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PFMC Transition Team - Denominational Summaries

The Free Methodist Church (fmcusa.org)
Advantages for our church:
·         Well-established denomination
·         Traditional theology
·         Established Book of Discipline
·         Up to three years for full affiliation allowing time to get to know the structure and policies
·         Pastoral pipeline for filling clergy vacancies
Disadvantages for our church:
·         Apportionments (9%) in line with UMC but higher than Global Methodist... Church (max of 6.5%) and remaining independent (0%)
·         Majority of the members are outside the United States
·         Majority of US churches are much smaller than we are
·         Few Alabama churches – expect to have about 20 after all disaffiliations from the UMC occur
·         Trust clause in effect for new property acquired after full affiliation
 
The Global Methodist Church (globalmethodist.org)
Advantages for our church:
·         Traditional theology
·         Plans for a leaner administrative structure and overhead
·         No property trust clause at this time and the GMC website says, “it is almost certain the Global Methodist Church will never adopt one”
·         Apportionments (max of 6.5%) are less than the UMC and FMC (9%) but more than remaining independent (0%)
·         Familiar church culture, theology, worship practice, and even denominational leadership
·         A chance to be in on the formation of a new denomination
·         Connection with churches, clergy, and laity we know
Disadvantages for our church:
·         New denomination, not fully formed
·         Administrative structure and annual conferences still developing
·         Some uncertainty at what the final discipline and doctrine will look like in a few years
 
Independent Methodist Church
Advantages for our church:
·         No property trust clause
·         No apportionments – we keep every dollar we collect from tithes and offerings
·         Free to create our own identity
·         No interference from conference leadership
·         We determine our discipline, doctrine and practices internally and there are no external forces that could change these
Disadvantages for our church:
·         Must find our own pastors
·         Requires significant involvement, leadership and vision by lay members
·         No support from a denomination in matters ranging from personnel issues to legal issues to guidance for local church leadership
·         If connection with other churches is important, must do this on our own
·         Must develop our own by-laws, structure, policies
·         Must develop our own accountability policy so that pastors and lay leaders don’t gain too much control