What to do ?

[polkaman]

Our local umc voted to leave, it was a particularly nasty situation, it was planned and organized and the pastor and her husband were in on it.
I have sponsored 1 meeting with the "losers" the DS and the conference person in charge of new churchs. It was bad...grown people, upset to the point they found it hard to talk. There was talk about the next step, but many were hurt and were already looking at a new church home since the next umc is about 40 miles one way.
I decided a while back something needs to be done, so I have made several proposals to the DS and the conference. The last is getting a smart TV, renting a community room, and stream live services. Have coffee and cookies, cards to send to the sick etc...like we used to, to get things going again.
But the conference says they have not heard from anyone but me....but they can't understand people are hurt, lost, they feel like their church left them, plus most are older, and already built one church that is gone.
I don't know if I should go forward...since I don't get support from umc, and I would call it methodist friends ministry...I don't think umc could say anything.
If they could understand....this would be the first step of starting a "faith community" conference keeps saying they want to see evidence of critical mass...but if you don't have anything how will you start a church. They just want a group come forward with many to start a new church.

 

[Andrewn]

Our local umc voted to leave, it was a particularly nasty situation, it was planned and organized and the pastor and her husband were in on it. I have sponsored 1 meeting with the "losers" the DS and the conference person in charge of new churchs. It was bad...grown people, upset to the point they found it hard to talk. There was talk about the next step, but many were hurt and were already looking at a new church home since the next umc is about 40 miles one way. I decided a while back something needs to be done, so I have made several proposals to the DS and the conference. The last is getting a smart TV, renting a community room, and stream live services. Have coffee and cookies, cards to send to the sick etc...like we used to, to get things going again. But the conference says they have not heard from anyone but me....but they can't understand people are hurt, lost, they feel like their church left them, plus most are older, and already built one church that is gone.

The losing side in any election gets upset. But why consider the church "gone" and plan to leave it?

I don't know if I should go forward...since I don't get support from umc, and I would call it methodist friends ministry...I don't think umc could say anything. If they could understand....this would be the first step of starting a "faith community" conference keeps saying they want to see evidence of critical mass...but if you don't have anything how will you start a church. They just want a group come forward with many to start a new church.

I guess there is nothing wrong with starting a faith community. But my understanding is that hiring qualified pastors is difficult.

 

[polkaman]

The losing side in any election gets upset. But why consider the church "gone" and plan to leave it?


I guess there is nothing wrong with starting a faith community. But my understanding is that hiring qualified pastors is difficult.

In these type of votes, the loosers were the ones that did not want to leave. They now do not have a church since they are no longer welcome, after all the talk and name calling
They feel that all they worked for, donated and supported, is gone, which it basicly is due to totally different ideas that are now ruling things.

As for my proposal, we would have live services from other umc churchs, since we have no local pastor. The problem is most church members are followers, not leaders, that is why they are not contacting conference saying they will do the work.

 

[tampasteve]

As for my proposal, we would have live services from other umc churchs, since we have no local pastor. The problem is most church members are followers, not leaders, that is why they are not contacting conference saying they will do the work.

Is there another reasonably local (even in the same State would work) UMC that you could align with? If you worked out something with their pastor you could stream their services and be a branch location perhaps. Then you would have some spiritual support, and if you are not seeking monetary support I would imagine many churches would be able to help out with being your pastoral team for the time being.