May 6, 2023
A Special Called Annual Conference session was held on May 6, 2023 for the Virginia Annual Conference membership to consider the ratification of 64 local churches seeking to disaffiliate from The United Methodist Church over matters of human sexuality using Paragraph 2553 of the Book of Discipline.
Bishop Pete Weaver, retired, presided over the session as Bishop Sue is attending the college graduation of her daughter.
Weaver reminded the virtual gathering that it was one month ago that United Methodists gathered for Maundy Thursday. He urged the body to remember that we are one in Christ and that we show love to each other as Jesus taught.
Mrs. Martha Stokes, conference lay leader, opened the session at 9 a.m. with prayer.
By an Annual Conference vote, 90% of members voted “yes” and 10% of members voted “no” to ratify the disaffiliation of 64 churches. These churches(with their disaffiliation amounts below) disaffiliated under Paragraph 2553 in the May 6 session as a block:
- Arvonia UMC, Living Waters District ($26,533 disaffiliation amount)
- Beulah UMC, Living Waters District ($27,631 disaffiliation amount)
- Centenary UMC, Living Waters District ($39,894 disaffiliation amount)
- Jamieson Memorial UMC, Living Waters District ($188,783 disaffiliation amount)
- Magnolia UMC, Living Waters District ($151,446 disaffiliation amount)
- Memorial UMC, Living Waters District ( $346,978 disaffiliation amount)
- Mount Cana UMC, Living Waters District ($62, 527.58 disaffiliation amount)
- Mount Harmony UMC, Living Waters District ($27,197 disaffiliation amount)
- Mount Pleasant UMC, Living Waters District ($ 30,109 disaffiliation amount)
- New Hope UMC, Living Waters District ($102,044 disaffiliation amount)
- Rocky Mount UMC, Living Waters District ($27,973 disaffiliation amount)
- Southall UMC, Living Waters District ( $35, 439 disaffiliation amount)
- Whaleyville UMC, Living Waters District ($35,319 disaffiliation amount)
- Afton UMC, Mission Rivers District ($97,619.69 disaffiliation amount)
- Bethany UMC, Hampton, Mission Rivers District ( $198, 283 disaffiliation amount)
- Bethel UMC, Mission Rivers District ($64,872 disaffiliation amount)
- Fairfields UMC, Mission Rivers District ($91,541 disaffiliation amount)
- Mount Horeb UMC, Mission Rivers District ($91,564 disaffiliation amount)
- Old Church UMC, Mission Rivers District ($81,160 disaffiliation amount)
- Olive Branch UMC, Mission Rivers District ($81,422 disaffiliation amount)
- Salem UMC, Mission Rivers District ($91,202 disaffiliation amount)
- Anderson Chapel UMC, Mountain View District ($14,891 disaffiliation amount)
- Bethany UMC (Forest), Mountain View District ($61,054 disaffiliation amount)
- Bethany UMC (Franklin), Mountain View District ($26,490 disaffiliation amount)
- Chatham Heights UMC , Mountain View District ($23,687 disaffiliation amount)
- Ephesus UMC, Mountain View District ($14,398 disaffiliation amount)
- Evington UMC, Mountain View District ($42, 663 disaffiliation amount)
- Gogginsville UMC, Mountain View District ($72,977 disaffiliation amount)
- Granbery UMC, Mountain View District ($41,059 disaffiliation amount)
- Hickory Grove UMC, Mountain View District ($14,344 disaffiliation amount)
- Hopewell UMC, Mountain View District ($ 78,216 disaffiliation amount)
- Lambs UMC, Mountain View District ($49,796 disaffiliation amount)
- Maple Grove UMC, Mountain View District ($86,229 disaffiliation amount)
- Mead Memorial UMC, Mountain View District ($54,333.39 disaffiliation amount)
- Mount Comfort UMC, Mountain View District ($77,193 disaffiliation amount)
- Mount Pleasant UMC, Mountain View District ($49,102 disaffiliation amount)
- Nicopolis UMC, Mountain View District ($12, 363 disaffiliation amount)
- Oakland UMC (Blairs), Mountain View District ($122,755.24 disaffiliation amount)
- Oakland UMC (Goode), Mountain View District ($69,735 disaffiliation amount)
- Ridgeway UMC, Mountain View District ($49,852 disaffiliation amount)
- Saint John’s UMC, Mountain View District ($72,889 disaffiliation amount)
- Salem UMC (Patrick Springs), Mountain View District ($ 77,776 disaffiliation amount)
- Trinity UMC (Appomattox), Mountain View District ($74,614 disaffiliation amount)
- Wilsons UMC , Mountain View District ($15,619 disaffiliation amount)
- Zion UMC , Mountain View District ($84, 210 disaffiliation amount)
- Nokesville UMC , Northern Virginia District ($133,521 disaffiliation amount)
- Fairview UMC , Shenandoah River District ($68,217 disaffiliation amount)
- Furnace UMC , Shenandoah River District ($82,060 disaffiliation amount)
- Hensley UMC , Shenandoah River District ($24, 557 disaffiliation amount)
- Mount Pleasant UMC , Shenandoah River District ($12, 781 disaffiliation amount)
- Oak Level UMC , Shenandoah River District ($30, 448 disaffiliation amount)
- Port Republic UMC , Shenandoah River District ($139,062 disaffiliation amount)
- Round Hill UMC , Shenandoah River District ($224,529 disaffiliation amount)
- Corinth UMC, Three Notch’d District ($95,698.10 disaffiliation amount)
- Lebanon UMC, Three Notch’d District ($ 301,336 disaffiliation amount)
- Macedonia UMC, Three Notch’d District ($106,259 disaffiliation amount)
- Mount Moriah UMC, Three Notch’d District ($49,090 disaffiliation amount)
- Poplar UMC, Three Notch’d District ($17,794.06 disaffiliation amount)
- Walkers UMC, Three Notch’d District ($33,977 disaffiliation amount)
- Wesleyan UMC, Three Notch’d District ($34, 405. 06 disaffiliation amount)
- Belview UMC, Valley Ridge District ($96,637 disaffiliation amount)
- Fletcher Chapel UMC, Valley Ridge District ($41,008 disaffiliation amount)
- Mount Lebanon UMC, Valley Ridge District ($18,347 disaffiliation amount)
- Mount Zion UMC, Valley Ridge District ($24,137 disaffiliation amount)
The Minutes of the conference sessions will be shared when they are available from the conference Minutes Committee. They will be posted on the conference website at www.vaumc.org/ac2023may and also shared on ClergyNet and LaityNet.
Bishop Weaver ended the gathering in prayer. He asked those gathered virtually to remember the broken bread, the body of Christ, and asked all to share the love of God with all they meet.
A livestream recording of the conference will be uploaded soon.