Discerning Our Future

The Bishop, Cabinet, Conference Leadership Team and NAC3 Team have gathered frequently asked questions from North Alabama United Methodists. As additional frequently-asked questions emerge, they will be added so these pages may serve as a resource of up-to-date and accurate information for North Alabama United Methodists.

 
FAQ About The United Methodist Church →
 
FAQ The North Alabama Conference and the Bishop →
 
FAQ Local Congregations and Laity →
 
FAQ Clergy and Surviving Spouses →

 


Key Dates

The North Alabama Annual Conference will hold Special Sessions of the Annual Conference on Dec. 10, 2022, May 11, 2023, and Sept. 12, 2023, to process requests for disaffiliation under ¶2553 of the United Methodist Book of Discipline. These are the three opportunities the North Alabama Annual Conference will have to vote on disaffiliations for churches who, after going through our discernment process, discern to disaffiliate from The United Methodist Church under ¶2553. 

Key dates and deadlines regarding the May 2023 Special Session of the North Alabama Annual Conference:

  • Feb 1, 2023 - Last day for a congregation to begin the discernment process to consider disaffiliation from The United Methodist Church and have time to complete it prior to the May 2023 Special Session. Contact your District Superintendent for more information. Please note: congregations not wishing to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church do not have to enter a discernment process.
     
  • May 1, 2023 - Deadline for congregations to turn in all disaffiliation-related documentation and financial payments due to the Annual Conference.
     
  • May 11, 2023 - Special Session of the North Alabama Annual Conference to be held with the purpose of processing current requests for disaffiliation under ¶2553 of the United Methodist Book of Discipline. This is the second of potentially three gatherings the North Alabama Annual Conference will have to vote on disaffiliations for churches under Book of Discipline ¶2553.
     
  • Dec. 31, 2023 -  The ¶2553 Disaffiliation Process, which was added to the Book of Discipline by the 2019 Special Session of the General Conference expires.


Key dates and deadlines regarding the September 2023 Special Session of the North Alabama Annual Conference:

  • April 1, 2023 - Last day for a congregation to begin the discernment process to consider disaffiliation from The United Methodist Church and have time to complete it prior to the September 2023 Special Session. Contact your District Superintendent for more information. Please note: congregations not wishing to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church do not have to enter a discernment process.
     
  • August 1, 2023 - Deadline for congregations to turn in all disaffiliation-related documentation and financial payments due to the Annual Conference.
     
  • Sept. 12, 2023 - Special Session of the North Alabama Annual Conference to be held with the purpose of processing current requests for disaffiliation under ¶2553 of the United Methodist Book of Discipline. This is the final of three gatherings the North Alabama Annual Conference will have to vote on disaffiliations for churches under Book of Discipline ¶2553.
     
  • Dec. 31, 2023 -  The ¶2553 Disaffiliation Process, which was added to the Book of Discipline by the 2019 Special Session of the General Conference expires.

The Bishop, Cabinet, Conference Leadership Team and NAC3 Team have gathered frequently asked questions from North Alabama United Methodists. As additional frequently-asked questions emerge, they will be added so these pages may serve as a resource of up-to-date and accurate information for North Alabama United Methodists.

 
FAQ About The United Methodist Church →
 
FAQ The North Alabama Conference and the Bishop →
 
FAQ Local Congregations and Laity →
 
FAQ Clergy and Surviving Spouses →

 


Key Dates

The North Alabama Annual Conference will hold Special Sessions of the Annual Conference on Dec. 10, 2022, May 11, 2023, and Sept. 12, 2023, to process requests for disaffiliation under ¶2553 of the United Methodist Book of Discipline. These are the three opportunities the North Alabama Annual Conference will have to vote on disaffiliations for churches who, after going through our discernment process, discern to disaffiliate from The United Methodist Church under ¶2553. 

Key dates and deadlines regarding the May 2023 Special Session of the North Alabama Annual Conference:

  • Feb 1, 2023 - Last day for a congregation to begin the discernment process to consider disaffiliation from The United Methodist Church and have time to complete it prior to the May 2023 Special Session. Contact your District Superintendent for more information. Please note: congregations not wishing to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church do not have to enter a discernment process.
     
  • May 1, 2023 - Deadline for congregations to turn in all disaffiliation-related documentation and financial payments due to the Annual Conference.
     
  • May 11, 2023 - Special Session of the North Alabama Annual Conference to be held with the purpose of processing current requests for disaffiliation under ¶2553 of the United Methodist Book of Discipline. This is the second of potentially three gatherings the North Alabama Annual Conference will have to vote on disaffiliations for churches under Book of Discipline ¶2553.
     
  • Dec. 31, 2023 -  The ¶2553 Disaffiliation Process, which was added to the Book of Discipline by the 2019 Special Session of the General Conference expires.


Key dates and deadlines regarding the September 2023 Special Session of the North Alabama Annual Conference:

  • April 1, 2023 - Last day for a congregation to begin the discernment process to consider disaffiliation from The United Methodist Church and have time to complete it prior to the September 2023 Special Session. Contact your District Superintendent for more information. Please note: congregations not wishing to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church do not have to enter a discernment process.
     
  • August 1, 2023 - Deadline for congregations to turn in all disaffiliation-related documentation and financial payments due to the Annual Conference.
     
  • Sept. 12, 2023 - Special Session of the North Alabama Annual Conference to be held with the purpose of processing current requests for disaffiliation under ¶2553 of the United Methodist Book of Discipline. This is the final of three gatherings the North Alabama Annual Conference will have to vote on disaffiliations for churches under Book of Discipline ¶2553.
     
  • Dec. 31, 2023 -  The ¶2553 Disaffiliation Process, which was added to the Book of Discipline by the 2019 Special Session of the General Conference expires.
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