COMPARING PATHWAYS

	A	C	E	F	G	H	K	L	M	N	O	P	R	S	T	U	V	W
1	Pathways >	No change		One Denomination, Many expressions					Work within GC to Divide or Dissolve							Work Outside to Divide or Dissolve / Individual Dissaffiliation / Other
2	Considerations v	Stay under 2019, 2020 Discipline	US Regional Conference	UMNext Plan	All Belong	Missionary Conferences	Protocol for Separation	Bard Jones Plan	Indianapolis Plan	N.E.W. Plan	Plain Grace Plan	UM Communion	Jurisdictional Re-Draw	Jurisdictional Option	Federated Churches	Encourage Local Churches to Dissaffiliatte	Autonomous ACs	Western Jurisdicton?

3	Proposed by	Current polity (55% of GC2019)	Connectional Table	UMCNext- Dotson	Western Jurisd. delegates	North Central Jurisdiction	Mediation team	Bps Bard and Jones	Invited group- Millard	UM Forward- Williams	F. Holbrook	Chris Ritter	B. Girrell and S. Delmore	Bill Lawrence (Perkins)	B. Girrell	local movement	Lewis Center/ Weems	Western Jurisdicion
4	Summary Website	https://tinyurl.com/y46nzz8o	https://tinyurl.com/y3twjsuo	https://umcnext.com/proposal/	https://allbelongumc.org/		https://tinyurl.com/wy6lc24	https://tinyurl.com/y3fhyxhg	https://tinyurl.com/yxejfxlw	https://um-forward.org/our-movement-forward	https://tinyurl.com/qvow7ty	https://tinyurl.com/yxvg8qd7	https://tinyurl.com/y5lyfq8p	https://tinyurl.com/uzhdk2z	https://tinyurl.com/y236pr7v
5	Supported by	WCA, Traditionalist movement, Good News	Connectional Table, some centrists	UMNext, some centrists, gets big press	Progressives, left-leaning centrists, some LGBTQ, Western Jurid. delegation	mixed group	broad group	mixed group	mixed group- includes some conservatives and some progressives	UM Forward, many of the queer clergy caucus	Newer plan; support less clear	mixed group	mixed group	Newer plan		"New England Discerners," lots of individual churches	Includes our option "NEAC becomes its own denomination"
6	Selling Point	Denominational theological unifority	Keeps UMC; US contextuality and autonomy	strengthens "center/progressive" which is the majority of US	Removes harm and creates inclusivity in the Book of Discipline		included people from various caucuses in the drafting; offers agreemnt for keeping a version of The UMC and spinning off one or more "traditionalist" or other denominations	keeps the traditionalist UMC together; gives "gracious exit" to progressives	Short timeline, compromise that progressives, centrists, and WCA agree on	full liberation for one of the resulting denominations	Creates new expressions of Methodism and preserves some of The UMC, without presuming the same discipline, shorter timeline	keeps some level of connection while maximizing autonomy; tries to address needs of central conferences	Offers an option to be used if GC passes nothing (or nothing helpful to dissolve/divide)	It's constitutional	keeps local churches together in the event of a need to vote for a particualr denomination/ expression	not waiting for GC to change
7	Opposition	progressives, much of NEAC, LGBTQ people	progressives find it wouldn't resolve the problem/allow LGBTQ people to serve; traditionalists may still object to being LGBTQ inclusive in other regions of the denom	Too similar to One Church Plan and its limitations; progressives, LGBTQ folks, strong opposition from Our Movement Forward and from traditionalists	WCA, Trasitionalist movement, Good News, General Conference	progressives find it wouldn't resolve the problem/allow LGBTQ people to serve, but could be a transitional step	small group formed the protocol; did not really include progressive voices; $25M payout deemed too big or too little depending on caucus	central objection: there's a way for churches/clergy to vote to stay if their AC leaves, but not for progressives in traditionalist conferences to individually leave? division of assets favors traditionalists under current membership models	central objection: not developed by a very representative body- no known Central Conference, queer, or POC representation	presumably all traditionalists and most centrists; central objection: long timeline, further fragments the non-traditionalist by dividing liberationists, progressives, and centrists.	Biggest objection is that it is not well known. Similar to Bard-Jones and Indianapolis; seems more equitable.	Requires approving a new constitution; may be challenging to secure votes for that.	central objection: what if Judicial Council rules that an AC can't take property with it? What happens to churches isolated from their nearest like-minded neighbors?	Does not anticipate/plan for dividing the denomination if necessary	local churches who choose to do this would need bylaws, agreements, etc., may complicate things unnecessarily	central objection: are local churches able to survive alone? does this leave other NEAC alone holding the bill for something they can't sustain? Can any churches afford to dissaffiliate, given the pension costs?	central objection: are annual conferences big enough to survive alone?
8	Brief	all churches/clergy come into conformity with the current Discipline, agree to abide with future Discipline.	Pass GC legislation to create a US Regional Conf akin to Central Conferneces in power. Allow Discipline to be regionally amended. Pass legislation to allow for social principles to be included in amending.	Similar to One Church Plan, utilizes another called session and another study team. Different regions or expressions decide their position. Dovetails with US regional conference	Pass GC legislation to remove "incompatibility," and related discriminatory/chargeable offense sections, undo Traditional Plan, increase inclusivity; includes constitutional amendments	Pass legislation to allow Jurisdictions to create missionary conferences, and make progressive missionary conferences, which can amend the Discipline for their region.	Pass GC legislation (not yet written) to create: a) an exit for 1 or more traditional denominations, b) regional conferences within the remaining UMC, c) possibility for other spin-off but affiliated denominations; UMC pays $25-27M to departing denomination(s), holds $38M to use to be redressing racist legacy of the denomination(s); annual conferences affiliate with resulting denominations.	Pass GC legislation to allow for annual conferneces to become autonomous bodies, after paying their portion of unfunded pension liability. Local churches and individual clergy can vote to stay UMC.	Short Timeline. Pass GC legislation to create 3 new denominations. The center/progressive one holds most of the current asset and liability/retains UMC. ACs decide their position with churches free to disaffiliate if they disagree with the AC	creates four new denominations: conservative, centrist, progressive, liberative, all part of a worldwide communion. Uses a transitional council and professional arbiter to divide assets etc; imposes moritorium on trials; boards and agencies become independent 501c3s	Pass GC legislation (no consitutional amendments) to create new expressions of Methodism in full communion and shared missional support with The UMC. Annual conferneces and individual churches can decide which expression to affiliate with	The UMC becomes a Communion of different denominations, which are free to set their own vision, and presumably their own rules regarding ordination, marriage, etc. Has a Governing Council of 60-100 people which replaces GC and GCFA; compatible with Indy Plan.	Use Jurisdictional power to redraw confernce boundaries, creating conferences that are of one mind as possible. Conferences leave/disaffiliate with property and can re-form into a new connection. Dovetails with missionary conferences.	Just like what I developed, without the part about the resulting annual confernces possibly disaffiliating	local churches who have to vote to affiliate with a denomination out of two or more options would instead let the member roll divde between those options, and then federate with those two or more denominations.	Using the (currently unresolved due to voting irregularity) procesudres created by GC2019 and NEAC2019, have individual churches disaffiliate and be free to do their ministry.	Pass (presumably) constitutional amendments to make annual conferences completely autonomous from the GC and one another	Rumor has it the WJ submitted legislation to just remove the incompatiblity, funding ban, ordination restrictions, chargeable offenses regarding homosexuality
9	Needed Legislation	11 petitions. Clarify local church dissaffiliation after the voting irregularities, adds annual conference disaffiliation, strengthens/retries things ruled unconstitutional previously	Constitutional amendments to create a new Regional Conference, or make Jurisdictions and Central Conferences similar; but if this fails, there could be a leg committee dealing with only US issues	23 peitions. Commission appointed by bishops reports to a called session in 2023, to approve a plan for denominational restructure.	petitions to delete "incompatibility;" peteitions to remove language in candidacy, chargeable offenses, etc	Allow JCs to create missionary conferences (or GC must do so), expand the portions of the Dicipline that can be amended	In process. Requested review by Judicial Council of constitutionality.	5 petitions to allow ACs to exit, to clarify how pension is funded and how the name and insignia of UMC can be used.	Divisions of assets, legislation that dissolves the denomination into new ones-- does that mean constitutional amendment?	1 peition that adds a section to implement the transitional plan and describe the new denominations	20 pieces of legislation describing affiliation, new expressions, division of assets, etc.	Pass an entirely new Constition	none needed; prefer to clarify that ACs can dissaffiliate and keep property in trust.	none needed	none needed.	fix dissaffiliation, then only needs to pass votes at the local church and AC level.	massive constitutional amendments	no idea
10	Known legislation	11 petitions to strengthen/clarify.	https://tinyurl.com/y3lp55se	https://umcnext.com/legislation/	https://allbelongumc.org/what-we-propose			https://tinyurl.com/y4bxaxft	https://tinyurl.com/y3wms5et	https://tinyurl.com/y2sh3trr	https://planegrace.com/the-plain-grace-plan-submitted-september-13-2019/	https://tinyurl.com/yxvg8qd7	https://tinyurl.com/yxugpgzs	none needed	none needed.	none needed, beyond fix to dsiaffiliation.
11	Can it Pass?	GC, yes. Already has	unclear. Passed GC before, but failed constitutional amendment process.	Maybe, maybe not; vote might be similar to One Church Plan (47/53)	Almost definitely not.	unclear. Would a conservative-controlled GC allow this seeming loophole?	Possibly. Initial high and broad-based support.	Possibly; had itially high support, now waning.	High probability in some form, given broad support, short timeline, negotiated with WCA, centrist, and progressive.	probably not - seek non-legislative means to implement; needs amendment to moritorium section	possible.	Unknown	Does not need to pass GC.	Does not need to pass GC	Does not need to pass.	Doesn't need to pass.	Almost definitely not.
12	Trials?	yes, can start 1/1/20		moritorium	eliminated		moritorium recommended; agreed to by the signatories.	yes, unless your AC departs	silent	moritorium	silent		silent			not for those who leave
13	Ordination?	no lgbtq clergy; set by GC	eventual hope that criteria to be set by US Regional conference	Prohibition removed; Every annual confernece decides criteria	Prohibition removed		each new denomination decides- centrists and progressives remove incompatibility and restrictions	depends on resulting denominations/autonomous bodies	each new denomination decides- centrists remove incompatibility and restrictions	may not discriminate (in liberative church); depends on resulting denomination	each new "expression" would presumably decide		would be determined by resulting annual conferences and new denominations if applicable			unclear what happens to credentials of clergy if they leave too
14	Marriage?	no officating/hosting same sex weddings	eventual hope to be set by US Regional conference	omits "between a man and a woman" from church-wide definition of marriage	changes definition of marriage to include same sex partners as well		each new denomination decides- centrists and progressives allow	depends on resulting denominations/autonomous bodies	each new denomination decides- centrists and progressives allow	may not discriminate (in liberative church); depends on resulting denomination	each new "expression" would presumably decide		would be determined by resulting annual conferences and new denominations if applicable			yes, for those who leave/form new denomination
15	Funding Ban?	yes	determined by region	removes ban	removes ban		silent	silent	silent	may not discriminate (in liberative church); depends on resulting denomination	silent		silent			preumably yeas for those who leave/form new denomination
16	Disaffiliation?	yes, of churches and annual conferences		yes of churches, no for annual conferences	no provision		separation, not disafiliation; pathway provided for ACs and local churches	yes, of ACs although by another name; churches and clergy can disagree with their AC and remain	yes- ACs decide which denom to join, local churches can vote otherwise for themselves.	dissolution, with individual ACs and churches able to vote to decide their outcome.	yes, although it prefers to call this "affiliation" with the new rather than focusing on the disaffiliation part		prioritizing disaffiliation by annual conference, with each church being able to belong to a conference that matches its convictions			yes
17	Theological Commitments	prioritizes a conservative biblical authority		prioritizes connection as a Methodist/ Christian teaching	prioritizes inclusion and justice	prioritizes connection and contextual ministry	prioritizes compromise/mediation, minimizes harm	Prioritizes theologically conservative UMC holding the institution	Prioritizes parting amicably and quickly, compromise, harm reduction	Prioritizes justice, liberation	letting go of the old, amicable separation, fairness	Prioritizes peaceful solution with some maintained connection	Prioritizes minimizing harm.			prioritizes liberation
18	Financial Considerations	cost of trials, progressive churches seeking disaffiliation	"unburdens" the GC from US-specific matters; GC could meet for shorter times; working with Wespath to have all the	calls for multiple special sessions, mediators, and commissions. Uses Wespath prefered proposal and if disaffiliating churches stay with Wespeth, minimizes disruption to benefit pool.	cost of traditionalist churches seeking dissafilliation		$25-27M for exiting denominations, $38M for racial reparations. Special session of the post-split UMC at unknown cost. Retirement and benefits funds stay with the plan sponsor (AC) or member (church and its clergy person), thereby minimizing instability in the pool	annual conferences must pay their unfunded pension liability if they wish to leave the (traditionalist) UMC, legal fees, large numbers of progressives leaving will destabilize pension	legal fees? special sessions? unfunded liability transfers to new denomination. see asset allocation at: https://peopleneedjesus.files.wordpress.com/2019/09/2556.12.d-asset-allocation-proposal.pdf	transitional council, called session, realignment of investment to address harms of colonialism etc	some special sessions, organization of new expressions, division of assets must be fair (but not everyhting needs to be sold), uses Wespath's prefered plan (2019)	financial impact depends on how the resulting autonomous confernces/ denominations end up, how many share Wespath liability, etc	JC special sessions if needed, liberating "stuck" churches or clergy			funding pensions and other benefits, loss of shared liability, potential need to pay back or fogive loans, relief, etc.	financial impact depends on how the resulting autonomous confernces end up, how many share Wespath liability, etc
19	Legal/Structural Considerations	trials, loss of membership, disaffiliation, non conformity	overall structure of denomination wouldn't change	overall structure doesn't change, but allows for many churches to exit if they wish	overall structure of denomination wouldn't change	requires that the "Global Discipline" allow for things like Social Principles to be amended, and this has been a tough thing to pass.	constitutionality subject to reveiw by Judicial Council; ie can the church create regional bodies without a constitutional amendment? If a church votes to remain in the UMC but its AC departs, where does it hold membership?	lots of unknown	concern for the default for Central Confernces (which is dissaffiliation and might not be constitutional), lots of structural change.	can this be implemented without amendment to constitution?	Silent on Central Confernces? would be hard to make happen if only some pararaphs pass.	shakes the current system, but would put a different legal/structural system in place.	depends on Judicial Council and upholding the trust clause if ACs or the UMC cease to exist.			overall structure doesn't change, but potential legal struggles resolving property and assets.	huge constitutional hurdles
20	Impact on NEAC	Majority of members of NEAC do not seem to find this tolerable	Might work for a majority of NEAC local churches; preserves the known but allows LGBTQ people here.	Might work for a majority of NEAC local churches; preserves the known but allows LGBTQ people here.	Frustratingly idealistic; would be wonderful if it could happen, but not probable enough to really plan for this	Not sure what would be the outcome if the "missionary confernece" were bigger than the remaining annual confernece.	possibly allows much of NEAC to stay together; would some churches in NEAC want to join a liberationist denomination or at least federate with that denomination?	Seems like it would be very expensive for NEAC- we presumably would disaffiliate as an AC, but sme churches and clergy would remain.	Might work for a majority of NEAC local churches; minimizes change but allows LGBTQ people here, and allows conservative churches an out	Might work for a majority of NEAC local churches; congregations and clergy would be able to affilaite as needed, but we'd lose some conenction to each other	Might work formost NEAC local churches; minimizes change but allows freedom for different groups, allows Conference to move together or in part into something new.	Might work for a majority of NEAC local churches; traditionalist congregations and clergy would be able to affilaite elsewhere	Might work for a majority of NEAC local churches; minimizes change but allows LGBTQ people here.			Concern that this works for the churches that disaffiliate only if they are large enough and sustainable enough. Churches that don't disaffiliate are potentially exposed to increased liability, pension costs, apportionments, etc. Loss of connection in the movement.	Concern that NEAC is not viable alone.
21	Impact on LGBTQ folks	trials, defrocking, loss of dignity and humanity	queer folks in supportive areas are safe; others aren't	queer folks in supportive areas are safe; others aren't	would allow and protect queer folks in the church and in minsitry	limited locations and abilities to serve; still part of a denomination that is discriminatory.	queer folks in supportive expressions would be safe; other's aren't but that's not our denomination, and there is opportunity for them to affiliate with a safe expression	queer folks in supportive areas are safe; others aren't, but that's not in our denomination; we can only "save our own"	queer folks in supportive areas are safe; others aren't, but that's not in our denomination	Developed by POC+Q+T people and centering the voices of these communities.	queer folks in supportive expressions would be safe; other's aren't but that's not our denomination, and there is opportunity for them to affiliate with a safe expression	queer folks' protection depends on the vision/policy of their annual confernece; confernces need not be geographic so queer folk in conservative places could still find a different AC.	queer folks in supportive Conferences are safe; others aren't, but that's not in our denomination. There is a safe Conference in each area in the US			queer folks in supportive areas are safe; others aren't.	queer folks in supportive areas are safe; other's aren't	queer folks in supportive areas are safe; others aren't, but that's presumably not in our denomination
22	Impact on local churches	No policy change, but progressive/reconciling churches find sharp decline, traditionalist churches find decline due to ongoing infighting.	On the outset, it may not seem like much changes. The downside to that is that the infighting continues within the US Regional Confernece	On the outset, doesn't look like much change for centrist and progressive churches; traditionalist churches presumably disaffiliate	Widespread loss of traditionalist churches makes denomination even more topheavy/ unsustainable; this financial burden filters down.	Continued internal strife in denomination; some local churches may find themselves more free to practice their ministry	local churches have to vote on where they will affiliate/what to do if they don't agree with their annual conference's choice	local churches have to vote on where they will afiiliate	local churches have to vote on where they will affiliate/what to do if they don't agree with their annual conference's choice	local churches will have to vote on where they affilliate	local churches may have to vote on where they affiliate	local churches have to vote on where they will affiliate/what to do if they don't agree with their annual conference's choice	Local churches have to vote on where they will affiliate/what to do if they don't agree with their annual conference's choice			currently, large cost to local churches seeking to disaffiliate; remaining churches then support a more top-heavy, unsustainable denomination
23	Impact on clergy	Retirement takes a hit as multiple churches close or leave denomination. Continued internal strife in denomination	Continued internal strife in denomination. Unclear how many traditionalist churches would find this untenable and leave, weakening retirement stability.	widepresd loss of traditionalist churches impacts retirement stability if they do not continue with Wespath	Widespread loss of traditionalist churches weakens retirement stability.	Continued internal strife in denomination; some clergy may find themselves more free to practice their ministry	unclear if clergy have a smooth pathway to transfer conferences/denominations as well as the churches do.	clergy in progressive conferences have a choice to stay or go; clergy in traditionalist conferences do not appear to	unclear if clergy have a smooth pathway to transfer conferences/denominations as well as the churches do.	clergy are free to affiliate where they can practice ministry more freely	unclear if clergy automatically affiliate with their annual conference, or if they can elect different affiliation	some clergy may find themselves more free to practice their ministry	some clergy may find themselves more free to practice their ministry			loss of conenction with colleagues, loss of churches/entering a new denomination or lack thereof weakens retirement stabilty. Uncelar what happens to clergy serving churches that disaffiliate.
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31	credits:	Information compiled by Rev. Becca Girrell
32		New England Annual Conference
33		Delegation, Open Spirit Task Force
34		(opinions are mine)
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36		Some summary information found from Chris Ritter:
37		https://peopleneedjesus.net/2019/09/26/gc2020-nine-plans-and-what-to-think-about-them/
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