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BY HEATHER HAHN
UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE

The Call to Action's proposal to restructure General Agencies is drawing a lot of attention as The United Methodist Church approaches this spring's General Conference.

The proposal would restructure the denomination, including consolidating nine of the church's 13 general agencies under a 15-member board.

The 2012 General Conference, the denomination's top lawmaking body, will have final say on the proposed changes when it meets April 24-May 4 in Tampa, Fla. However, the plan is already drawing attention from United Methodist groups across the theological spectrum.

The proposal aims to address four decades of declining United Methodist membership in the United States. Legislation to restructure the denomination originated with the Call to Action process. Almost everyone agrees The United Methodist Church needs to change. Where views differ is how best to go about it.

In general, leaders of the denomination's unofficial progressive groups fear the recommended restructuring will lessen the church's commitment to ethnic diversity and minimize programs that foster church growth, particularly among people of color.

The recommended restructuring "isn't United Methodist, and it isn't Wesleyan," said Donald L. Hayashi, who worked with the Methodist Federation for Social Action, a denominationwide progressive caucus, in drafting an alternative reorganization that has been submitted to General Conference.

Meanwhile, leaders of unofficial evangelical groups see the restructuring as a cost-saving measure that will put more focus on local congregations. "We believe that a lot of the proposals are moving us in the right direction," said the Rev. Thomas Lambrecht, vice president and general manager of denominationwide evangelical caucus Good News.

The two proposals come after a number of studies over the past four years show that the denomination's status quo is unsustainable.

While The United Methodist Church is growing worldwide, particularly in Africa and the Philippines, the U.S. membership has declined by 29 percent since 1968, going from 10.7 million members to fewer than 8 million. The U.S. membership still provides most of the denomination's financial support.

The initial legislation to restructure the denomination's agencies came out of the multiyear Call to Action process, initiated by the Council of Bishops and Connectional Table to "reorder the life of the church."

The proposed agency – the United Methodist Center for Connectional Mission and Ministry – would combine the functions of nine general agencies – the Board of Discipleship; Board of Higher Education and Ministry; Board of Global Ministries; Board of Church and Society; Commission on Religion and Race; Commission on the Status and Role of Women; Commission on Archives and History; Council on Finance and Administration and United Methodist Communications. The work would be organized into offices of congregational vitality, leadership excellence, missional engagement, justice and reconciliation, and shared services.

The hope is that the consolidation will eliminate walls of separation, competition for responsibilities and redundant activities among the agencies, said Illinois Area Bishop Gregory V. Palmer, a leader in the Call to Action process. A "more nimble, cost-effective and focused" agency structure would in turn help annual conferences foster more vital congregations, he said.

The legislation designates that the 45-member council board should include one member from each of the seven central conferences. The board's 41 voting members also will include five bishops, five members from the denomination's ethnic caucuses, three representatives from the Advisory Committee on Ministries with Young People and 21 members elected from jurisdictions in proportion to their jurisdictions' membership.

Bishop John R. Schol and the Council of Bishops have created a Call to Action Study Guide to assist United Methodists in exploring the restructuring changes, adaptive challenges and creating vital congregations. The 25-page booklet is 65 cents, or 55 cents for 10 or more. Visit www.cokesbury.org.