Current Status

Current Status Subcommittee

  • Chris Glaze (chair)
  • Rebecca Jackson (DSC Rep)
  • Stan Petrohovich
  • George Howard
  • Lynda Gildea
  • Danny Wright

Holy Discernment Status Update – July 2024

As you know, the Bethany Church Council (CC) voted on June 26th for Bethany to continue the Holy Discernment process leading to a churchwide vote on whether to separate from the UMC.  There is much work to be done between now and the separation vote as required by the SC Annual Conference’s Local Church Discernment Process.  The Discernment Steering Committee in conjunction with the Bethany Church Council has begun making plans and taking action to ensure that this work is completed as required.  As we continue this process, we are committed to making sure that the Bethany congregation is kept up to date on the progress as well as any additional news that may be of interest or importance.  With that said, following is the status of activities as of July 15, 2024:

  • The Charleston District has a new District Superintendent (DS), Jeffrey Salley.
  • The SC Annual Conference has a new bishop, Leonard Fairley, effective September 1, 2024. Bishop Fairley was previously the bishop for the Kentucky Annual Conference.
  • Chris Glaze, Chair of Bethany CC, sent a letter to the Charleston DS on June 27th to inform him of the results of the church council vote and to request that he schedule a separation vote at the earliest possible date.
  • The DS responded on July 2nd to indicate that he had received the letter from Chris. In this letter, the DS set a tentative date and time for the Bethany separation vote for Saturday, January 4, 2025 at 11:00 am.
  • The Discernment Steering Committee, including Chris Glaze, met on July 11 to review the items on the “Checklist for Separation” and the “Agreement to Separate” documents provided by the SC Annual Conference. Preliminary plans were developed for meeting the various requirements from these two documents.
  • Chris Glaze (Chair CC), George Howard (Chair BOT), Barbara Petrohovich (Vice-chair CC) met with the new DS (Jeffrey Salley) on July 15th – we had a good conversation about our Holy Discernment process in terms of what has occurred, our current status, and preliminary plans for moving forward. Several questions were asked of DS Salley and he answered the questions that he could and promised to provide answers to those questions that he could not answer.  Overall, we found DS Salley to be welcoming and informed and our initial impression was that he would be a valuable resource in helping Bethany through the remainder of this process.

NOTE:  Please mark January 4, 2025 on your calendars.  As noted in prior communications and meetings, you must vote in person – there will be no provision for on-line or absentee voting.

 

Deuteronomy 31:8 – “it is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

     Many of you will have now heard about the results of the UMC General Conference (GC). The actions taken by the GC are clear now, as is the denomination’s chosen path toward a more inclusive church.  In many cases, the petitions reviewed by the GC legislative committees dealing with the LGBTQ+ items and the UMC Social Principles were passed without debate on the consent calendar. It appears as if the exodus of traditional churches over the last two years has irrevocably changed the voting demographics within the UMC governing body.

    In August 2023, Bethany UMC Church Council (CC) decided to enter the Discernment Process but to hold our decisions on separation until the results of the GC were known. However, the CC and the Discernment Steering Group have been active over the last eight months proactively working to inform our congregation on the issues surrounding the UMC and the GC. For example, on Wednesday of this week, the Church Council will begin a five-week series of Society meetings to examine the issues of sexual orientation, gender identity, the definition of marriage, adherence to the Book of Discipline, and the UMC social principles. These sessions are meant to inform the CC on the issues which have broadly affected our denomination and our beliefs. These sessions will lead us to two church-wide Town Halls (29 May and 23 June) and to a CC vote on 26 June 24 to determine if there should be a church wide vote on whether to stay or separate from the UMC.

   As we move closer to the CC vote, we need your presence within the church and your prayers for our church more than ever. You have patiently waited for the last eight months, and I am asking, as your CC Chairperson and as a member of a church that has loved me, to support Bethany in our efforts to complete the Discernment Process.  Bethany UMC’s spiritual character, loving nature, and rich history should be allowed to remain intact, regardless of how the coming church-wide vote decides. Let that decision be made by the current members of Bethany.

The bottom-line – I am asking you to continue to worship in your church, and to support your brothers and sisters in Christ to ensure you have a say in Bethany’s future.

     

In His Service,

Chris Glaze, PhD            2024 Bethany Church Council Chairperson

Barbara Petrohovich    2024 Bethany Church Council Vice Chairperson

General Conference 2024 ReCap