overall goal of Central being a fully welcoming congregation, remaining within the United Methodist Church. (To view the comparison of the UMC and the Global Methodist Church, visit www.unitedforcentral.net and scroll down to the July 9 update.)  

Please let us know if do not receive your letter and access code, or encounter any issues with the survey.

As a final note, many were disappointed in the sermon Carness gave on Sunday, which was disparaging towards the United Methodist Church.  We will be expressing our concerns to Carness shortly.

Please continue to be in prayer for grace and wisdom during this period in the life of our congregation.

Yours in Christ,
UNITED for Central

July 9 Update

“Sing lustily and with good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength.”

‐from John Wesley’s Directions for Singing,reprinted in UMC Hymnal

Dear United for Central Members,

As members prepare to participate in the upcoming congregational survey (letter to be mailed to all Central households July 8), we thought it would be useful to prepare a detailed resource that compares the United Methodist Church and what’s known about the Global Methodist Church, and the potential implications of each for Central’s future.

As the document makes clear, in order to best carry out its mission of making disciples for Christ in coming decades, Central United Methodist church needs to remain a moderate, centrist church, staying within the Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church, welcoming all who truly seek to know and love Jesus.

Even formally exploring disaffiliation to leave for the Global Methodist Church will throw our congregation into disarray, foster greater division, and harm our reputation in the community.

We already know enough to see that Central should hold fast to the Cross and Flame, stay in the UMC, and not depart to join the Global Methodist Church. We hope you find this resource useful and invite you to share it widely among fellow members.

Please continue in prayer for Central during this vital time.

Yours in Christ,

UNITED for Central

July 1 Update

“As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.”

                                                                                                                        --Colossians 3:12-15

Dear United for Central Members,

As we approach the Independence Day holiday, we give thanks for our country, and for the freedoms it provides, including the freedom to worship. Please join us in praying for our country during this challenging time.

We want to remind everyone about the upcoming congregational survey. Again, a letter will be mailed to all Central households on July 8, which is coming right up.  The letter will contain a website address where the survey can be completed. The survey will be open electronically July 11- 29.  Please be sure and participate, and encourage others to do so, as well!

We commend to you this commentary by a UMC pastor of a Central-sized church in Plano, Texas.

https://ntcumc.org/news/commentary-united-by-our-faith-united-in-our-desire-to-grow

A couple of quotes that resonate:

We are a diverse bunch, with disagreements large and small about issues large and small, and we are better for our diversity. Since the founding of our movement, Methodists have always been people who can agree to disagree, provided that we’re united by our faith in Christ, united in our desire to grow in love for God and neighbor, and clear about our mission of welcoming newcomers to the family. 

And this:

Every church I’ve served has had members who hold traditionalist, centrist and progressive views . . . . In a world that is increasingly self-selecting into like-minded silos in all aspects of life, the “big tent” culture of our community of faith is a cherished part of our identity. As we near a half century of sharing our spiritual journeys as a congregation, in a culture so divided and in a climate so divisive, I believe that the culture we’ve nurtured here for so long is more important now than ever. 

We give thanks for the range of perspectives represented in our congregation, a range of perspectives, revolving around core shared beliefs (such as those represented in the Apostles Creed), that allows us to grow in insight and understanding, and that propels our church to be a powerful force for good.

Please continue to pray for Central, for unity in our congregation, even as we have difficult discussions about how we can best welcome our neighbors and share the love and grace of Jesus.  

Yours in Christ,
UNITED for Central

June 23rd Update

Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches, but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practice steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the Lord.” – Jeremiah 9:23-24.
Dear United for Central Members,

We hope you received Tuesday’s email from Central regarding the upcoming congregational survey. To remind you, this survey is to inform the church council about where our congregation is on the future of our church, especially whether to initiate a process of formal discernment that could potentially lead to disaffiliation for Central. The results of the survey will be anonymous, and we strongly encourage each member to participate.

A letter will be mailed to all households in our membership for whom the church has a mailing address on July 8. The letter will contain a website address where the survey can be completed.

The survey will be open electronically July 11- 29. Each individual member of Central is invited to respond. We hope you and every member of your family will take the time to answer the questions. The results will be shared with the church council in mid-August and the results will be made available on the church website.

There are approximately 4000 members of Central, some of whom have been less active in recent years due to what occurred at the 2019 General Conference or related concerns. If you know of any members who have been less active recently, now is an important time to encourage them to re-engage, making sure that the church office has their updated contact information.

It is important for all members of Central to participate in this survey. As Bishop Mueller has said, any decisions regarding whether to remain as members of the United Methodist Church or to explore disaffiliation are for the laity of the church, and we need to make our voices heard.

Specifically, we need to make it clear that we support Central becoming a fully welcoming congregation, we wish for Central to remain a part of the United Methodist Church, and we do not support beginning a discernment process that will not result in a consensus to leave for the Global Methodist Church, but almost certainly will fuel division within our congregation and distract us from our mission.

In addition, below you will find a recent discussion paper prepared by Arkansans Staying United, a group of United Methodists from congregations around the state, and representing a range of perspective, all of whom are committed to remaining part of the United Methodist Connection. The paper discusses key reasons to remain in the UMC, but also respectfully addresses detailed concerns with the Global Methodist Church.

Please continue to pray for Central. We must continue to stay strong in our faith and commitment to serving our unique mission field of Fayetteville, and far beyond.

Yours in Christ,

UNITED for Central

WHAT WE WANT YOU TO KNOW

From Arkansans Staying United

About The United Methodist Church

● We love the United Methodist Church and the people in our church family. We were raised in the church or found a home in it. We have been saved and transformed by Jesus Christ in the UMC.

● We are staying on mission: “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” That is our call from God and why we exist.

● We are already a global church. The UMC works around the world in missions, disaster relief, education, and many other efforts. A new denomination will take years to reach anything close to that impact and reputation.

● The UMC is dedicated to the inclusion of all people. Though by no means perfect, we nevertheless strive to be a church of “open hearts, minds, and doors.” We affirm the gifts of our LGBTQ+ siblings, the leadership of young people, and the contributions of all racial and ethnic communities. We believe that diversity within the Body of Christ is a strength and helps us give witness to the Kingdom of God in our midst.

● We have a Wesleyan theology of prevenient, justifying, and sanctifying grace. We center not on judgment, but on the God who reaches out, forgives our sins, and welcomes us into community.

● We believe in the authority and primacy of Holy Scripture, interpreted through the lenses of tradition, reason and experience. We believe that the core of Scripture is love, what Wesley called the “royal law” and Jesus called the sum of all the law and prophets.

● The current stance of The United Methodist Church on human sexuality has not changed. Whatever changes are made in the future, we want to continue to be a “big tent” church where people of various convictions can live together under the core doctrines of Wesleyan Methodism. Pastors will continue to have discretion over whom to marry, and annual conferences will continue to have authority over whom to ordain. We ask, with John Wesley, “Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? . . . Without all doubt, we may.”

Resources:

Council of Bishops, A Narrative for the Continuing United Methodist Church

What happens when a New Denomination Launches?

What should United Methodist congregations know about disaffiliation?

About the Global Methodist Church

● In the current proposal, the GMC is making radical changes.

○ Bishops are elected for a term not life.

○ Retired pastors lose their vote at annual conference.

○ Churches are not guaranteed a pastor.

○ Pastors are not guaranteed an appointment.

○ Ordination will be altered, and deacons will be the first step toward elder’s ordination.

○ It is unclear what will happen with licensed local pastors.

○ The educational requirements for ordained pastors are much lower than the UMC.

● The GMC is launched, but not formed. After declaring themselves to be open on May 1, 2022, the GMC does not have many of the necessary requirements for a denomination in the Wesleyan

tradition: no settled and approved Book of Discipline, but one that changes every few months; no General Conference; no bishops elected; no annual conferences constituted; no agreement with Wespath for handling pensions (though talks are underway); and there are questions about the 501(c)(3) non-profit designation for churches who disaffiliate.

● The GMC won’t have a widespread network of local churches for many years, if ever.

● The GMC was formed around the exclusion of a class of people from the covenant of marriage and the calling of ordination. In the proposed GMC, there will be no covenants of marriage celebrated for LGBTQ+ persons or ordination of LGBTQ+ deacons or elders anywhere ever.

● Churches and members in the GMC will have to strictly adhere to the doctrines and practices of the church. The processes to expel a member or a congregation are remarkably easy and one-sided. And a bishop who is unhappy with a pastor can simply choose not to appoint him or her.

● The GMC, until their first constituting General Conference, will continue to be led by a 17-member Transitional Leadership Council with broad powers over most denominational decisions. By contrast, the United Methodist General Conference consists of more than 800 delegates from around the world, elected from every annual conference.

● Disaffiliation at present is costly for churches wishing to separate, and there is no support from the GMC to help churches pay the costs. Only the General Conference can pass legislation to provide money for the separating denomination, and it won’t meet until 2024.

Resources:

Buyer Beware: What the GMC Book of Doctrines and Discipline Really Says

What Do We Really Know about the “Global Methodist Church”

What are the Big Concerns about the GMC?

What the GMC is saying about the UMC

● “They don’t believe in the authority of Scripture.” Not true. We affirm that “The Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation,” and we receive the Old and New Testaments as the inspired Word of God.

● “Their doctrine of Christ is inadequate, and their theology is not orthodox.” Not true. We, like the GMC, stand by the historical creeds (Apostles and Nicene), the Articles of Religion, the Confession of Faith, the General Rules, and Wesley’s Sermons and Notes on the New Testament.

● “Pastors will be forced to perform gay marriages.” The current Book of Discipline continues to prohibit gay marriage by our pastors. If this is changed in the future, pastors will continue to have discretion about when to officiate at weddings.

● “Churches will be forced to accept gay pastors.” The current Book of Discipline continues to prohibit the ordination of openly gay people who are not celibate. If that changes, Annual Conferences will remain in control of who gets ordained, and churches will be consulted about the appointment of pastors.

● “There are outliers and weird-o’s in the UMC.” There have always been outliers and weird-o’s in the UMC and every other church. Do we agree with them? Not necessarily. Will we be in a church with them? Absolutely! Diversity of perspective keeps us humble and moving towards perfection in Christ.

June 17th Update

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!  All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.  So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

 – 2 Corinthians 5:17-20

Dear United for Central Members,

This week saw a disturbing report of an alleged plan to riot and disrupt a peaceful Pride event in Idaho. An individual from Fayetteville was reported to be one of those who sought to carry out this plan. A similar parade will take place just beyond our front doors on Dickson Street this weekend, as it does every year, and we pray for a safe and harmonious gathering. 

We also pray for a swift end to harsh restrictions on full participation of Gay and Lesbian Christians in the life of the church. This week also saw news of a group of candidates for ordination in Florida rejected, apparently because some of their members were practicing homosexuals. While likely in keeping with the existing Book of Discipline and that conference’s procedures, it is clear that such a sad occurrence, and much of the current strife in the UMC, could have been avoided if, in 2019, General Conference delegates had chosen to remove the anti-LGBTQ provisions in the Discipline.  We are optimistic that a more grace-filled approach will be followed by the UMC in the near future, so that all those earnestly called by God and judged worthy through the church’s stringent ordination processes can be affirmed to serve.

We wanted to let you know that Bishop Mueller and his cabinet have announced dates in November and March for the Arkansas Annual Conference to meet and review requests from those churches seeking to disaffiliate from the UMC.  In the event that the United Methodist Judicial Council should rule that ¶ 2548.2 of the Discipline can be used as a channel for disaffiliation, there is also a second date in November for the Conference to resume consideration of procedures to be used in Arkansas under that provision. 

While these developments are important to be aware of, it remains clear that there is not a consensus in Central for our congregation to join the very small contingent of Arkansas churches seeking to depart from the United Methodist Church, and our church council should not initiate such a process.  Remember that only 5% of the churches in Arkansas, and only 4% of churches in the Northwest District, some of them extremely small, are even considering leaving at this time.

As a reminder, don’t forget the June 22 webinar to be held by the United Methodist Association of Retired Clergy entitled “Gladly Choosing to Be a United Methodist,” featuring Pastor Adam Hamilton of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Kansas City and others.  Association Retired Church | Umarc | United States. 

Our list of supporters is growing! As you speak with fellow members, if you find those that wish to co-sign our letter or otherwise foster efforts to keep Central as a moderate, Centrist church rooted in the United Methodist Church, please share our Facebook, web, and Instagram pages with them, and feel free to pass along our email address, unitedforcentral@gmail.com.

We continue to be very grateful for each of you.

Yours in Christ,
UNITED for Central

June 9th Update

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and bestows his riches upon all who call upon him.  For, “every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”

 – Romans 10:12-13

Dear United for Central Members,

Thanks for all who attended (or viewed) the third and final informational meeting this past Sunday. 

United for Central Members asked some important questions and repeatedly stressed the importance of being a fully welcoming congregation and remaining in our beloved United Methodist Church. Many in attendance reacted strongly to the question, why should some members be able to force other members of Central into a new and unformed denomination, one they did not choose? We will continue to raise this and other important concerns with disaffiliation during the weeks ahead.

In the meantime, we want to briefly share a few important updates.

First, the all-church survey has been postponed. As indicated in an email to the congregation from Carness, the delay is to allow for refinement of the survey content and explore options regarding the manner in which the survey will be conducted.  We believe it is important that the survey be conducted properly and support this pause.

Second, it’s our understand that the CUMC church council will not resume consideration of initiating possible disaffiliation until after the UMC Judicial Council has ruled on UMC Discipline ¶ 2548.2, relating to transfer of property. A ruling is expected later this summer, perhaps towards the end of July.  We believe this pause is also a wise decision.

Third, we recently obtained some information from our District Superintendent, Dr. Blake Bradford, about how many Arkansas churches are considering leaving to join the Global Methodist Church.  Here is some information that Dr. Bradford shared:

o There are 640 churches in the Arkansas conference.

o 35 churches in Arkansas have notified the Arkansas Conference to begin a process of possible disaffiliation.

▪ ➔ That’s only 5% of the churches in Arkansas.
• About half of the churches are in South Arkansas.
• More than half are small churches with part-time pastors.
• Some of these churches may not actually depart.

o 15 additional churches statewide (such as Central) have made some sort of inquiry about the possibility of leaving. o In the Northwest District, our home district, only 5 churches out of 125 have notified the Arkansas Conference that they want to initiate a discernment process for potential disaffiliation.

▪ ➔ That’s only 4% of churches in the Northwest District
• Two of those churches are very small churches near Harrison.
• The one large church in this group is Heritage in Van Buren.
• The fourth church is Prairie Grove.

o ➔ Bottom line: if Central leaves the UMC we would truly be an outlier in the Arkansas Conference and in our region. And there is a reason for that – the United Methodist Church, though not perfect, is a wonderful denomination, with churches in communi9es throughout our state, our nation, and our world, doing remarkable work in sharing the message of Christ.

* these figures have been adjusted to include First Church of Siloam Springs, that announced its decision to explore formal discernment 6/8/22

Finally, we want to share with you a registration link to a webinar to be held by the United Methodist Association of Retired Clergy entitled “Gladly Choosing to Be a United Methodist,” featuring Pastor Adam Hamilton of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Kansas City and others.  Association Retired Church | Umarc | United States. This should be an excellent program!

 We have a lot of important work ahead!  Please continue to pray and reach out to our fellow members.

 Yours in Christ,
UNITED for Central

May 30th update

Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong.  Let all that you do be done in love.

-- 1 Cor. 16:13-14.

Dear United for Central Members, 

During this Memorial Day weekend, let’s all take a moment to remember the many women and men who have served our country and made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can live – and worship - in a free country.  Let us also remember the families in Texas, New York and around our world who have lost loved ones to hateful, senseless violence.

As one last reminder, we hope to see you at the next congregational meeting Tuesday, May 31 at 6 pm in Central’s Activity Center. 

Finally, our former senior pastor, John Robbins, preached a powerful and timely message Sunday at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church on the current challenges within the UMC.  He makes a compelling case for why Methodists who place Jesus at the center of our faith should remain in the UMC and be fully welcoming.  Further, John forcefully rebuts loose claims that the UMC fails to sufficiently embrace the authority of scripture.  We strongly recommend you watch or listen to his message of the love and word of Christ. You can find John’s sermon here. 

We look forward to seeing you Tuesday evening!

Yours in Christ,
UNITED for Central

May 26th update

. . . You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment.  And the second is like it.  You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.  -- Matt. 22:37-40.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Please be sure and mark your calendars to take part in the all-church meetings on Tuesday, May 31 and Sunday, June 5th.  We need to be present in large numbers to make it clear that we support Central being a fully welcoming church that stays within the United Methodist Church!

As we prepare to take part in these meetings, we want to address disparaging information being distributed by some regarding the United Methodist Church.  In order to rationalize the goal of causing Central to abandon the UMC, some advocates are attempting to paint a picture of the United Methodist Church that bears no relationship to the respected denomination that we love and call home.

While there’s vigorous debate over excluding some Christians from full participation, the United Methodist Church is not broken – it remains a powerful, vibrant, worldwide force for good.

United Methodists view the Bible as our sacred guide. 

• We affirm that “The Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation,” and we receive the Old and New Testaments as the inspired Word of God.

• We stand by the historic creeds (Apostles and Nicene) and the Articles of Religion, the Confession of Faith, the General Rules, and Wesley’s Sermons and Notes on the New Testament.

• To help us understand and apply the Bible to our daily lives, United Methodists believe we are to engage in disciplined study informed by tradition, experience, & reason. 

  • This is a practical, common-sense, Wesleyan approach to the Holy Scripture.

While there are isolated examples of questionable decisions by pastors far from Arkansas, for every outlier there are literally thousands of UMC churches and pastors serving responsibly, celebrating the Gospel, and sharing the love of Christ with their local communities.

There is no basis for fears that future UMC bishops would arbitrarily refuse to appoint or ordain pastors from Asbury seminary.

• Bishops will continue to appoint pastors in consultation with local churches, just as they do now.

• Further, UMC seminaries produce inspired and respected pastors currently serving in United Methodist churches across the U.S.

• As much as we appreciate our Asbury alumni, Central has had several very able (and conventional) pastors from Perkins Theological Seminary at SMU and also St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City. 

Whatever changes may be made over time, United Methodist pastors will retain discretion about whom to marry. 

• No pastor will ever be forced to marry any individual that they don’t want to.

If we stay in the United Methodist Church, we can continue to carry out all of Central’s missions and serve the Kingdom of God.

• At Central, traditional, centrist, and more progressive Christians worship and serve together – and that’s what we want to preserve . . .

Thousands of Central members have taken vows, over the decades, to be a part of the United Methodist Church.  We reject disinformation that casts the UMC in a false light.  We are proud to be part of Central United Methodist Church, and we want to keep it that way.  

We hope these thoughts and reflections are helpful.  We will keep you in our prayers and hope to see you May 31, June 5, or both!

Yours in Christ,
UNITED for Central

An excellent video of Adam Hamilton speaking on the current status of The United Methodist Church and a reasoned response to the misleading messages being put out by the GMC.

* Adam Hamilton is Head Pastor at Church of the Resurrection in Kansas City, the largest Methodist Church in the US with approximately 20,000 members

Link to video

https://www.facebook.com/PastorAdamHamilton/videos/3167714880107584/?vh=e&extid=0&d=n 

For reference:

3:56 - Where the UMC is and his approach to scripture

14:43 - Traditionalism and conservative history in the UMC and stats about Church of the Resurrection

20:29 - Gets into the GMC and why they are leaving

24:30 - Answers the question of the UMC holding on to Orthodox traditions of the Christian faith and the authority of the scriptures

26:00 - Addresses Bishop Lowry's letter of resignation and GMC arguments

34:05 - Use of bad examples

37:00 - It’s not accurate

40:00 to finish - It’s not a binary decision and closing arguments

May 19th update

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

At our recent meeting of United for Central on May 10, many in attendance shared their personal reasons for wanting Central United Methodist Church to stay in the United Methodist Church.  Please feel free to share these beautiful and heartfelt expressions from our fellow members:

“I believe in the way that Jesus brought the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven by seeking the lost, the under classes and the marginalized of society.  I believe John Wesley was a hero of our faith.  He did not believe in forcing people to believe the same things.  He said we could disagree on non-essential things.  The essential thing is our belief in Jesus as our savior.”

“I’ve been a member of Central for 16 years.  To me, the UMC represents love, acceptance, diversity, community, and global missions.  Central, in my opinion, completely embodies these ideal, and has always meant so much to me!”

“I love UMC; more specifically, CUMC.  My parents were married there in 1932; all my siblings and me as well.  It’s home.  Jesus loves and accepts every one!!!”

“Jesus ministered to every person, including ones who were not popular with the majority.”

“It’s the church I was raised in – welcoming all.”

“I consider the UMC to be my church home – it is known as a big tent church – and I believe all means all – all should be welcome to participate fully in the UMC.  Jesus said, the greatest of these is love . . . “

“Open Hearts, Open Minds, and Open Doors means a lot to me.  To deny people because of their hearts, minds, or lives is wrong.  We ought to declare everyone are sinners and not make those whose views differ to make them less Christian or religious than us.  We all need each other.”

“I want to be a part of [a] church that is inclusive and welcoming to all people.  I am very proud of what the UMC represents and want to continue to be a member of the denomination where both my kids were baptized and confirmed.”

“I was raised in the United Methodist Church, my wife and I were married at Central United Methodist Church and we raised our son at Central.  The United Methodist Church has been a solid foundation in our lives.”

“I believe the gospel calls us to be inclusive of all and to love all.”

“I want to find more information, but it seems unnecessary to jump ship to a new, untested denomination.”

“My wife and I are cradle Methodist from before the United merger.  We are choir members and music supporters.  Many of our musically gifted friends are LGBTQ.  We do not split because of minor theological disagreements.  God can sort those out.”

“I value the United Methodist Church’s strong and distinctive focus on the primacy of Holy Scripture, informed by tradition, experience, and reason.  For me, the UMC stands for Jesus’s message of infinite grace and forgiveness.“

“I was raised UMC and actively involved in State wide youth programming.  I chose Central when my family moved into Fay, but I wanted the UMC values!”

“Methodism is key to my understanding of soul, Holy Spirit, evangelism, mission, Trinity, and salvation.”

“I love my church and Sunday School.  I also want our church to [remain] UMC because I grew up [another denomination] and left because of the unforgiving nature of some of their doctrine.”

“Science about sexuality has come a long way since the Old Testament and unmarried Paul lived.  Jesus did not condemn people; neither should we.”

“I do not want to leave UMC & I want all people to be treated the same.”

“All of the incredible and life changing ministries of the UMC.”

“All are called on the journey to hear, discuss, and question the good news of Christ.  All are welcome.  God’s love should be central in our lives.”

“Our society is already coping with such division.  I cannot imagine the fragmentation of my church of 45 years as well.”

“It is my church home.  I was born and baptized in [a UMC congregation] and grew up in church.  My kids have now grown up in the church too.  I love our traditions, hymns, sitting in a sanctuary Christmas Eve, candlelight communion at the altar – all with my family.”

“I want to be a part of a welcoming inclusive Christian church and denomination.”

“I want to stay in the UMC as long as it continues/moves forward to *Actually* being a welcoming place for EVERYONE!!”

“UMC is open, not dogmatic, welcoming – international structure is a plus – outreach.”

“I see the UMC as a fully welcoming church where everyone is accepted without conditions.”

“Because when we were looking for a church home the pastors said “Everyone is welcome! Unconditionally!!!”

“My sister was married there, my friends are there, I love being a part of handbells, I love the preachers, and I love the community involvement.  I value the Methodist Discipline.”

“We joined Central because it is inclusive.  We are choosing the side of love and acceptance.”

“I want to remain *United* in faith. Opinions may differ, but our minds should follow God’s wisdom and the Bible.”

Let us know your reasons for Central staying in the United Methodist Church, at unitedforcentral@gmail.com. 

Please keep Central in your prayers, and please remember to participate in the all-Church meetings in the Central Activities Center on May 31 and June 5!

Yours in Christ,
UNITED for Central

May 11th update

Dear Central Family,

It was good to be in fellowship with many of you on Tuesday night at Mt. Sequoyah! Thanks to those who were able to join us, and we missed those of you who were unable to be there. We felt your spiritual support! 

We had a number of new faces and very thoughtful conversation.  You can see a photo at the United for Central Facebook page and our new website at www.unitedforcentral.net.

Please make every effort to attend at least one, if not all three, of the upcoming congregational meetings about the future of our church.  It is so very important that we are there and engage in the conversation. Attached is a one pager with “key themes” we hope you will read that might be helpful as you prepare to take part in the meetings.

Read a current list of Central UMC members who support UNITED for Central. You are not alone!

To remind you, the meetings are:

Thursday, May 12

6 pm

Genesis Sanctuary

Tuesday, May 31

6 pm

CUMC Central’s Activity Center

Sunday, June 5

6 pm

CUMC Central’s Activity Center

Our meeting Tuesday was a strong reminder about why we want to remain in the United Methodist Church and be a fully welcoming congregation. Our action steps include actively participating in the congregational conversations, reaching out to the church council members and talking with other members of Central about why you want to stay in the UMC. 

Finally, there will be a survey after the three congregational meetings, and we must all participate in this survey to ensure our message of love and unity is heard!

This is a critical time for our church, and we pray you feel the support of many other members who want to stay in the United Methodist Church.  

If you have questions, feel free to reach out to us at Unitedforcentral@gmail.com.  Also, please check out our new web site, www.unitedforcentral.net  – we will be posting more information there over time!

Yours in Christ,
UNITED for Central

April 25th update

Dear Central Family, 

Monday night the Central United Methodist Church Council adopted a motion that initiates congregational conversations about the future of our church. We believe this is a positive step and hope you will plan to actively participate. Specifically, the motion provides that Central will engage in a preliminary discernment process to last no more than 60 days, requiring multiple meetings of the congregation (either in-person or virtually) and ultimately culminating in a congregational survey
that can be used as a more accurate resource for the Church Council to base their decision making.

At the end of the discernment and survey process, the Council will reconvene and consider possible options going forward. A vote to initiate a process to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church and join the new Global Methodist Church remains a possibility, but was not adopted by the Church Council at this time. We remain deeply concerned about any possibility that Central could leave the United Methodist Church for the Global Methodist Church.

However, we commend Central's Church Council for being responsive to concerns that more congregational awareness of these discussions was needed, and that more opportunity for congregational input was essential before taking any action that could dramatically impact our 4000+ member church.

We hope and trust that the upcoming period will allow for greater information and calm respectful dialogue among our members about the issues and choices that exist. We urge all those involved with United for Central to actively engage in the opportunities that are developed as a part of this process, and to commit to engage in the congregational survey when it becomes available. During this period, we will want to listen to, understand, and seek to respond to the concerns of those advocating departure from the UMC.

We will also want to continue to thoughtfully share with others our desire for Central to be a fully welcoming church and remain a part of the United Methodist Church, truly serving our unique mission field of Fayetteville. We will want to convey to our fellow members why we love the United Methodist church, its theological approach, and its global impact.

We will continue to embrace the "big tent" tradition of the UMC. To quote John Wesley: "Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion? Without all doubt, we may. Herein all the children of God may unite, notwithstanding these smaller differences."

Again, we share our perspective Central can best thrive by continuing its existence as a moderate, centrist church that stays rooted in the UMC, blessed with a range of theologically conservative, moderate, and more progressive members, all united in our love for Jesus Christ. Throughout this process, we will reiterate that most U.S. Methodists, and most Arkansas
Methodist Churches, are likely to remain in the United Methodist Church.

Please commit to watching for information about church meetings and any other opportunities to engage with the preliminary discernment process. We will be following up with more information soon. In the meantime, please pray for a
rich, meaningful, and revealing period of learning and dialogue for our church, one that proceeds with peace and with integrity.

Yours in Christ,
UNITED for Central

Easter message with informational links

Dear UNITED for Central,

As we prepare our hearts for the most somber and the most joyous week of the Christian year, we wanted to reach out to each of you and provide some updates, remind everyone of the mission of UNITED for Central, share some resources, and, most importantly, encourage you to take time to reach out to our church pastors and lay leadership about our aspirations for Central’s future.

This is a lengthy email with information about the future of the United Methodist Church and there are several actions we ask of you:

• Attend our upcoming UNITED for Central Meeting

• Schedule a time to share your hopes for our church with a pastor and/or lay leader

• Review the UNITED for Central member list

• Read, listen or view at least some of the resources that are provided below.

First, be on the lookout for a meeting of UNITED for Central in the next few weeks. We will be sharing information about recent developments, discussing ways to be involved, and reviewing our hopes for Central and what we value about being part of the United Methodist Church. This will be a time of fellowship and encouragement. Although this is a meeting of UNITED for Central, rather than a congregation-wide meeting, any member of Central is welcome to attend. We will send out an invitation shortly.

Second, with discussions nationally about the future of the United Methodist Church, and plans for the May 1 launch of a traditionalist denomination called the Global Methodist Church, we wanted to remind everyone of UNITED for Central’s original letter (see above) outlining our hopes for the future, as well as some points drawn from a communication we shared with the entire congregation in the spring of 2020: We love the United Methodist Church and wish to remain part of it in the future; we celebrate its ability to touch hearts, connect with communities, and share the Love of Christ in small towns, big cities and everywhere in between. We affirm the United Methodist Church’s passion for God’s Holy Word and proudly follow the Wesleyan spirit: In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity. We believe in the divinity of Jesus and the Bible to be sacred above all else, and follow the Wesleyan tradition of interpreting it faithfully through tradition, experience, and reason. We want Central to fully welcome all people and faithfully serve our local mission field. We think opening wide the doors of our church is the best way to gain disciples for Christ. We agree with centrist, mainstream Methodists and others in our denomination who believe it is time to retire language in the Book of Discipline that restricts LGBTQ+ Methodists from the ability to marry or to be ordained as ministers, and indicating that their lives are incompatible with Christian teaching. We believe gay and lesbian children growing up in our church should feel safe, understood and accepted, rather than shamed and marginalized. We seek to retain and attract younger generations who are dismayed by what they perceive as mistreatment of their LGBTQ friends. Those called to ministry should be judged by their devotion to Christ and their capacity for ministry, rather than their sexual orientation. Our hope is that Central will follow Christ’s example in loving our neighbors as ourselves, rather than focusing on a literal, and exclusive, interpretation of select passages of the Bible. By standing up for beloved friends, relatives, neighbors, and co-workers, we seek to create the kind of church that invites everyone to come to the altar and spread the Good News. As recently articulated by the Bishop of Missouri, United Methodists “emphasize Grace over Law, not the other way around.”
It is also important to emphasize that any procedural discussions about the future of Central UMC should be open and transparent, so that all members of Central can weigh in. No steps of any nature should be taken towards modifying our relationship with the United Methodist Church without a full and honest discussion about what’s at stake for our congregation and its ability to serve our community.

Third, we would like to encourage every member of UNITED for Central to take time over the next few weeks to make an appointment with a member of our pastoral staff or with a member of our lay leadership structure (especially the Church Council), whether in a meeting, over lunch, or over coffee, to let them know about our hopes for the future of Central and why. Consider how you would finish this phrase: I want to be part of a church that _________.

Here is a link to Central’s web listing of our current lay leadership:
Central United Methodist Church (rackcdn.com)

We have added members to our UNITED for Central co-signors and have attached the current membership list below. We are always pleased to add new names! Please review the list and if you know of someone who would be interested in our effort, please invite them to our meeting or have them reach out to Unitedforcentral@gmail.com.

Finally, we wanted to remind you of some resources we have shared in the past and some additional ones for your consideration and sharing:
First, here is a recent, eloquent statement by Fort Smith First UMC Senior Pastor Bud Reeves:

A DECLARATION

Rev. Dr. William O. (Bud) Reeves
First United Methodist Church
January 26, 2022

I am a cradle Methodist, baptized the year women were granted ordination. I was confirmed the year The United Methodist Church was formed. This church grounded me in the faith. I ate Oreos, drank Kool-aid, and sang about Jesus at a United Methodist Vacation Bible School. I gave my heart to Jesus at a United Methodist youth event. Between a United Methodist church camp and college, I felt a call to ministry. I have labored in the United Methodist vineyard over 40 years. No institution has had a greater impact on my life, and I am grateful.

I am a cradle Methodist, but I stayed United Methodist because I believe in who we are and what we do. The church has evolved over the years, but our core vitality has remained strong:

• We have a theology of grace, grounded in Holy Scripture, interpreted through the lenses of tradition, reason, and experience. Our message of the Good News of Jesus Christ can reach the world we live in today.

• We are a church with global impact. The United Methodist Church has a recognizable name and a history of doing good everywhere we go. That story continues today. We have a vast connection of churches, hospitals, schools, and missions around the world. A new denomination will take years to develop such a network. More impact now makes more difference for God.

• We are a church that loves all people. Though we have not done so perfectly in the past, we are moving toward the full embrace of all God’s children—not just acceptance, but inclusion and empowerment. In the new United Methodist Church, justice and equality will grow!

• We have a mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We will equip followers to make a difference in hearts, lives, and the communities in which they live. Our time, energy, and resources are dedicated to the mission.

The future is bright for The United Methodist Church. Reform, renewal, and revival are on the horizon. Now is not the time to leave. It’s time to stay united. It’s time to #BeUMC.

Here is another column from Pastor Reeves addressing the arguments for a new denomination:
https://unitingmethodists.com/perspectives/its-not-about-jesus/

Here is a thoughtful statement from the Bishop of Central Texas about why he intends to remain in the UMC:
https://www.facebook.com/ctcumc/videos/1319132838563735

Here is a letter from the Bishop of Missouri about why he intends to remain a United Methodist, and a link to a thoughtful interview:
Letter from Bishop Farr on the Postponement of General Conference (moumethodist.org)
(Interview segment with Farr begins at 9:30.)

Here is a video link to part of our presentation for a UNITED for Central Meeting from 2020.

Watch Bishop Richard Wilke (former bishop of the Arkansas Annual Conference and author of the Disciple Bible Studies) shed light on the scripture and speak from personal experience.
https://youtu.be/0EOq-1uet_Y

Story link:
Gay daughter sent bishop back to Scriptures (umnews.org)

Watch Adam Hamilton’s sermon on inclusion (Adam Hamilton is the head pastor at Church of the Resurrection in Kansas City, the largest Methodist Church in the United States)

Please feel free to share these resources widely, and let us know if you are aware of others that we should share.

The weeks and months ahead will be important as we continue to share our vision of Central with others. It’s vital that we continue to do so in a loving, respectful, unifying way, even with those who have a very different perspective.
We look forward to seeing you soon!

Yours in Christ
UNITED for Central