WCA Meetings Not Sanctioned

On Friday, March 25, Bishop Saenz issued the following statement to clear up any misconceptions regarding his sanctioning or endorsement of a series of informational meetings about the Global Methodist Church produced by the Central Texas Wesleyan Covenant Association. Neither Bishop Saenz, the Cabinet nor any CTC-related organization has sanctioned nor endorses these meetings.

United Methodists of the Central Texas Conference, the grace of Jesus Christ be with you.

 

During the past week, many clergy and lay members of the Central Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church have received unsolicited communications from the Central Texas Wesleyan Covenant Association (WCA) inviting them to attend one of their upcoming informational meetings about the Global Methodist Church (GMC).

 

First and foremost, I want to make it crystal clear that I have not sanctioned, nor do I endorse these meetings, and neither do the Cabinet nor any organization officially associated with the Central Texas Conference.

 

The stated purpose of these meetings is “… to help answer questions about disaffiliating from the UMC and joining the Global Methodist Church.” As the conference communicated yesterday (March 24), the official Central Texas Conference procedures for disaffiliation have not been finalized or announced. Given that these procedures are in development, I’m not sure what answers our WCA sisters and brothers are able to provide beyond what has been shared by the conference. Lamentably, it seems the real purpose of these meetings is to recruit members for the GMC which is behavior that undermines the ministry of clergy and dedicated laity that plan to remain with the United Methodist Church.

 

I continue to work with conference leadership on this process and remain firmly committed to abide by the Book of Discipline, guidance from Wespath about pension liabilities, and Judicial Council decisions regarding disaffiliation from the denomination. The complete process will be announced as soon as it is ready. A series of online meeting dates and times to answer your questions and concerns will be posted along with the process. In the meantime, as we did yesterday, we will share what we can, when we can.

 

Until those procedures are announced, it is vital to focus amid this anxiety on our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ that lead people into a deeper love of God, proclaim the newness of life in Jesus Christ, serve others, and seek justice for the transformation of the world.