A.C.T.S.
Alternative Connectional Structures Committee
of King Avenue Church
bit.ly/ka-acts
Purpose:
- To share updated information relevant to reconciling United Methodists in Ohio
- To invite congregations that are concerned about exclusion and the punitive actions of GC 2019 to connect with others with similar concerns and to identify and plan for possible solidarity actions, resistance actions, or influence actions
Visit this page for more information and links to statements regarding this proposal.
Proposed Separation
The Protocol of Reconciliation & Grace Through Separation released early January, 2020 is encouraging in that it should save us from more acrimony. It is an agreement reached by persons whose positions have been incompatible; that too is encouraging. It is not a done deal. It is a proposal which needs to be approved at the May general conference. It needs to be reviewed as to its UM constitutionality. There are also exclusionary Disciplinary statements that must be addressed, but there are pathways for addressing them. There is much work to be done and much to clarify, but we are more hopeful than we have been since last February.
Response to General Conference 2019
Be assured that King Avenue will remain the joyful, grace-filled church it has always been. Other than expanding our ministries, nothing will change. We are NOT moving or leaving our building. We will continue to be a sanctuary that is fully welcoming and inclusive, including the celebration of same-gender marriages.
In response to the tragic actions of General Conference in St. Louis 2019, King Avenue has taken to specific steps relating to our present and future.
Formation of the ACTS Committee
King Avenue UMC’s vision, which states in part that we “lead reconciling ministries,” and the decisions of the 2019 General Conference leave our congregation missionally misaligned with our current and, probably, future denominational policy and structure. At its March 12 meeting, the Staff Parish Relations Committee voted to create an ad hoc subcommittee, Alternative ConnecTional Structure (ACTS), to investigate emerging options to affiliate King Avenue Church with a Methodist judicatory of a compatible missional alignment. Plans and possibilities for new structural expressions of Methodism are being discussed by a variety of groups and individuals throughout United Methodism. ACTS will help King Avenue Church move past the rumors and opinions of social media and become well informed as to what is actually serious, viable, and theologically sound.
To that end, the subcommittee will identify groups that are conceptualizing and organizing an alternate denominational structure, will clarify and communicate our interest, will research what is being developed, and will keep the congregation appropriately informed about progress and options. The subcommittee’s goal will be to recommend an affiliation that will be best for our congregation and mission. ACTS will work prudently and report as needed to Ad Council and the congregation on its learning. From this work King Avenue will gain a clearer picture on how to proceed.
Members of the subcommittee are Rev. Cean Wilson, Janet Blocher, Linda Guyton, Andy Shockney, Pam Springer, Rhonda Luetje, Tim Bechtol, John Keeny and Colleen Ogle.