FAQ on Oakland UMC
Questions and Answers on Oakland UMC in Charles Town, W.Va.
A response to a question raised at the Pre-Conference Briefing
(April 26, 2018)
At the April 21 Pre-Conference Session in Frederick, a question was raised about a United Methodist church seeking to break ties with the denomination. We offer this Q&A to bring clarity around that issue.
Leaders of Oakland UMC in Charles Town, W.Va., have held conversations with their district superintendent, the Rev. Edgardo Rivera, notifying him of their intention to leave The United Methodist Church.
Has any official action been taken?
No. At one meeting, the church surveyed its members and a majority of those present expressed interest in relinquishing their membership as United Methodists and joining their current pastor in forming Oakland Community Church.
The official, legal protocols for surrendering membership in the denomination have not been invoked.
Would the church retain its property?
No. According to the denomination’s Trust Clause, “All properties of United Methodist local churches and other United Methodist agencies and institutions are held, in trust, for the benefit of the entire denomination, and ownership and usage of the church property is subject to the Discipline.” (¶2501, 2016 Book of Discipline)
Would a new pastor be assigned?
The current pastor, the Rev. Kent Tice, has announced plans to retire in July. It is customary when a pastor retires from a full-time appointment, that he does not continue to serve in that same church. It is the practice of the BWC to assign a new pastor to that church to fill the vacancy.
Have any reasons been expressed by the pastor or others for wanting to leave The United Methodist Church?
Social media posts condemn those who disagree with current United Methodist policy on LGBTQ issues. In one writing, Oakland’s leaders also questioned the BWC’s support of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. In 2016, annual conference members voted to continue their membership in RCRC, but no funds have been, or will be, spent on this membership.
Will this have a financial impact on the Baltimore-Washington Conference?
Yes. In recent years, church leaders chose not to pay apportionments. In 2017, the church paid $0 on its $39,328 in Mission Shares. When a church fails, or is unable to live into, its connectional responsibility, the burden of caring for their share shifts to others. Oakland has also not shown support of the connectional system.
What is the next step?
Bishop LaTrelle Easterling, the BWC’s presiding episcopal leader, continues to call for prayer that all involved will continue to exemplify the Gospel. She, and other conference leaders, cite this year’s annual theme, “We are One: Beneath the Cross,” and lift up the rich history of The United Methodist Church being a faith community that blends the very best of personal piety and social holiness. “Under the discipline of the Holy Spirit,” they say, “the local church exists for the maintenance of worship, the edification of believers and the redemption of the world.”