• Illinois Great Rivers Conference
• Bishop Frank. J Beard
• Disaffiliation
• IGRC Process on Disaffiliation

Phase 1 – Initial Inquiry

Facilitated under the direction of the Superintendent and Bishop

Purpose: Conduct one or more informational sessions with members of the local church before a formal decision by the local church is made

Primary goals:

• To ensure that all members are invited to participate in informational session
• To listen for the concerns of all members especially those which prompt their inquiry about disaffiliation
• To provide facts and answer questions about the current polity and doctrine of the UMC as it is represented in the current Book of Discipline
• To present in detail the “basis” upon which a local church may formally request disaffiliation under the terms of Para. 2553

Means of Communication:

• First – Formal Letter from Local Church requesting disaffiliation
• Second – A meeting of members from the Conference Disaffiliation Coordinating Team with local church leaders to review the initial draft of the Disaffiliation Agreement and answer questions.

The Local Church Request for Disaffiliation must include:

• A clear statement of the reason for the disaffiliation request, and
• A signed attestation of that their reason conforms to the requirements of disaffiliation outlined in Paragraph 2553 (BOD).
• The local church must also submit a digital roster of all professing members with both e-mail and street addresses (.xls or .csv format).

The terms of the Disaffiliation Agreement will comply with Paragraph 2553 (BOD). The Conference Board of Trustees have implemented the following financial terms of the agreement:

• Pension liability in “an amount equal to the local church’s pro rata share of any aggregate unfunded pension obligations at current market rate to the annual conference,”
• Two years of apportionments (the full amount of the current year plus the next full year, and
• An additional “Trust Clause Release” assessment in the amount of 10 percent of the aggregated total of pension liability plus 2 years apportionments.

Phase 3 – Review and Response

This phase begins as the local church leadership team reviews the Disaffiliation Agreement presented by the CDCT.

• The local church leaders shall carefully review all terms of the disaffiliation agreement. They may seek answers to their questions or initiate additional dialogue with the Conference Disaffiliation Coordinating Team by contacting the designated representative of the CDCT.
• When the local church team accepts the agreement as final and ready to present to the congregation for voting, they will contact the DS and/or designated representative of the CDCT to indicate their readiness to move to the next Phase.
• Local church should begin legal steps to establish a new not-for-profit corporation which will receive assets if the disaffiliation is approved.

Phase 4 – Church Conference

Purpose: To inform the PROFESSING MEMBERSHIP, answer questions, and conduct Church Conference vote under the supervision of the DS

• Superintendent’s Office will be responsible for scheduling the Church Conference date, overseeing the communication to the Professing Members, providing the written ballots, and monitoring the distribution of ballots to voting members and counting of the ballots after the vote.
• Local Church shall be responsible for providing an updated mailing roster with contact information for all Professing Members to the Superintendent’s Office as well as allcosts and labor associated with communication about the Church Conference.