By the Outlook’s Dave Schmidt

(2-19-24) The United Methodist Church has lost over 7,600 churches who decided to disaffiliate. But it didn’t come cheaply to those who left.

According to a Lima News story…Van Wert Trinity UMC paid $108,234 to disaffiliate, they have joined the newly formed Global Methodist Church which has those churches who left the UMC have joined. Another Van Wert UMC church North Union Church paid nearly $58,000.

Even paying a high price to disaffiliate didn’t stop over 7,600 churches from leaving.

Sad that the UMC decided to treat long-time members this way.

1 Timothy 6:10–New International Version

 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

So let’s take a look…at how the UMC sees the situation.

From the UM News—-June, 2019

Neil Sedaka summed it up best: Breaking up is hard to do.

For congregations that want to leave The United Methodist Church, a breakup also could get very expensive.

Delegates to the special General Conference in February approved two measures that enable churches to exit based on disagreements related to the status of LGBTQ people in the church.

The disaffiliation plan in effect is a way to release the denomination’s centuries-old U.S. trust clause under limited conditions. For the first time in its history, the denomination has set procedures for U.S. congregations to withdraw from the denomination and take their buildings and other assets with them.

Before a departure, those congregations could be on the hook for anywhere from tens of thousands to more than a million dollars.

In a 2022 United Methodist Insight article by The Rev. Jeremy Smith serves as senior pastor of First United Methodist Church in Seattle, Washington

Traditionalist churches seeking to leave The UMC have made a big stink about how much money it is. But is it…really? And if not, who does this complaining benefit?

One of the many reasons why churches wanted to separate.

From the UM News—October 2023

The Rev. Michele Johns shares the grief many United Methodists feel in seeing churches withdraw from the denomination.

But the pastor and social worker also shares the joy many of her fellow LGBTQ United Methodists and their allies feel at the prospect that the denomination is becoming a more inclusive and affirming church.

“I have hope, and that hope goes beyond The United Methodist Church, because (LGBTQ) people are here,” said Johns, pastor for congregational care and reconciling ministries at Silver Spring United Methodist Church in Silver Spring, Maryland.

“We are called by God; we are loved by God; we’re in the churches and in the community and always have been.”

Now some details, including the estimated income for the UMC from the 7,600 churches that are leaving.

Below is from Adamm Ingalls….

Number of Congregations Leaving the United Methodist Church:

As of December 31, 2023, a total of 7,659 congregations have received approval to leave the United Methodist Church since 2019. This represents roughly one quarter of all United Methodist congregations in the United States.

Here’s a breakdown:

  • 2019-2022: 2,017 congregations left.
  • 2023: 5,642 congregations left (almost three-quarters of the total).

Cost of Disaffiliation:

Unfortunately, there’s no accurate and complete data on the total amount paid by congregations to leave the United Methodist Church. Here’s why:

  • Different Disaffiliation Mechanisms:Congregations could leave through various pathways, each with unique financial requirements. Some followed the “Protocol of Reconciliation & Grace through Separation,” while others used other methods.
  • Varying Costs: The “Protocol” set minimum payments based on church size and property value, but additional costs could depend on individual negotiations or agreements.
  • Limited Transparency: Not all parties disclose financial details of their disaffiliation process.

Therefore, any estimate of the total cost would be incomplete and unreliable.

However, some sources offer insights:

  • United Methodist News: They reported a potential range of $2.5 billion to $4 billion based on the “Protocol” minimums and average church sizes.
  • Wesley Theological Seminary Study: They noted that disaffiliating churches tend to be larger, which could indicate higher total costs.

Remember, these are just estimates, and the true cost remains unknown.

It’s important to consider that the financial impact goes beyond direct payments. Leaving the church also affects shared resources, mission work, and future potential contributions. The disaffiliation process has significant financial and broader implications for the United Methodist Church.