SGA Petition for UMC-Committed Leadership

The South Georgia Annual Conference is stepping from our past with the Spirit’s daring. This season of division and disaffiliation brings forth many emotions for all of us, including much disappointment and grief. And yet, through the leadership of our bishop and conference leaders, we are seeking new paths, looking for where Christ is alive and goes before us. 

That leadership is crucial and calls for leaders who are fully committed to The United Methodist Church. Unfortunately, not all leaders are so committed. We honor the right of any clergy or layperson to disaffiliate but we also expect those persons to have the dignity and integrity to resign their positions of leadership in our annual conference. This applies to clergy and lay members of conference committees and our delegation. 

Our delegation serves a crucial role of representing South Georgia United Methodism to both General and Jurisdictional Conferences. Some members of our delegation, while publicly advocating for their United Methodist congregations to disaffiliate, and having voted for the same, are nevertheless also stating they intend to remain United Methodist until after General Conference. In doing so, they demonstrate that they are no longer fully committed to the UMC. 

We expect our conference leadership to be fully committed to The United Methodist Church, understanding that the future of our conference includes people of all convictions. 

As such, we call for leaders who are not so committed, both the delegation specifically and those holding committee or other leadership positions, to resign prior to the beginning of the in-person Annual Conference session beginning June 4, 2023. 

Their resignation will allow the conference to elect delegates and appoint committee members who are loyal to The UMC and committed to its future. 

Leadership loyal to the mission of the UMC, those who believe in and are committed to its future, can rightly represent the interests of the annual conference, our local churches, and our members. We encourage those who feel otherwise to move their church relationship to the church and denomination where they can be loyal, praying for them and blessing them as they go.

We believe that there is a future, even a bright future, for The United Methodist Church and for our annual conference. Together, we are committed to working for that future. In ways seen and unseen, even in this season of division, the Spirit is moving among us. This is a day of new beginnings.