November 2022 Local Church Disaffiliations

A special called annual conference session, in accordance with ¶603.5 of the 2016 Book of Discipline, will be held Saturday, November 12, 2022 via Zoom. If you are a voting member to annual conference, you should have received a registration invite for the November 2022 session. Please reach out to Sarah McWilliams if you did not receive that email.

Live Stream for non-voting persons: Click here to see a list of proposed disaffiliating churches. A live stream link for those who are not voting members may be found here.

The following resolution was proposed for adoption at the November 12, 20222, special called annual conference session by the Alabama-West Florida cabinet.

Resolution Approving Disaffiliation of Local Churches

Baypines District

WHEREAS, Resurrection United Methodist Church located in Baldwin County in the Baypines District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

Demopolis District

WHEREAS, Bethlehem United Methodist Church located in Perry County in the Demopolis District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Brent United Methodist Church located in Bibb County in the Demopolis District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Heiberger United Methodist Church located in Perry County in the Demopolis District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Pondville United Methodist Church located in Bibb County in the Demopolis District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Zion United Methodist Church located in Perry County in the Demopolis District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

Dothan District

WHEREAS, Abbeville United Methodist Church located in Henry County in the Dothan District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Old Center United Methodist Church located in Henry County in the Dothan District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Liberty United Methodist Church located in Henry County in the Dothan District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church located in Dale County in the Dothan District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Pinckard United Methodist Church located in Henry County in the Dothan District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Samson United Methodist Church located in Geneva County in the Dothan District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

Marianna-Panama City District

WHEREAS, Compass Lake United Methodist Church located in Jackson County in the Marianna-Panama City District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Grace United Methodist Church located in Jackson County in the Marianna-Panama City District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Parker United Methodist Church located in Bay County in the Marianna-Panama City District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

Mobile

WHEREAS, Ebenezer United Methodist Church located in Washington County in the Mobile District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

Montgomery-Opelika District

WHEREAS, Hatchechubbee United Methodist Church located in Russell County in the Montgomery-Opelika District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Liberty United Methodist Church located in Macon County in the Montgomery-Opelika District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Notasulga United Methodist Church located in Macon County in the Montgomery-Opelika District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Murphy’s Chapel United Methodist Church located in Pike County in the Montgomery-Opelika District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Petrey United Methodist Church located in Crenshaw County in the Montgomery-Opelika District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Pine Level United Methodist Church located in Montgomery County in the Montgomery-Opelika District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Sardis United Methodist Church located in Tallapoosa County in the Montgomery-Opelika District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Troy First United Methodist Church located in Pike County in the Montgomery-Opelika District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

Montgomery-Prattville District

WHEREAS, Fairview United Methodist Church located in Montgomery County in the Montgomery-Prattville District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Mt. Nebo United Methodist Church located in Chilton County in the Montgomery-Prattville District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church located in Chilton County in the Montgomery-Prattville District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Thorsby United Methodist Church located in Chilton County in the Montgomery-Prattville District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Verbena United Methodist Church located in Chilton County in the Montgomery-Prattville District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Walnut Creek United Methodist Church located in Chilton County in the Montgomery-Prattville District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

Pensacola District

WHEREAS, Chumuckla United Methodist Church located in Santa Rosa County in the Pensacola District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Community Life United Methodist Church located in Santa Rosa County in the Pensacola District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Mae Edwards United Methodist Church located in Santa Rosa County in the Pensacola District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Pace United Methodist Church located in Santa Rosa County in the Pensacola District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Pine Forest United Methodist Church located in Escambia County in the Pensacola District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference has had a long and proud history as a United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, each of these churches has held a church conference, in compliance with ¶¶ 246.8, 248, and 2553.2-.3 of the Book of Discipline, at which at least two-thirds (2/3) of the professing members present at the church conference voted to disaffiliate from The United Methodist Church “for reasons of conscience regarding a change in the requirements and provisions of the Book of Discipline related to the practice of homosexuality or the ordination or marriage of self-avowed practicing homosexuals as resolved and adopted by the 2019 General Conference, or the actions or inactions of its annual conference related to these issues”; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to ¶ 2501.1 of the Book of Discipline, each of these churches holds its real and personal, tangible and intangible property “in trust for The United Methodist Church and subject to the provisions of its Discipline”; and

WHEREAS, ¶ 2553 of the Book of Discipline provides a specific circumstance in which property subject to ¶ 2501.1 can be released from the trust imposed by that paragraph; and

WHEREAS, each of these churches has entered into a disaffiliation agreement with the Annual Conference agreeing to pay all sums and to take all actions required by ¶ 2553 of the Book of Discipline and the Disaffiliation Policy of the Alabama-West Florida Annual Conference adopted at its 2019 Annual Conference session; and

WHEREAS, these disaffiliation agreements must be ratified by the Annual Conference to be effective.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Alabama-West Florida Annual Conference meeting virtually on November 12, 2022, does hereby celebrate the ministries of these congregations through the years by giving all glory to God,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the members of the Alabama-West Florida Annual Conference concur with and ratify the decision of these churches to disaffiliate with an affirmative vote.

Dr. Jeff Wilson Dean of the Cabinet November 12, 2022

***********************************************************************************************************************************

The following Alabama-West Florida local churches will come before the lay and clergy members to conference for a disaffiliation vote on November 12, 2022. Votes may only be yes or no. No amendments to the agreements may be made.

Abbeville United Methodist Church
Signed Minutes of Church Conference
Signed Disaffiliation Agreement

Bethlehem United Methodist Church
Signed Minutes of Church Conference
Signed Disaffiliation Agreement

Brent United Methodist Church
Signed Minutes of Church Conference
Signed Disaffiliation Agreement

Chumuckla United Methodist Church
Signed Minutes of Church Conference
Signed Disaffiliation Agreement

Community Life United Methodist Church
Signed Minutes of Church Conference
Signed Disaffiliation Agreement

Compass Lake United Methodist Church
Signed Minutes of Church Conference
Signed Disaffiliation Agreement

Ebenezer United Methodist Church
Signed Minutes of Church Conference
Signed Disaffiliation Agreement

Fairview United Methodist Church
Signed Minutes of Church Conference
Signed Disaffiliation Agreement

Grace United Methodist Church
Signed Minutes of Church Conference
Signed Disaffiliation Agreement

Hatchechubbee United Methodist Church
Signed Minutes of Church Conference
Signed Disaffiliation Agreement

Heiberger United Methodist Church
Signed Minutes of Church Conference
Signed Disaffiliation Agreement

Liberty United Methodist Church (No. 3200)
Signed Minutes of Church Conference
Signed Disaffiliation Agreement