Next Steps for Valdosta First
(Updated March 31, 2023)
On February 8, 2023, our congregation made the tough decision via an 85% vote to depart from the United Methodist Church. Since that date our church leaders have been actively working behind the scenes and through two open Church Council meetings to take the necessary steps to prepare for disaffiliation, and to position ourselves for other Next Steps.
Throughout all of the congregational conversations over the past year, our leadership has emphasized five prevailing commitments: 1) continuing to live into the mission and calling that we have always held, 2) to keep investing at the same level in our congregational ministries and local missions, 3) maintaining the character and feel of our existing worship services (i.e. same hymnody, liturgy, scripturally-based sermons, and sacraments), 4) faithfulness to our historic Methodist/Wesleyan beliefs and practices, and 5) joining another Methodist/Wesleyan connectional denomination as soon as we find the right fit. Everything involved in our "Next Steps" process connects to these commitments.
On March 30th, our Church Council met and approved several measures that are summarized below. Our next congregation-wide step will be a Called Church Conference on April 12th (free cookout starting at 5:30pm, and meeting starting at 6:00pm).
Throughout all of the congregational conversations over the past year, our leadership has emphasized five prevailing commitments: 1) continuing to live into the mission and calling that we have always held, 2) to keep investing at the same level in our congregational ministries and local missions, 3) maintaining the character and feel of our existing worship services (i.e. same hymnody, liturgy, scripturally-based sermons, and sacraments), 4) faithfulness to our historic Methodist/Wesleyan beliefs and practices, and 5) joining another Methodist/Wesleyan connectional denomination as soon as we find the right fit. Everything involved in our "Next Steps" process connects to these commitments.
On March 30th, our Church Council met and approved several measures that are summarized below. Our next congregation-wide step will be a Called Church Conference on April 12th (free cookout starting at 5:30pm, and meeting starting at 6:00pm).
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Next Steps
Next Steps for the Disaffiliation Process
Note: In February, Church Council commissioned a Next Steps Task Force to report back to the council regarding future denominational options, naming and branding, and needed facility changes (this will mostly take place in the way of signage, as we will need to remove all symbols and names trademarked by the UMC). The Next Steps Task Force began meeting in March, and has sub-divided into three subgroups: Denominational Alignment, Branding, and Facilities.
- Church Council has approved new Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws, which were prepared by our in-house legal team and reviewed by our Trustees. Establishing our church as an independent entity separate from our membership in the UMC will enable us to smoothly transfer the property when our disaffiliation is finalized. These documents were intentionally constructed to maintain our current policies and procedures.
- Church Council also approved communicating to the congregation our unfunded disaffiliation/affiliation financial requirements, which we estimate will be $170,611 (this is ~$200,000 less than we expected based on a reduction of our portion of the pension liability!). This includes our share of the unfunded pension liability for the UMC, our apportionments for the first half of 2024 (our balance for 2023 apportionments will also need to be paid but are accounted for in this year's approved budget), and various legal and operational costs associated with disaffiliating and rebranding. Any money raised beyond $170K will be applied to capital needs associated with rebranding, and any shortfall will be covered via a line of credit (if needed).
- Our disaffiliation will need to be approved by the South Georgia Annual Conference of the UMC during a called meeting on May 21, 2023. Following that approval, we will then fulfill our financial obligations in exchange for the full rights to our property (i.e. release from the trust clause). We anticipate that we will transition from being First United Methodist Church to simply First Methodist Church by the end of June 2023 (see more below).
Note: In February, Church Council commissioned a Next Steps Task Force to report back to the council regarding future denominational options, naming and branding, and needed facility changes (this will mostly take place in the way of signage, as we will need to remove all symbols and names trademarked by the UMC). The Next Steps Task Force began meeting in March, and has sub-divided into three subgroups: Denominational Alignment, Branding, and Facilities.
Next Steps for Denominational Affiliation
Next Steps for Naming, Branding, and Facilities
- At the request of the Church Council, the Next Steps Task Force researched and reviewed three options for future denominational alignment: joining the Global Methodist Church, joining the Free Methodist Church, or becoming an independent church (independent was included for the purposes of education and demonstrating contrast from the other options). After studying the three options, the Next Steps Task Force ruled out independent immediately, and began discussing the Free Methodist Church and the Global Methodist Church. After careful review and study, the Task Force unanimously recommended the Global Methodist Church as the best fit for our congregation to remain connectional, and to be in relationship with other churches that are familiar to us. Church Council unanimously approved this recommendation, which will now go forward to a congregational vote on April 12th at a Called Church Conference. We encourage you to review the slides from the Denominational Sub-committee's report to Church Council for the rationale.
- Just like the disaffiliation vote, the Church Conference on April 12th will be open to all members of the church. The night will begin with a FREE cookout meal in the Fellowship Hall at 5:30pm, and then we will transition at 6:00pm into a meeting with Rev. Jay Hanson. In addition to serving as a GMC pastor in Brunswick, Jay has been instrumental in the formation of the GMC as a whole and especially in South Georgia. He serves on the Transitional Leadership Council (global level) and as the South Georgia President Pro Temp (regional level). This will give everyone a chance to hear directly from one of the key leaders in the denomination, and to ask questions. Once we have had a chance to hear from Jay, we will call the Church Conference to order and cover the one agenda item of voting on whether or not to join the GMC.
- You are encouraged to prepare for the meeting in two ways: 1) Explore the Global Methodist Church's "What We Believe" section of their website. Part of the motion to join the GMC includes affirming Part One (Doctrine), Part Two (Social Witness), and the governance outlined by the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline. All of this is reviewable via that link. 2) Watch and listen to this interview our pastor Rev. Dr. Anthony McPhail conducted with Rev. David Donnan of Glennville Methodist Church regarding their experience of joining the new denomination. As with everything during this season of transition, we encourage everyone to go directly to the sources for the right information.
- If the vote passes then we will submit our application to join, and should be approved in 2-4 weeks. If the vote fails then we will revisit the possibility of joining the Free Methodist Church, and it is possible that we may end up being independent for a time.
Next Steps for Naming, Branding, and Facilities
- One of the easiest decisions the Next Steps Task Force made was to recommend our church return to our historic name of First Methodist Church of Valdosta. Many of our longtime members refer to our church as First Methodist and/or have ancestors that always knew our church as First Methodist. Church Council unanimously endorsed this recommendation in approximately two seconds. Joining another Methodist denomination enables us to retain the word "Methodist" in our name.
- Additionally, the Branding Sub-Committee presented a draft logo for us to adopt once disaffiliation is complete. You can review their recommendations via the slides from their report. The logo mockup was unanimously approved, so it will now be polished up and finalized by a professional designer.
- You can expect to see some new signs emerge in the coming months. Once the decision is reached on whether or not to join the Global Methodist Church, we can begin securing signs and other materials utilizing the First Methodist name.