Answer #1 (Stay UMC)
After review by the Administrative Board, if a decision is made to enter Discernment the steps would be as follows:
Step1: Access your current disaffiliation figure through the local church dashboard at http://www.awfumc.org/dashboard. (Note: our current disaffiliation figure is $1,208,339.19)
Step 2: Pastor contacts their district superintendent (DS) to schedule a Town Hall meeting. This meeting is to address questions the entire congregation may have about disaffiliation, or the process involved. No vote is taken at a Town Hall meeting.
Step 3: If disaffiliation is the discerned path, an impact of disaffiliation assessment can be conducted to determine any missional, economic, and ministry impact on the community as a result of a church’s disaffiliation.
Step 4: After a time of prayerful discernment, and with proper notification to church members that is a minimum of 10 days including 2 Sundays, the local church may schedule, in coordination with the DS, a Church Conference. The district superintendent presides. A vote to disaffiliate can only be approved under the stipulations set forth in paragraph 2553 and the resolution must be passed by a 2/3 vote of the membership present at the conference. No write-in ballots are allowed. Required documentation must be provided.
Answer #2 (Pro-Disaffiliation)
See steps #1-4 listed above for the steps in the Discernment process.