United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church logo Cross and flame
Classification	Protestant
Orientation	Mainline[1] & Evangelical[2][3]
Polity	Episcopal (Connectionalism)
Origin	1968 Dallas, Texas
Merge of	The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church
Associations	Churches Uniting in Christ, Christian Churches Together, National Council of Churches, World Council of Churches, World Methodist Council
Geographical Area	Worldwide: divided into 122 Annual/Central Conferences,[4] and 69 Episcopal Areas[4]
Statistics
Congregations	41,826[4]
Members	worldwide: 12 million (8. The Cross and flame is the official symbol of the United Methodist Church since 1968 Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Christian Theology is discourse concerning Christian faith Christian theologians use biblical Exegesis, rational analysis and argument for other uses see Mainline (disambiguation The mainline (also sometimes called Mainstream) or mainline Protestant denominations Evangelicalism is a theological movement tradition and system of beliefs most closely associated with Protestant Christianity, which identifies with the Gospel Ecclesiastical polity is the operational and governance structure of a Church or Christian denomination. Episcopal polity is a form of church governance which is hierarchical in structure with the chief authority over a local Christian church resting in a Bishop (Greek Connectionalism is the theological understanding and foundation of Methodist polity. Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Church union is the name given to a merger of two or more Christian Denominations. The Methodist Church was the name adopted by the Methodist denomination formed in the United States by the reunion in 1939 of the northern The Evangelical United Brethren Church (EUB was an American Protestant church which was formed in 1946 by the merger of the Evangelical Church Churches Uniting in Christ (CUIC brings together ten mainline American denominations (including both predominantly white and predominantly Christian Churches Together in the USA (CCT is a Christian Ecumenical group formed in 2006 to "broaden and expand fellowship unity and witness among the diverse The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (usually identified as National Council of Churches, or NCC) is an association of 35 Christian The World Council of Churches ( WCC) is an international The World Methodist Council, founded in 1881, is an association of churches in the Methodist tradition which comprises most of the world's Wesleyan denominations The following is a list of the Conferences of The United Methodist Church. An Episcopal Area in the United Methodist Church (UMC is a basic unit of this denomination 0 million in the United States; 3. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the 5 million in Africa, Asia, and Europe)

The United Methodist Church is the largest Methodist denomination. Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations It has both mainline and evangelical elements. for other uses see Mainline (disambiguation The mainline (also sometimes called Mainstream) or mainline Protestant denominations Evangelicalism is a theological movement tradition and system of beliefs most closely associated with Protestant Christianity, which identifies with the Gospel ^[2][5] In the United States, it ranks as the largest mainline church and second largest Protestant church (after the Southern Baptist Convention). The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. The Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC) is a United States -based mostly conservative Christian denomination In 2007 worldwide membership was about 12 million members: 8. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. 0 million in the United States,^[6] 3. 5 million in Africa, Asia and Europe. ^[7] It is a member church of World Council of Churches, World Methodist Council, and other religious associations. The World Council of Churches ( WCC) is an international The World Methodist Council, founded in 1881, is an association of churches in the Methodist tradition which comprises most of the world's Wesleyan denominations

The United Methodist Church traces its main root to the Methodist Movement of John Wesley in England in the 1700s. John Wesley (ˈwɛslɪ ( – March 2, 1791) was an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian who was the founder of the (Evangelical England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland ^[8][9] The first official organization in the United States occurred in Baltimore in 1784 with the formation of the Methodist Episcopal Church at the Christmas Conference, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the leaders. For individual churches named Methodist Episcopal Church, see Methodist Episcopal Church (disambiguation The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes Christmas Conference was an historic founding conference of the newly independent Methodists within the United States held just after the American Revolution Francis Asbury ( August 20 1745 &ndash March 31 1816) was one of the first two bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the Thomas Coke (pronounced Cook may refer to Thomas Coke (privy counsellor (1675&ndash1727 of Melbourne Hall Derbyshire created Privy Counsellor ^[10][11]

Origins and history

The church traces its roots to "The Holy Club" at Oxford University formed by Anglican minister John Wesley and Charles Wesley in 1729. The University of Oxford (informally "Oxford University" or simply "Oxford" located in the city of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England is the Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs John Wesley (ˈwɛslɪ ( – March 2, 1791) was an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian who was the founder of the (Evangelical Biography Charles Wesley was the son of Susanna Wesley and Samuel Wesley. Members of the Society were said to have to lived by "method. "^[12]

The church in its present form traces its roots to the founding of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Baltimore, Maryland in 1784. For individual churches named Methodist Episcopal Church, see Methodist Episcopal Church (disambiguation The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes It grew rapidly in the young country as it employed circuit riders, many of whom were laymen, to travel the mostly rural nation by horseback to preach the Gospel and to establish churches until there was scarcely any village in the United States without a Methodist presence. A circuit rider is a concept from the history of American Methodism. The term " layman " originated from the use of the term Laity, but over the centuries changed definition to mean a person who is a non-expert in a given field of In Christianity, the good news or evangelium (also translated as " Gospel " "glad tidings" and variants is the message The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations The Methodist Episcopal Church rapidly became the largest Protestant denomination in the country, with 4000 circuit riders by 1844. For individual churches named Methodist Episcopal Church, see Methodist Episcopal Church (disambiguation The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes Denominationalism|List of Christian denominations|Church (disambiguation A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name structure and doctrine within

In the more than 220 years since 1784, the Methodist Episcopal Church, like many other Protestant denominations, has seen a number of divisions and mergers. For individual churches named Methodist Episcopal Church, see Methodist Episcopal Church (disambiguation The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes In 1820, the Methodist Protestant Church split from the Methodist Episcopal Church over the issue of laity having a voice and vote in the administration of the church, insisting that clergy should not be the only ones to have any determination in how the church was to be operated. The Methodist Protestant Church (MPC is a national Church body which was officially formed in 1828 by former members of the Methodist Episcopal For individual churches named Methodist Episcopal Church, see Methodist Episcopal Church (disambiguation The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes In 1844, the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church split into two conferences because of tensions over slavery and the power of bishops in the denomination. For individual churches named Methodist Episcopal Church, see Methodist Episcopal Church (disambiguation The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes

The two General Conferences, Methodist Episcopal Church (or northern section) and Methodist Episcopal Church, South remained separate until the 1939 merger of these two denominations plus a third, the Methodist Protestant Church, the resulting church being known as The Methodist Church. This article is about the former denomination For individual churches of the same name see Methodist Episcopal Church South (disambiguation The Methodist The Methodist Protestant Church (MPC is a national Church body which was officially formed in 1828 by former members of the Methodist Episcopal The Methodist Church was the name adopted by the Methodist denomination formed in the United States by the reunion in 1939 of the northern

On April 23, 1968, The United Methodist Church was created when The Evangelical United Brethren Church (represented by Bishop Reuben H. The Evangelical United Brethren Church (EUB was an American Protestant church which was formed in 1946 by the merger of the Evangelical Church Mueller) and The Methodist Church (represented by Bishop Lloyd Christ Wicke) joined hands at the constituting General Conference in Dallas, Texas. The Methodist Church was the name adopted by the Methodist denomination formed in the United States by the reunion in 1939 of the northern Lloyd Christ Wicke was an American Bishop of The Methodist Church and the United Methodist Church, elected in 1948 Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. With the words,

"Lord of the Church, we are united in Thee, in Thy Church and now in The United Methodist Church,"

the new denomination was given birth by the two churches that had distinguished histories and influential ministries in various parts of the world.

Combining the personal holiness emphasis of the evangelical influence in the church with the outreach emphasis from the social gospel proponents has created a combination of practices within The United Methodist Church. Evangelicalism is a theological movement tradition and system of beliefs most closely associated with Protestant Christianity, which identifies with the Gospel

Organization

Part of a series on United Methodism

John Wesley

Background Christianity · Protestantism Anglicanism · Wesleyanism · Methodism Evangelicalism · Pietism · Arminianism Reformed · Brethren · Mennonite

Doctrinal distinctives Articles of Religion Prevenient grace Governmental Atonement Imparted righteousness Christian perfection

People John Wesley · Charles Wesley Francis Asbury · Thomas Coke Jacob Albright · Philip Otterbein Martin Boehm · Albert Outler Bishops · Theologians

Predecessor groups The Methodist Church Evangelical United Brethren Church Methodist Episcopal Church Methodist Episcopal Church, South Methodist Protestant Church Evangelical Association Church of the United Brethren in Christ

Leadership local pastors · deacons · elders district superintendents · bishops General conference Legislative Committees

Related movements Holiness movement Salvation Army Personalism Pentecostalism This box: view • talk • edit

Governance

The church is deliberately decentralized with the General Conference being the official governing body. John Wesley (ˈwɛslɪ ( – March 2, 1791) was an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian who was the founder of the (Evangelical Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs Wesleyanism or Wesleyan Theology is the system of Christian theology of Methodism taught by John Wesley. Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations Evangelicalism is a theological movement tradition and system of beliefs most closely associated with Protestant Christianity, which identifies with the Gospel Pietism was a movement within Lutheranism, lasting from the late 17th century to the mid-18th century and later Arminianism is a school of soteriological thought within Protestant Christianity based on the theological ideas of the Dutch The Reformed churches are a group of Christian Protestant Denominations formally characterized by a similar Calvinist system of doctrine historically The Brethren are a number of Protestant Christian religious bodies using the word "brethren" in their names The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after Menno Simons (1496&ndash1561 though his teachings were a relatively The Articles of Religion are an official doctrinal statement of American Methodism. Prevenient grace is a Christian theological concept rooted in Augustinian theology and embraced primarily by Arminian Christians who are influenced by the The governmental view of the Atonement (also known as the moral government theory) is a doctrine in Christian theology concerning the meaning and effect Imparted righteousness, in Methodist Theology, is that gracious gift of God given at the moment of the new birth which enables a Christian Christian Perfection is a Christian doctrine which maintains that after conversion but before death a Christian's soul may be cleansed from the stain of Original sin John Wesley (ˈwɛslɪ ( – March 2, 1791) was an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian who was the founder of the (Evangelical Biography Charles Wesley was the son of Susanna Wesley and Samuel Wesley. Francis Asbury ( August 20 1745 &ndash March 31 1816) was one of the first two bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the Thomas Coke ( September 9, 1747 &ndash May 2, 1814) was the first Methodist Bishop and is known as the Father of Methodist Missions Jacob Albright ( Jakob Albrecht) ( May 1 1759 - May 17 1808) was an American Christian leader founder of Albright's Philip William Otterbein (1726 - 1813 was a US ( German -born clergyman Martin Boehm ( November 30, 1725 &ndash March 23, 1812) was an American clergyman and pastor Albert Cook Outler ( November 17, 1908 &ndash September 1, 1989) was a 20th century American The Methodist Church was the name adopted by the Methodist denomination formed in the United States by the reunion in 1939 of the northern The Evangelical United Brethren Church (EUB was an American Protestant church which was formed in 1946 by the merger of the Evangelical Church For individual churches named Methodist Episcopal Church, see Methodist Episcopal Church (disambiguation The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes This article is about the former denomination For individual churches of the same name see Methodist Episcopal Church South (disambiguation The Methodist The Methodist Protestant Church (MPC is a national Church body which was officially formed in 1828 by former members of the Methodist Episcopal The Evangelical Church or Evangelical Association, also known as the Albright Brethren is a "body of American Christians chiefly of German descent" Arminian The Church of the United Brethren in Christ is an evangelical Christian denomination based in Huntington Indiana. A Methodist local preacher is a lay person who has been accredited by a Methodist church to lead worship on a regular basis Deacon is a role in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind but which varies among theological and denominational traditions An Elder in the Methodist Church -- sometimes called a Presbyter or Minister -- is someone who has been Ordained by a Bishop to the A District Superintendent in the United Methodist Church is a Clergyperson who serves in a Supervisory position over a geographic District of A Resident Bishop in the United Methodist Church is a Bishop appointed to a specific Episcopal Area (i The General Conference of The United Methodist Church is the denomination's top legislative body for all matters affecting the United Methodist connection The Holiness movement in Christianity is composed of people who believe and propagate the belief that the carnal nature of humanity can be cleansed through Faith The Salvation Army is a Christian charity and church that is internally organised like a military service. Personalism is the school of thought that consists of three main principles and which can broadly be qualified as species of Humanism: Only persons are real (in Pentecostalism is a renewalist religious movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on the direct personal experience of God through the Baptism However, administratively the church has a governing structure that is similar to that of the United States government:

• General Conference - The legislative branch that makes all decisions. Ecclesiastical polity is the operational and governance structure of a Church or Christian denomination. The federal government of the United States is the central United States Governmental body established by the United States Constitution. The General Conference of The United Methodist Church is the denomination's top legislative body for all matters affecting the United Methodist connection A legislature is a type of representative Deliberative assembly with the power to create amend and change Laws The law created by a legislature is called Legislation
• Council of Bishops - The executive branch consisting of all active and retired bishops that meets twice a year which according to the Book of Discipline 2000"The Church expects the Council of Bishops to speak to the Church and from the Church to the world, and to give leadership in the quest for Christian unity and interreligious relationships. In Political science and Constitutional law, the executive is the branch of government responsible for the day-to-day management of the State. "^[13] The council is presided over by a President who serves a two-year term. The President has no official authority beyond presiding. Administrative work is handled by the secretary of the council. ^[14]
• Judicial Council - The judicial branch consisting of nine persons elected by the General Conference to rule on questions of constitutionality in church law and practice. The United Methodist Church is the largest Methodist denomination and the second largest Protestant denomination in the United States. In Law, the judiciary or judicial system is the system of Courts which administer Justice in the name of the sovereign or State ^[15]

General Conference

The United Methodist Church is organized into conferences. The highest level is called the General Conference and is the only organization which may speak officially for the church. The General Conference of The United Methodist Church is the denomination's top legislative body for all matters affecting the United Methodist connection The General Conference meets every four years (quadrennium). Legislative changes are recorded in The Book of Discipline which is revised after each General Conference. The Book of Discipline constitutes the law and doctrine of the United Methodist Church. Non-legislative resolutions are recorded in the Book of Resolutions, which is published after each General Conference, and expire after eight years unless passed again by a subsequent session of General Conference. The last General Conference was held in Fort Worth, Texas, in 2008. Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas and the seventeenth-largest city in the United States. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The next General Conference will be April 25-May 4, 2012 in Richmond, Virginia. Events 1607 - Eighty Years' War: The Dutch fleet destroys the anchored Spanish fleet at Gibraltar. Events 1256 - The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV 2012 ( MMXII) will be a Leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. This article is about the city of Richmond the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia. ^[16] The event is currently rotated between the U. S. jurisdictions of the church. If the system is not changed beforehand, the 2016 General Conference would be in the West, which has not hosted since Denver, Colorado in 1996. 2016 ( MMXVI) will be a Leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. The City and County of Denver (pronounced /ˈdɛnvɚ/ is the Capital and the most populous city of Colorado, in the United States Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) Bishops, Councils, Committees, Boards, Elders, etc. , are not permitted to speak on behalf of The United Methodist Church as this authority is reserved solely for the General Conference in accordance with the Book of Discipline.

The plenary session is presided over by an active bishop who has been selected by committee of delegates to the Conference. Plenary session is a term often used in conferences to define the part of the conference when all members of all parties are in attendance It is not uncommon for different bishops to preside on different days. The presiding officer usually is accompanied by parliamentarians. ^[17]

Jurisdictional and Central Conferences

Subordinate to the General Conference are Jurisdictional and Central Conferences which also meet every four years. The following is a list of the Conferences of The United Methodist Church. The United States is divided into five jurisdictions: Northeastern, Southeastern, North Central, South Central and Western. Outside the United States the church is divided into seven central conferences: Africa, Congo, West Africa, Central & Southern Europe, Germany, Northern Europe and Philippines. The main purpose of the jurisdictions and central conferences is to elect and appoint bishops, the chief administrators of the church. Bishops thus elected serve Episcopal Areas, which consist of one or more Annual Conferences. An Episcopal Area in the United Methodist Church (UMC is a basic unit of this denomination An Annual Conference in the United Methodist Church is a regional body that governs much of the life of the "Connectional Church

Decisions in between the four-year meetings are made by the Mission Council (usually consisting of church bishops). One of the most high profile decisions in recent years by one of the Councils was a decision by the Mission Council of the South Central Jurisdiction which in March 2007 approved a 99-year lease of 36 acres at Southern Methodist University for the George W. Bush Presidential Library. Southern Methodist University ("SMU" is a private, Coeducational University in University Park, Texas (an enclave The George W Bush Presidential Library is the future Presidential library of George W The decision generated controversy in light of the Bush's support of the Iraq War which the church bishops have criticized. The Iraq War, also known as the Second Gulf War, the Occupation of Iraq, or the War in Iraq, is an ongoing Military campaign ^[18] A debate over whether the decision should or could be submitted for approval by the Southern Jurisdictional Conference at its July 2008 meeting in Dallas, Texas remains unresolved. ^[19]

Judicial Council

The Judicial Council is the highest court in the denomination. It consists of nine members, both laity and clergy, elected by the General Conference for an eight year term. The ratio of laity to clergy alternates every four years. ^[20] The Judicial Council interprets the Book of Discipline between sessions of General Conference, and during General Conference, the Judicial Council rules on the constitutionality of laws passed by General Conference. The Council also determines whether actions of local churches, annual conferences, church agencies, and bishops are in accordance with church law. The Council reviews all decisions of law made by bishops^[21] The Judicial Council cannot create any legislation; it can only interpret existing legislation. The Council meets twice a year at various locations throughout the world. The Judicial Council also hears appeals from those who have been accused of chargeable offenses that can result in defrocking or revocation of membership.

Annual Conference

The Annual Conference, roughly the equivalent of a diocese in the Episcopal Church and the Roman Catholic Church or a synod in some Lutheran denominations such as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, is the basic unit of organization within the UMC. An Annual Conference in the United Methodist Church is a regional body that governs much of the life of the "Connectional Church In many rites of the Roman Catholic Church and in Anglican churches, a diocese is an administrative territorial unit administered by a Bishop. The Episcopal Church is the official name of the Province of the Anglican Communion in the United States. A synod (also known as a council) is a council of a church, usually a Christian church convened to decide an issue of doctrine administration or application Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ( ELCA) is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago Illinois. The term Annual Conference is often used to refer to the geographical area it covers as well as the frequency of meeting. Clergy are members of their Annual Conference rather than of any local congregation, and are appointed to a local church or other charge annually by the conference's Resident Bishop at the meeting of the Annual Conference. Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given Religion. A Resident Bishop in the United Methodist Church is a Bishop appointed to a specific Episcopal Area (i In many ways, the United Methodist Church operates as a confederation of the Annual Conferences, and interpretations of the Book of Discipline by one conference are not binding upon another.

Districts

Annual conferences are further divided into Districts, each served by a District Superintendent. A District Superintendent in the United Methodist Church is a Clergyperson who serves in a Supervisory position over a geographic District of The district superintendents are also appointed annually from the ordained elders of the Annual Conference by the bishop. In general religious use ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is set apart as Clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies An Elder in the Methodist Church -- sometimes called a Presbyter or Minister -- is someone who has been Ordained by a Bishop to the A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight District superintendents, upon completion of their service as superintendent, routinely return to serving local congregations. The Annual Conference cabinet is composed of the resident bishop and the district superintendents. A Resident Bishop in the United Methodist Church is a Bishop appointed to a specific Episcopal Area (i

Administrative offices

There is no official headquarters of church although many of its biggest administrative offices are in Nashville, Tennessee and are physically located near Vanderbilt University (which has historic Methodist ties but is no longer associated with the church). Vanderbilt University is a private, Nonsectarian, Coeducational Research University in Nashville, Tennessee,

While the General Conference is the only organization that can officially speak for The United Methodist Church as a whole, there are several councils, boards, commissions, and agencies that the church operates on the denominational level. Denominationalism|List of Christian denominations|Church (disambiguation A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name structure and doctrine within These organizations address specific topic areas of denomination-wide concern with administrative offices throughout the United States. ^[22]

• General Council on Finance and Administration (Nashville) (GCFA)
• General Boards of Pension and Health Benefits (Evanston, Illinois) (GBOPHB)
• General Board of Church and Society (Washington, DC) (GBCS)
• General Board of Discipleship (Nashville) (GBOD)
• General Board of Global Ministries (New York City) (GBGM)
• General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (Nashville) (GBHEM)
• General Commission on Archives and History (Madison, New Jersey) (GCAH)
• General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns (New York City) (GCCUIC)
• General Commission on Religion and Race (Washington, DC) (GCORR)
• General Commission on the Status and Role of Women (Chicago) (GCSRW)
• General Commission on United Methodist Men (Nashville) (GCUMM)
• United Methodist Publishing House (Nashville) (UMPH)
• United Methodist Communications (Nashville) (UMCom)
• United Methodist Committee on Relief (New York City) (UMCOR)
• United Methodist Campus Ministers Association (Nashville) (UMCMA)

Clergy

The first Methodist clergy were ordained by John Wesley, a minister in the Church of England, because of the crisis caused by the American Revolution which isolated the Methodists in the States from the Church of England and its sacraments. Evanston Illinois is an affluent suburban Chicago Municipality on Lake Michigan on the North Shore in Cook County, Illinois directly The United Methodist Board of Church and Society is a general agency of the United Methodist Church Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D The City of New York Madison is a borough in Morris County, New Jersey, in the United States. The General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns (GCCUIC addresses the interreligious and ecumenical concerns of The United Methodist Church. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. The United Methodist Committee on Relief, often referred to as UMCOR, is a prominent world-wide emergency relief organization John Wesley (ˈwɛslɪ ( – March 2, 1791) was an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian who was the founder of the (Evangelical In Christian churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform clergy functions such as teaching of beliefs The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" A sacrament, as defined in Hexam's Concise Dictionary of Religion is "a Rite in which God is uniquely active Today, the clergy includes men and women who are ordained by Bishops as Elders and Deacons and are appointed to various ministries. In general religious use ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is set apart as Clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight An Elder in the Methodist Church -- sometimes called a Presbyter or Minister -- is someone who has been Ordained by a Bishop to the Deacon is a role in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind but which varies among theological and denominational traditions Elders in the United Methodist Church (UMC) are part of what is called the itinerating ministry and are subject to the authority and appointment of their bishops. They generally serve as pastors at local congregations. Deacons make up a serving ministry and may serve as musicians, liturgists, educators, business administrators, and a number of other ministries. Elders and deacons are generally required to obtain master's degrees (M.Div. or Th.M.), or other appropriate degrees that are at a minimum at the baccalaureate level, before commissioning and then ultimately ordination. In Christian Theology, the Master of Divinity ( MDiv, Magister Divinitatis in Latin) is the first Professional degree A Master of Theology is an Academic degree offered by many Universities worldwide In general religious use ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is set apart as Clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies Elders in full connection are each a member of their Annual Conference Order of Elders. An Annual Conference in the United Methodist Church is a regional body that governs much of the life of the "Connectional Church Likewise each Deacon in full connection is a member of their Annual Conference Order of Deacons (abbr. An Annual Conference in the United Methodist Church is a regional body that governs much of the life of the "Connectional Church OD, for Ordinarium Diaconates, lat. ).

The main difference between elders and deacons is that elders, in a priestly function, connect the people to God, while deacons, in a servant leadership function, connect the people of God to service in the world. In the priestly function, the elder has the authority to preside over the two United Methodist sacraments of baptism and holy communion, while deacons are to assist in the leadership of these sacraments. Elders itinerate: they are amenable to appointed to a place of leadership at the decision of their bishop. Deacons are also appointed to a place of service by the bishop, but they do not itinerate. They choose a place of service and request appointment from the bishop. Deacons whose primary appointment is beyond the local church also have a secondary appointment to a worshiping congregation. (The United Methodist Book of Discipline spells out these distinctions. )

The Methodist Church has allowed ordination of women with full rights since 1956,^[23] based on Galatians 3:28 NRSV:^[24] "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. In general religious use Ordination is the process by which a person is consecrated (set apart for the administration of various religious rites Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Epistle to the Galatians is a book of the New Testament. It is a letter from Paul of Tarsus to a number of early Christian communities in the Roman province of The New Revised Standard Version ( NRSV) of the Bible, released in 1989, is a thorough revision of the Revised Standard Version (RSV "^[25]

At the 1996 General Conference the ordination order of transitional deacon was abolished. This created a new order known as the "commissioned elder. " The commissioned elder is a recent seminary graduate who serves three years in a full-time appointment. During this three-year probationary period, the commissioned elder is granted sacramental ministry in their local appointment. This was a change in its theology of ministry for the United Methodist Church in the ordering of its ministry. For the first time in its history non-ordained pastors became a normal expectation, rather than an extraordinary provision for ministry.

There is also another clerical classification called the Fellowship of Local Pastors. A Methodist local preacher is a lay person who has been accredited by a Methodist church to lead worship on a regular basis Elders may minister and celebrate the sacraments in any church or any other setting (where invited), while local pastors may only serve in ministry and administer the sacraments in the specific church to which they are appointed by their bishop; as such, their ministry is often understood as a direct extension of the ministry of the bishop, for its authority is directly and inseparably linked to it. A sacrament, as defined in Hexam's Concise Dictionary of Religion is "a Rite in which God is uniquely active Local pastors are not required to have advanced degrees but are required to pass licensing courses and examinations before the District Committee on Ministry, and are further required to take yearly classes, which if completed before retirement may also lead to ordination as an Elder. An Elder in the Methodist Church -- sometimes called a Presbyter or Minister -- is someone who has been Ordained by a Bishop to the Local Pastors are not ordained. Local Pastors preside over the sacraments in their local appointments.

Christ United Methodist Church in Rochester, Minnesota

All clergy appointments are made and fixed annually by the Resident Bishop on the advice of the Annual Conference Cabinet, which is composed of the Area Provost/Dean (if one is appointed) and the several District Superintendents of the Districts of the Annual Conference. Rochester is a City in the US state of Minnesota and is the County seat of Olmsted County. Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given Religion. A Resident Bishop in the United Methodist Church is a Bishop appointed to a specific Episcopal Area (i An Annual Conference in the United Methodist Church is a regional body that governs much of the life of the "Connectional Church A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of Government, typically representing the executive branch. A District Superintendent in the United Methodist Church is a Clergyperson who serves in a Supervisory position over a geographic District of An Annual Conference in the United Methodist Church is a regional body that governs much of the life of the "Connectional Church Until the Bishop has read the appointments at the session of the Annual Conference, no appointments are officially fixed. Many Annual Conferences try to avoid making appointment changes between sessions of Annual Conference. While an appointment is made one year at a time, it is most common for an appointment to be continued for multiple years. One recent survey concluded that small church appointments currently average three to four years, while large church appointments average seven to nine years. Appointment tenures in extension ministries, such as Campus Ministry, Missions, Higher Education and other ministries beyond the local church are often even longer. See also Evangelism, Christianization A Christian mission has been widely defined since the Lausanne Congress of 1974 as that which Across the denomination, longer tenures are becoming more common.

Another position in the United Methodist Church is that of the lay speaker. A lay speaker is a position in the United Methodist Church for the Laity. Although not considered clergy, lay speakers often preach during services of worship when an ordained elder or deacon is unavailable. In the Protestant denominations of Christianity, a service of worship is a meeting whose primary purpose is the Worship of God. An Elder in the Methodist Church -- sometimes called a Presbyter or Minister -- is someone who has been Ordained by a Bishop to the Deacon is a role in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind but which varies among theological and denominational traditions ^[26][27] There are two categories of lay speakers: local church lay speakers,^[28] who serve in and through their local churches, and certified lay speakers, who serve in their own churches, in other churches, and through district or conference projects and programs. A local church is a Christian religious organization made up of a congregation its members and clergy An Annual Conference in the United Methodist Church is a regional body that governs much of the life of the "Connectional Church ^[28] To be recognized as local church lay speakers, they must be recommended by their pastor and Church Council or Charge Conference, and complete the basic course for lay speaking. Each year they must reapply, reporting how they have served and continued to learn during that year. ^[28] To be recognized as certified lay speakers, they must be recommended by their pastor and Church Council or Charge Conference, complete the basic course and one advanced lay speaking course, and be interviewed by the District or Conference Committee on Lay Speaking. They must report and reapply annually; and they must complete at least one advanced course every three years. ^[28]

The 2004 General Conference created another class of ministry, the Certified Lay Minister (CLM). CLMs are not considered clergy but instead remain lay members of the United Methodist Church. They must complete coursework beyond that of Certified Lay Speaker and then can be assigned to provide pastoral leadership to a church by the District Superintendent. They do not have sacramental authority; Certified Lay Ministers serve under the supervision of an ordained clergy person who is expected to provide the sacraments to those churches. ^[29]

Laity

There are two classes of lay membership in the UMC: Baptized Members and Professing Members.

The United Methodist Church (UMC) practices infant and adult baptism. Baptized Members are those who have been baptized as an infant or child, but who have not subsequently professed their own faith. Infant baptism is the Christian religious practice of baptizing infants or young children These Baptized Members become Professing Members through confirmation and sometimes the profession of faith. Confirmation is a Rite of initiation in many Christian Churches normally in the form of Laying on of hands and/or Anointing for For Profession of faith (public avowal of faith according to a traditional formula see Creed. Individuals who were not previously baptized are baptized as part of their profession of faith and thus become Professing Members in this manner. Believer's baptism (occasionally called credobaptism, from the Latin word credo) is the Christian practice of Baptism as this is understood by

Baptism is a sacrament in the UMC, but confirmation and profession of faith are not. In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted Confirmation is a Rite of initiation in many Christian Churches normally in the form of Laying on of hands and/or Anointing for For Profession of faith (public avowal of faith according to a traditional formula see Creed. The profession of faith is used mainly for individuals transferring from another body of the Christian Church or those who have not been baptized whereas confirmation is used mainly for youth who have been baptized as infants. For Profession of faith (public avowal of faith according to a traditional formula see Creed. Church (disambiguation Christian Church and the word church are used to denote both a Christian association of people and a Place of worship Confirmation is a Rite of initiation in many Christian Churches normally in the form of Laying on of hands and/or Anointing for The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church directs the local church to offer confirmation preparation classes to all people, including adults. The Book of Discipline constitutes the law and doctrine of the United Methodist Church. A local church is a Christian religious organization made up of a congregation its members and clergy Classes are usually offered to youth. The Book of Discipline normally allows any youth at least completing sixth grade to participate, although the pastor has discretionary authority to allow a younger person to participate. In confirmation class students learn about Church and the Methodist-Christian theological tradition in order to profess their ultimate faith in Christ.

The lay members of the church are extremely important in the UMC. The Professing Members are part of all major decisions in the church. General, Jurisdictional, Central, and Annual Conferences are all required to have an equal number of laity and clergy.

In a local church, all decisions are made by an administrative board or council. A local church is a Christian religious organization made up of a congregation its members and clergy This council is made up of laity representing various other organizations within the local church. The elder or local pastor sits on the council as a voting member. ^[30]

Beliefs

The United Methodist Church is a Protestant denomination which seeks to create disciples for Christ through outreach, evangelism, and through seeking holiness through the process of sanctification. The word sanctification (see -ification) refers to the act or Process With a focus on triune worship, United Methodists seek to bring honor to God by following the model of Jesus Christ, which is made possible by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) The flame in the church logo represents the work of the Holy Spirit in the world, which is seen in believers through spiritual gifts. The Cross and flame is the official symbol of the United Methodist Church since 1968 The two parts of the flame represent the predecessor denominations, the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren, and are united at the base symbolizing the 1968 merger.

While many United Methodist congregations operate in the evangelical tradition, others are similar to many mainline Protestant denominations. for other uses see Mainline (disambiguation The mainline (also sometimes called Mainstream) or mainline Protestant denominations Although United Methodist beliefs have evolved over time, these beliefs can be traced to the writings of the church's founders, John Wesley and Charles Wesley (Methodist), Philip William Otterbein and Martin Boehm (United Brethren), and Jacob Albright (Evangelical). John Wesley (ˈwɛslɪ ( – March 2, 1791) was an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian who was the founder of the (Evangelical Biography Charles Wesley was the son of Susanna Wesley and Samuel Wesley. Philip William Otterbein (1726 - 1813 was a US ( German -born clergyman Martin Boehm ( November 30, 1725 &ndash March 23, 1812) was an American clergyman and pastor Jacob Albright ( Jakob Albrecht) ( May 1 1759 - May 17 1808) was an American Christian leader founder of Albright's With the formation of The United Methodist Church in 1968, theologian Albert C. Outler led the team which systematized denominational doctrine. Albert Cook Outler ( November 17, 1908 &ndash September 1, 1989) was a 20th century American Outler's work proved pivotal in the work of union, and he is largely considered the first United Methodist theologian.

The officially established Doctrinal Standards of United Methodism are:

• the Articles of Religion of the Methodist Church;^[31]
• the Confession of Faith (United Methodist) of the Evangelical United Brethren Church;^[31]
• the General Rules of the Methodist Societies;^[32]
• the Standard Sermons of John Wesley;^[31]
• and John Wesley's Explanatory Notes on the New Testament. The Articles of Religion are an official doctrinal statement of American Methodism. The Confession of Faith of the Evangelical United Brethren Church is one of three established Doctrinal Standards of the United Methodist Church, along with the Articles ^[31]

These Doctrinal Standards are constitutionally protected and nearly impossible to change or remove. ^[31] Other doctrines of the United Methodist Church are found in the Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church.

The basic beliefs of The United Methodist Church include:

• Triune God. SSC RF "Troitsk Institute of Innovative and Termonuclear Research" or TRINITY for shprt Троицкий Институт инновационных и термоядерных God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. God is one God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost). The term "Godhead" The term Godhead is a term denoting deity or divinity Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) In mainstream Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is one of the three entities of the Holy Trinity which make up the single substance ^[33]
• Scripture. The writings in the Old Testament and New Testament are the inspired word of God. In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon.
• Sacraments. A sacrament, as defined in Hexam's Concise Dictionary of Religion is "a Rite in which God is uniquely active The UMC recognizes two sacraments: Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those The Church believes that "Baptism is not only a sign of profession and mark of difference whereby Christians are distinguished from others that are not baptized; but it is also a sign of regeneration or the new birth. A sign is an entity which signifies another entity A natural sign is an entity which bears a causal relation to the signified entity as thunder is a sign of storm Regeneration in Christian theology is a doctrine related to Spiritual rebirth or being " born again. ^[34] It believes that Baptism is a sacrament in which God initiates a covenant with individuals,^[35] people become a part of the Church,^[35] is not to be repeated,^[35] and is a means of grace. The Means of Grace in Christian theology are those things (the means) through which God gives grace. ^[36] The United Methodist Church generally practices Baptism by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion^[37] and recognizes Trinitarian formula^[38] baptisms from other Christian denominations in good standing. The trinitarian formula is the phrase " in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit " (original Greek εις το ονομα List of Christian denominations (or Denominations self-identified as Christian) ordered by historical and doctrinal relationships ^[39] The United Methodist Church affirms the real presence of Christ in Holy Communion,^[40] believes that it is a time to remember Jesus’ death^[41] (with the bread symbolizing His body crucified on the cross and the cup symbolizing His blood shed for humanity),^[42] states that it is a means of grace,^[43] and practices open communion. The Real Presence is the term various Christian traditions use to express their belief that in the Eucharist, Jesus Christ is really present in what was Christ is the English term for the Greek ( Khristós) meaning "the anointed " Bread is a Staple food prepared by Baking a Dough of Flour and Water. The Christian cross is the best-known Religious symbol of Christianity. Grape juice is a Juice obtained from crushing Grapes The juice is often fermented and made into Wine, Brandy, or Vinegar The Means of Grace in Christian theology are those things (the means) through which God gives grace. Open communion is the practice of Christian churches that allow individuals other than members of that church to receive communion (also called the Eucharist ^[44]

• Inclusivity. The UMC includes and welcomes people of all races, cultures, and ages. The term race or racial group usually refers to the concept of categorizing Humans into Populations or groups on the basis of various sets Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate" generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic
• Free will. The question of free will The UMC believes that people, while corrupted by sin, are free to make their own choices because of God's divine grace. Sin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral Rule, or the state of having committed such a violation In Christianity, divine Grace refers to the sovereign favour of God for humankind — especially in regard to Salvation — irrespective of actions
• Grace. In Christianity, divine Grace refers to the sovereign favour of God for humankind — especially in regard to Salvation — irrespective of actions The UMC believes that God gives unmerited favor freely to all people, though it may be resisted.

The United Methodist Church recognizes the historic ecumenical creeds,^[45] the Apostle's Creed^[46] and the Nicene Creed;^[47]they are used frequently in services of worship. Ecumenical creeds is an Umbrella term used in the western church to refer to the Nicene Creed, the Apostles' Creed, and the Athanasian Creed The Nicene Creed (ˈnaɪsiːn is an ecumenical Christian statement of faith accepted in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Assyrian Church of In the Protestant denominations of Christianity, a service of worship is a meeting whose primary purpose is the Worship of God. ^[48] The Book of Discipline also recognizes the importance of the Chalcedonian Creed of the Council of Chalcedon. The Confession of Chalcedon (also Definition or Creed of Chalcedon) also known as the "Doctrine of the Hypostatic Union" or the "2-Nature Doctrine" The Council of Chalcedon was the fourth Ecumenical council. It was held from 8 October to 1 November 451 at Chalcedon (a city of

Distinctive Wesleyan emphases

Photograph of First United Methodist Church in Tahlequah, Oklahoma (1999)

The key emphasis of Wesley's theology relates to how Divine grace operates within the individual. Tahlequah (Pronounced " Tal a Kwa " is a city in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, United States located at the foot hills of the Ozark Mountains In Christianity, divine Grace refers to the sovereign favour of God for humankind — especially in regard to Salvation — irrespective of actions Wesley defined the Way of Salvation as the operation of grace in three parts: Prevenient Grace, Justifying Grace, and Sanctifying Grace. Prevenient grace is a Christian theological concept rooted in Augustinian theology and embraced primarily by Arminian Christians who are influenced by the In Christian theology, justification is God 's act of declaring or making a sinner righteous before God The word sanctification (see -ification) refers to the act or Process

Prevenient grace, given to all people, is that power which enables us to love and that which motivates us to seek a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Prevenient grace is a Christian theological concept rooted in Augustinian theology and embraced primarily by Arminian Christians who are influenced by the ^[49] This grace effects a partial restoring of our sin-corrupted human will so that we might sense both our sinfulness before God and God’s offer of salvation. Prevenient grace allows those tainted by sin to nevertheless make a truly free choice to accept or reject God's salvation in Christ. In Theology, salvation can mean three related things being saved from or Liberation from something such as Suffering or the punishment of ^[49]

Justifying Grace or Accepting Grace^[49] is that grace, offered by God to all people, that we receive by faith and trust in Christ, through which God pardons the believer of sin. In Christian theology, justification is God 's act of declaring or making a sinner righteous before God It is justifying grace that enables God to receive us, in spite of our sin, and to forgive us through the life, and especially the death on the cross, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) The justifying grace cancels our guilt and empowers us to resist the power of sin and to fully love God and neighbor. Today, justifying grace is also known as conversion, "accepting Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior," or being "born again. Conversion to Christianity is the Religious conversion of a previously non-Christian person to some form of Christianity. "^[49][50] John Wesley originally called this experience the New Birth. ^[51] This experience can occur in different ways; it can be one transforming moment, such as an altar call experience,^[52] or it may involve a series of decisions across a period of time. An altar call is a practice in some evangelical churches in which those who wish to make a new spiritual commitment to Jesus Christ are invited to come forward publicly ^[53]

Sanctifying Grace is that grace which sustains the believers in the journey toward "perfection of love": a genuine love of God with heart, soul, mind, and strength, and a genuine love of our neighbors as ourselves. The word sanctification (see -ification) refers to the act or Process Christian Perfection is a Christian doctrine which maintains that after conversion but before death a Christian's soul may be cleansed from the stain of Original sin Sanctifying grace enables us, once justified, to respond to God by leading a Spirit-filled and Christ-like life aimed toward love. Wesleyan theology maintains that salvation is the act of God's grace entirely, from invitation, to pardon, to growth in holiness. Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations

For Wesley, good works were the fruit of one's salvation, not the way in which that salvation was earned. Faith and good works go hand in hand in Methodist theology: a living tree naturally and inevitably bears fruit. Wesleyan theology rejects the doctrine of eternal security, believing that salvation can possibly, in extreme cases, be lost. Perseverance of the saints is a controversial Christian teaching that none who are truly saved can be condemned for their Sins or finally fall away from the faith Wesley emphasized that believers must continue in their relationship with Christ, preferably improving this relationship, throughout their lifetime in order to remain in grace with God.

A key outgrowth of this theology is the United Methodist dedication not only to the Evangelical Gospel of repentance and a personal relationship with God, but also to the Social Gospel and a commitment to social justice issues that have included abolition, women's suffrage, labor rights, civil rights, and others. Evangelism is the Christian practice of proselytisation. The intention of most evangelism is to effect Eternal salvation to those who do not follow the The Social Gospel movement is a Protestant Christian intellectual movement that was most prominent in the late 19th century and early 20th century Thus, Wesleyan theology is sometimes characterized as "progressive evangelical. "

Characterization of Wesleyan theology

Wesleyan theology stands at a unique cross-roads between evangelical and sacramental, between liturgical and charismatic, and between Anglo-Catholic and Reformed theology and practice. Evangelicalism is a theological movement tradition and system of beliefs most closely associated with Protestant Christianity, which identifies with the Gospel The term charismatic movement describes the adoption from the early twentieth century onwards of certain beliefs typical of those held by Pentecostal Christians — specifically The terms Anglo-Catholic and Anglo-Catholicism (or sometimes possibly incorrectly High Church &mdashsee below describe people The Reformed churches are a group of Christian Protestant Denominations formally characterized by a similar Calvinist system of doctrine historically It has been characterized by Arminian theology with an emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit to bring holiness into the life of the participating believer. Arminianism is a school of soteriological thought within Protestant Christianity based on the theological ideas of the Dutch The United Methodist Church believes in prima scriptura, seeing the Holy Bible as the primary authority in the Church and using tradition, reason, and experience to interpret it, with the aid of the Holy Spirit (see Wesleyan Quadrilateral). Prima scriptura is a doctrine that says canonized scripture is "first" or "above all" sources of Divine revelation. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin Christian tradition is a collection of Traditions of practice or belief associated with Christianity. Reason involves the ability to think understand and draw Conclusions in an Abstract way as in Human thinking In mainstream Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is one of the three entities of the Holy Trinity which make up the single substance The Wesleyan Quadrilateral is a methodology for theological reflection that is credited to John Wesley, leader of the Methodist movement in the late 18th ^[54] Today, the UMC is generally considered one of the more moderate and tolerant denominations with respect to race, gender, and ideology though the denomination itself actually includes a very wide spectrum of attitudes. In Politics and Religion, a moderate is an individual who holds an intermediate position between two viewpoints neither to be extreme or radical by those applying Gender comprises a range of differences between men and women extending from the biological to the social An ideology is a set of beliefs aims and Ideas especially in politics

Diversity within Methodist beliefs

In making an appeal to a toleration of diversity of theological opinion, John Wesley said, "Though we may not think alike, may we not all love alike?" The phrase "In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity" has also become a maxim among Methodists, who have always maintained a great diversity of opinion on many matters within the Church.

The United Methodist Church allows for a wide range of theological and political beliefs. For example, both Republican President George W. Bush is a member of the United Methodists as are Democratic Senator Hillary Clinton and former Senator John Edwards. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton (born October 26 1947 is the junior United States Senator from Johnny Reid "John" Edwards (born June 10 1953 Many practicing United Methodists believe this flexibility is one of the UMC's strongest qualities.

At the 2004 General Conference, one of the speakers at a Good News movement (a conservative caucus) floated the notion of an "amicable" separation due to the divisive theological issues that have occurred among Methodists. The General Conference of The United Methodist Church is the denomination's top legislative body for all matters affecting the United Methodist connection Later, a proposed resolution unrelated to the speaker^[55] was circulated that suggested a Task Force of 21 persons to be set up to come up with a proposal for an “amicable separation” within the UMC to be presented at a special session of General Conference in 2004. On Friday morning a delegate from Eastern Pennsylvania was recognized and presented a resolution for unity. The resolution passed overwhelmingly as delegates confirmed their desire to remain united in ministry.

Social issues

Part of a series on Methodism
John Wesley	George Whitefield
Background Christianity Protestantism Pietism Anglicanism Arminianism Wesleyanism Calvinism	Doctrinal distinctives Articles of Religion Prevenient Grace Governmental Atonement Imparted righteousness Christian perfection
People Richard Allen Francis Asbury Thomas Coke Albert C. Outler James Varick Charles Wesley Bishops Theologians	Largest groups World Methodist Council United Methodist Church AME Church AME Zion Church Church of the Nazarene British Methodist Church CME Church Uniting Church in Australia
Related movements Moravian Church Holiness movement Salvation Army Personalism Pentecostalism	Christianity Portal This box: view • talk • edit

Abortion

Main article: Christianity and abortion#Methodist_Church

The United Methodist Church upholds the sanctity of unborn life but states that situations do arise which may justify abortion, such as when the life or health of the mother is risked by the continuance of a medically risky pregnancy. Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations John Wesley (ˈwɛslɪ ( – March 2, 1791) was an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian who was the founder of the (Evangelical Early life He was born at the Bell Inn Southgate Street Gloucester, England. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Pietism was a movement within Lutheranism, lasting from the late 17th century to the mid-18th century and later Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs Arminianism is a school of soteriological thought within Protestant Christianity based on the theological ideas of the Dutch Wesleyanism or Wesleyan Theology is the system of Christian theology of Methodism taught by John Wesley. Calvinism (sometimes called the Reformed tradition, the Reformed faith, or Reformed theology) is a theological system and an approach to the The Articles of Religion are an official doctrinal statement of American Methodism. Prevenient grace is a Christian theological concept rooted in Augustinian theology and embraced primarily by Arminian Christians who are influenced by the The governmental view of the Atonement (also known as the moral government theory) is a doctrine in Christian theology concerning the meaning and effect Imparted righteousness, in Methodist Theology, is that gracious gift of God given at the moment of the new birth which enables a Christian Christian Perfection is a Christian doctrine which maintains that after conversion but before death a Christian's soul may be cleansed from the stain of Original sin Richard Allen ( February 14 1760 - March 26 1831) was an African American pastor and the founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Francis Asbury ( August 20 1745 &ndash March 31 1816) was one of the first two bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the Thomas Coke ( September 9, 1747 &ndash May 2, 1814) was the first Methodist Bishop and is known as the Father of Methodist Missions Albert Cook Outler ( November 17, 1908 &ndash September 1, 1989) was a 20th century American James Varick was the first Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. Biography Charles Wesley was the son of Susanna Wesley and Samuel Wesley. The World Methodist Council, founded in 1881, is an association of churches in the Methodist tradition which comprises most of the world's Wesleyan denominations The African Methodist Episcopal Church, usually called the " AME Church " is a Christian denomination founded by Bishop Richard Allen in Philadelphia The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, or AME Zion Church, was officially formed in 1821 but operated for a number years before then The Church of the Nazarene, often referred to as the Nazarene Church is an International evangelical Christian denomination that began in The Methodist Church of Great Britain or British Methodist Church is the largest Wesleyan / Methodist body in the United Kingdom, with congregations The Christian Methodist Epsicopal Church is a historically black denomination within the broader context of Methodism. The Uniting Church in Australia ( UCA) was formed on June 22 1977 when many congregations of the Methodist Church of Australasia, This page is about the Moravian Church globally For information about the church in a particular geographic area use the links at Organisation below The Holiness movement in Christianity is composed of people who believe and propagate the belief that the carnal nature of humanity can be cleansed through Faith The Salvation Army is a Christian charity and church that is internally organised like a military service. Personalism is the school of thought that consists of three main principles and which can broadly be qualified as species of Humanism: Only persons are real (in Pentecostalism is a renewalist religious movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on the direct personal experience of God through the Baptism There is no mention in the Christian Bible about abortion and at different times early Christians held different beliefs about abortion The Church encourages people to seek alternatives to elective abortion, such as the use of family-planning devices and adoption services. The United Methodist Church has publicly denounced late-term abortions, such as the Dilation and Extraction abortive procedures, commonly and collectively referred to as "partial-birth abortion. "

Alcohol

Historically, the Methodist Church has supported the temperance movement. See also Prohibition, Teetotalism The Temperance Movement attempted to reduce the amount of Alcohol consumed within a community or society in ^[56] John Wesley warned against the dangers of drinking in his famous sermon "The Use of Money"^[57] and in his letter to an alcoholic. John Wesley (ˈwɛslɪ ( – March 2, 1791) was an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian who was the founder of the (Evangelical ^[58] At one time, Methodist ministers had to take a pledge not to drink and encouraged their congregations to do the same. An Elder in the Methodist Church -- sometimes called a Presbyter or Minister -- is someone who has been Ordained by a Bishop to the ^[59] Today, the United Methodist Church states that it "affirms our long-standing support of abstinence from alcohol as a faithful witness to God's liberating and redeeming love for persons. "^[60] In fact, the United Methodist Church uses unfermented grape juice in the sacrament of Holy Communion, thus "expressing pastoral concern for recovering alcoholics, enabling the participation of children and youth, and supporting the church's witness of abstinence. Grape juice is a Juice obtained from crushing Grapes The juice is often fermented and made into Wine, Brandy, or Vinegar The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those "^[61]

Capital punishment

The United Methodist Church, along with other Methodist churches, also condemns capital punishment, saying that it cannot accept retribution or social vengeance as a reason for taking human life. Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations Capital punishment, the death penalty or execution, is the Killing of a person by judicial process as Punishment. ^[62] The Church also holds that the death penalty falls unfairly and unequally upon marginalized persons including the poor, the uneducated, ethnic and religious minorities, and persons with mental and emotional illnesses. ^[63] The United Methodist Church also believes that Jesus explicitly repudiated the lex talionis in Matthew 5:38-39 and abolished the death penalty in John 8:31. The phrase " an eye for an eye " ( עין תחת עין) is a quotation from in which a person who has taken the eye of another in a fight is instructed to give ^[62] The General Conference of the United Methodist Church calls for its bishops to uphold opposition to capital punishment and for governments to enact an immediate moratorium on carrying out the death penalty sentence. The General Conference of The United Methodist Church is the denomination's top legislative body for all matters affecting the United Methodist connection A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight

Gambling

The United Methodist Church opposes gambling, believing that it feeds on human greed and invites people to place their trust in possessions, rather than in God, who Christians should "love . Greed is the Selfish desire for or pursuit of Money, Wealth, power, Food, or other Possessions, especially when this denies . . with all your heart" (Mark 12:29-30). ^[64] It quotes the Apostle Paul who states that:

The United Methodist Church therefore holds that:

• Gambling is a menace to society, deadly to the best interests of moral, social, economic, and spiritual life, and destructive of good government. The First Epistle to Timothy is one of three letters in New Testament of the Bible often grouped together as the Pastoral Epistles. The New Revised Standard Version ( NRSV) of the Bible, released in 1989, is a thorough revision of the Revised Standard Version (RSV As an act of faith and concern, Christians should abstain from gambling and should strive to minister to those victimized by the practice. ^[64]
• Where gambling has become addictive, the Church will encourage such individuals to receive therapeutic assistance so that the individual's energies may be redirected into positive and constructive ends. ^[64]
• The Church should promote standards and personal lifestyles that would make unnecessary and undesirable the resort to commercial gambling — including public lotteries — as a recreation, as an escape, or as a means of producing public revenue or funds for support of charities or government. ^[64]

Homosexuality

Main article: Homosexuality and Methodism

See also: List of Christian denominational positions on homosexuality#Methodism

The United Methodist Church maintains that "all persons are individuals of sacred worth. The Methodist denominations of Christianity generally believe that the practice of Homosexuality to be incompatible with Christian teaching albeit This is a list of Christian denominational positions on Homosexuality. . . ," and encourages United Methodists to be in ministry with and for all people. ^[65]

In accordance with its view of Scripture,^[66] the Church officially considers, "the practice of homosexuality (to be) incompatible with Christian teaching. " It states that "self-avowed practicing homosexuals" cannot be ordained as ministers, and supports "…laws in civil society that define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. "^[67][65]

In addition, the United Methodist Church prohibits the celebration of same-sex unions^[65]. The blessing of Same-sex unions is currently an issue about which some Christian Churches are at present in disagreement with other Christian churches Rev. Jimmy Creech was defrocked after a highly publicized church trial in 1999 in response to his participation in same-sex union ceremonies. To defrock, unfrock, or laicize a minister or Priest is to remove their right to exercise the functions of the priestly office ^[68]. It forbids any United Methodist board, agency, committee, commission, or council to give United Methodist funds to any gay organization or group, or otherwise use such funds to promote the acceptance of homosexuality. ^[65]

In 1987, a United Methodist church court in New Hampshire defrocked Methodist minister Rose Mary Denman for being openly gay. Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) To defrock, unfrock, or laicize a minister or Priest is to remove their right to exercise the functions of the priestly office ^[69] In 2005, clergy credentials were removed from Irene Elizabeth Stroud after she was convicted in a church trial of violating Church law by engaging in a lesbian relationship; this conviction was later upheld by the Church Judicial Council, the highest court in the denomination. ^[70] The Judicial Council also affirmed that a Virginia pastor had the right to deny local church membership to an openly gay man. ^[71]

Military service

According to The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church,

The United Methodist Church opposes conscription as incompatible with the Gospel message. Conscription (also known as the draft, the call-up or national service) is a general term for involuntary labor demanded by some established authority This article is about the canonical books of the New Testament ^[73] Therefore, the Church supports and extends its ministry to those persons who conscientiously oppose all war, or any particular war, and who therefore refuse to serve in the armed forces or to cooperate with systems of military conscription. A conscientious objector (CO is an individual who on religious moral or ethical grounds refuses to participate as a combatant in war or in some cases to take any role that would support However, the United Methodist Church also supports and extends its ministry to those persons who conscientiously choose to serve in the armed forces or to accept alternative service. This is because as Christians they are aware that neither the way of military action, nor the way of inaction is always righteous before God. God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. ^[73]

War

The United Methodist Church believes war is incompatible with the teachings of Christ. War is an international relations Dispute, characterized by organized Violence between National Military units Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Therefore, the Church rejects war as an instrument of national foreign policy, to be employed only as a last resort in the prevention of such evils as genocide, brutal suppression of human rights, and unprovoked international aggression. Genocide is the deliberate and systematic destruction in whole or in part of an ethnic racial religious or national group ^[74] It insists that the first moral duty of all nations is to resolve by peaceful means every dispute that arises between or among them; that human values must outweigh military claims as governments determine their priorities; that the militarization of society must be challenged and stopped; that the manufacture, sale, and deployment of armaments must be reduced and controlled; and that the production, possession, or use of nuclear weapons be condemned. Consequently, The United Methodist Church endorses general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control. ^[74]

Ecumenical relations

According to the United Methodist Book of Discipline, The United Methodist Church is just one branch of the universal Christian church. Therefore, The United Methodist Church is active in ecumenical relations with other denominations, such as the Roman Catholic Church. Ecumenism (also oecumenism, œcumenism) refers to initiatives aimed at greater Religious unity or cooperation It is a member of both the National Council of Churches, the World Council of Churches, Churches Uniting in Christ, and Christian Churches Together. The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (usually identified as National Council of Churches, or NCC) is an association of 35 Christian The World Council of Churches ( WCC) is an international Churches Uniting in Christ (CUIC brings together ten mainline American denominations (including both predominantly white and predominantly Christian Churches Together in the USA (CCT is a Christian Ecumenical group formed in 2006 to "broaden and expand fellowship unity and witness among the diverse

In April 2005, the United Methodist Council of Bishops approved "A Proposal for Interim Eucharistic Sharing. " This document is the first step toward full communion with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), which the UMC bishops hope will happen by 2008. Full communion is a term used in Christian Ecclesiology to describe the relationship of communion, with mutually recognized sharing of the same essential The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ( ELCA) is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago Illinois. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The ELCA approved this same document in August 2005. ^[75] At the 2008 General Conference, the United Methodist Church approved full communion with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. ^[76] The ELCA will vote on the issue in August 2009. ^[77]

The Church is also in dialogue with the Episcopal Church for full communion by 2012. The Episcopal Church is the official name of the Province of the Anglican Communion in the United States. 2012 ( MMXII) will be a Leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ^[78] The two denominations are working on a document called "Confessing Our Faith Together. Denominationalism|List of Christian denominations|Church (disambiguation A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name structure and doctrine within "

The United Methodist Church has since 1985 been exploring a possible merger with three historically African-American Methodist denominations: the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, and the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. Church union is the name given to a merger of two or more Christian Denominations. The term black church or African American church refers to predominantly African-American Christian churches that minister to predominantly black congregations List of Christian denominations (or Denominations self-identified as Christian) ordered by historical and doctrinal relationships The African Methodist Episcopal Church, usually called the " AME Church " is a Christian denomination founded by Bishop Richard Allen in Philadelphia The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, or AME Zion Church, was officially formed in 1821 but operated for a number years before then The Christian Methodist Epsicopal Church is a historically black denomination within the broader context of Methodism. ^[4] A Commission on Pan Methodist Cooperation and Union formed in 2000 to carry out work on such a merger. ^[79]

There are also a number of churches such as the Methodist Church in India (MCI), that are "autonomous affiliated" churches in relation to the United Methodist Church. ^[80][81]

The United Methodist Church (UMC) is also active in the World Methodist Council, an interdenominational group composed of various churches in the tradition of John Wesley to promote the Gospel throughout the world. The World Methodist Council, founded in 1881, is an association of churches in the Methodist tradition which comprises most of the world's Wesleyan denominations John Wesley (ˈwɛslɪ ( – March 2, 1791) was an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian who was the founder of the (Evangelical Evangelism is the Christian practice of proselytisation. The intention of most evangelism is to effect Eternal salvation to those who do not follow the This article is about the canonical books of the New Testament On July 18, 2006, delegates to the World Methodist Council voted unanimously to adopt the "Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification," which was approved in 1999 by the Vatican and the Lutheran World Federation. Events 390 BC - Roman - Gaulish Wars Battle of the Allia - a Roman army is defeated by raiding Gauls, Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification is a document created by and agreed to by clerical representatives of the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran ^[82][83]

References

See also

• Campus Ministry
• Conferences of the United Methodist Church
• Confessing Movement within the United Methodist Church
• Connectionalism
• Cross and Flame
• General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns
• International council of the United Methodist Church in Germany
• Lay speaker
• List of Bishops of the United Methodist Church
• List of Methodist theologians
• Methodist Federation for Social Action
• Order of St. Luke
• Reconciling Ministries Network
• Social Creed
• The Upper Room
• United Methodist Committee on Relief
• Universities and colleges affiliated with the United Methodist Church
• Wesley Foundation

External links

• Official website
• United Methodist News Service
• The Confessing Movement within the United Methodist Church
• Good News Magazine: Renewal Movement within the United Methodist Church
• The Methodist Church: Website concerning issues facing the UMC today
• Lifewatch (United Methodist)
• The Mission Society (United Methodist)
• The Foundation for Evangelism: an affiliate of the GBOD
• The Reconciling Ministries Network
• General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA)
• The General Board of Church and Society (GBCS)
• General Board of Discipleship (GBOD)
• The Upper Room
• United Methodist Publishing House (UMPH)
• The General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM)
• General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM)
• General Commission on United Methodist Men (GCUMM)
• National Association of United Methodist Scouters
• General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR)
• General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns (GCCUIC)
• General Commission on the Status and Role of Women (GCSRW)
• United Methodist Communications (UMCom)
• Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA)
• Board of Child Care of The United Methodist Church previously known as Kelso Home