Statement by the United Methodist Church

[CynicalScouter]

4 minutes ago, gpurlee said:

There are lots of signs that the units sponsored by Roman Catholic units may be next up. 

Dallas and Brooklyn Dioceses I know for a fact. Someone had said a Florida diocese had similarly told all the scouting units to get out. Etc.

[SiouxRanger]

38 minutes ago, gpurlee said:

There are lots of signs that the units sponsored by Roman Catholic units may be next up. 

Any particulars on this?

[CynicalScouter]

1 minute ago, SiouxRanger said:

Any particulars on this?

There are already dioceses who have done it. The idea of more-to-come is a logical conclusion with the Methodists bailing as well.

[gpurlee]

9 minutes ago, SiouxRanger said:

Any particulars on this?

(1) News reports of at least five dioceses distancing themselves from Scouting. The ones Cynical mentioned plus New Orleans and Portland on the upper West Coast.

(2) Local rumblings among the Roman Catholic units

(3) Roman Catholic committee and UMC ad hoc are obviously in close communication and coordination. Would not be surprised to see the RC group take a very similar direction

A lot of moving parts ...

Edited September 22, 2021 by gpurlee

[Eagle1993]

1 hour ago, gpurlee said:

I think the ad hoc committee believed a month ago that there would be a firm decision or direction established by September 20. As was evident from comments made yesterday, that has not happened yet. At least to the point of a public announcement.  

I think the September 20th date made a lot of sense if the thought was the pretty much final plan was to be reviewed at the hearing September 21.  I didn't follow the hearing today but the several hours I had it on yesterday ... it seems like we may be weeks away from closing out a plan that will go to a vote.  Even then, it sounds like post vote, the plan could change a bit.  So ... there is still time for a CO deal with the UMC.  

[CynicalScouter]

I am not the only one who noticed the missed deadline.

https://www.facebook.com/MethodistScouting/posts/603906087681889?comment_id=604431790962652&reply_comment_id=620198382719326

People are posting on the Methodist Scouting page: where is that September 20 update?

[ChickenMan]

This was released by the Bishop and the Conference Scouting Coordinator of North Georgia Conference of the UMC today:

Quote

"United Methodist leadership and the BSA have agreed to the following joint statement regarding the status of units chartered by United Methodist churches.

 

The Boy Scouts of America and United Methodist leadership continue to work together to resolve matters related to BSA’s financial restructuring and have agreed, in the best interest of the young people who participate in Scouting, to strongly recommend to United Methodist chartering organizations and Boy Scout Councils to extend existing charter agreements and facility use agreements in force at this time through March 31, 2022. There will be no additional fee required from those chartering organizations through March 31, 2022. This will pause new chartering, re-chartering, and the use of facility use agreements with United Methodist churches. This automatic extension will allow Boy Scouts of America, United Methodist leadership, and other parties in the bankruptcy case time to resolve important issues affecting chartered organizations, including a favorable release for chartered organizations for any Scout abuse claims."

 

Congregations that charter Scouts are strongly encouraged to follow this process as it resolves confusion and helps us resolve our concerns in the mediation process. To be clear, this statement calls for the BSA and UM congregations to pause any rechartering conversations and use what is in place at this time. There is a team working on a new UM charter for Scouting ministries that may be used in the future. 

 

"The United Methodist Church has four goals to meet through the mediation process. 

 

1. The healing of survivors and commitment to how we will continue to work to end abuse. Our congregations and UMC leadership have and continue to make progress on ending abuse. Less than 1% of our cases occurred in the last 20 years. The other 99% occurred prior to 2000. While this is significant progress, we strive to work toward ending abuse. 

 

2. Gaining a release for all of the UM claims against our congregations that will prevent anyone from suing a congregation for a claim directly related to Boy Scout activity prior to 2020. 

 

3. Not using a congregation’s insurance to resolve any of the more than 5,200 UM claims. 

 

4. A financial settlement. 

 

"We want to assure you that our United Methodist chancellors and more than 200 United Methodist leaders are working on your behalf to reach these goals. In addition to pausing all rechartering through March of 2022 and continuing with the present charter or facilities use agreement, today we ask that you pray for the survivors’ healing. We also ask you to pray for those leading this effort. God has gifted us with compassion and wisdom to reach just settlements and faithfully steward the resources of The United Methodist Church. "

Copy of full letter is located here: https://northga-email.brtapp.com/files/fileslibrary/bishop/letter+from+bishop+sue+and+chris+10-6-21.pdf

[CynicalScouter]

5 minutes ago, ChickenMan said:

Copy of full letter is located here: https://northga-email.brtapp.com/files/fileslibrary/bishop/letter+from+bishop+sue+and+chris+10-6-21.pdf

Thanks. Somehow I doubt pushing the deadline back to March 2022 is  going to stop churches from dropping/refusing to sign recharters in December.

[grizzly702]

2 hours ago, CynicalScouter said:

Thanks. Somehow I doubt pushing the deadline back to March 2022 is  going to stop churches from dropping/refusing to sign recharters in December.

Especially if your charter runs out on 3/31/2022. How do you plan for this?

 

[gpurlee]

As referenced earlier in these postings, this statement is being released by UM conferences across the nation today.

It lays out the mediation goals that the UMC ad hoc committee and others are working to achieve:

The United Methodist Church has four goals to meet through the mediation process:

 

• The healing of survivors and commitment to how we will continue to work to end abuse. Our congregations and UMC leadership have and continue to make progress on ending abuse. Less than 1% of our cases occurred in the last 20 years. The other 99% occurred prior to 2000. While this is significant progress, we strive to work toward ending abuse.
• Gaining a release for all of the UM claims against our congregations that will prevent anyone from suing a congregation for a claim directly related to Boy Scout activity prior to 2020.
• Not using a congregation’s insurance to resolve any of the more than 5,200 UM claims.
• A financial settlement.

 

We want to assure you that our UM chancellors (legal advisors) and more than 200 UM leaders are working on your behalf to reach these goals. In addition to pausing all rechartering through March of 2022 and continuing with the present charter or facilities use agreement, today, we ask that you pray for the survivors’ healing. We also invite you to pray for those leading this effort. God has gifted us with compassion and wisdom to reach just settlements and faithfully steward the resources of The United Methodist Church.

 

As others have mentioned, the challenge may be to slow the stampede to the door to totally drop Scouting. In our local area, several UMC congregations have already informed their units and the local council that they will no longer be participating in either chartering or providing facility use.

 

 

[MikeS72]

We are hoping that extending charters until 3/31/22 will give time for something to be worked out between BSA and UMC.  Our local church notified us a week ago that they would not recharter, but would be willing to go with a facilities use agreement.  We would still have a place to meet, but would need to find someone to hold the charter.  If this means that they may be near an agreement to continue sponsoring scouting, it would be great.  My initial thoughts are that if we have to find a new charter, we would likely use their facilities as well.

[skeptic]

I just received this through the Methodists FB site.  It appears there has been work in the background and they may yet work it all out.  https://michiganumc.org/bishop-offers-new-advice-on-scout-charters/?fbclid=IwAR1oUmtjRR5UThWWuFzf1GAIToUFuv6asQ8qwTwW43Mp5L5Z48qXGDh6W44

In the meantime, we are treading water and looking at the Kiwanis, though we would still meet at the church, which they want.  With this extension, hopefully we can forego an actual charter org change.  

[Eagle1993]

https://www.umc.org/en/content/umc-leaders-share-important-information-for-churches-sponsoring-scout-troops

[MacBrave]

Recently received this email from our Scout Executive, Crossroads of America Council:

This email is being sent to the Charter Organization Representative, Unit Committee Chair, and Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, and Crew Advisor in units chartered by Methodist churches.

Dear Key-3:

As you may know, the Resident Bishop of the Indiana Conference of Methodist Churches recommended local churches no longer serve as chartering organizations for Scouting Units after December 31, 2021.  We received information this week that has changed that situation.

The Church and the BSA issued to the following joint statement regarding the status of units chartered by United Methodist Churches.

The Boy Scouts of America and United Methodist leadership continue to work together to resolve matters related to BSA’s financial restructuring and have agreed, in the best interest of the young people who participate in Scouting, to strongly recommend to United Methodist Church chartering organizations and Boy Scout Councils to extend existing Charter Agreements and Facility Use Agreements in force at this time through March 31, 2022. There will be no additional fee required from those chartering organizations through March 31, 2022. This will pause new chartering, re-chartering and the use of facility use agreements with United Methodist churches. This automatic extension will allow Boy Scouts of America, United Methodist leadership, and other parties in the bankruptcy case time to resolve important issues affecting Chartered Organizations, including a favorable release for Chartered Organizations for any Scout abuse claims.

We are extremely pleased with this announcement as it allows Scouting to continue uninterrupted for the Scouts, leaders, and Scouting families in units chartered by Methodist churches.

We are conducting three one-hour Zoom calls with the Key-3s of all units chartered by United Methodist churches.  We want to share with you the situation and options developed should the need arise.  These are for Methodist chartered Unit Key-3s only.  Please pick one of the sessions to join.  All three will be identical information.

<list of call date/times follow>

 

[InquisitiveScouter]

Is BSA trying to get the CO's covered in the channeling injunction??