March 22, 2023
By Keith Boyette
Local churches and clergy wanting to join the Global Methodist Church will now complete and submit their applications online. Applications will immediately be routed through the GM Church’s review process. As a result, the Church will be able to track the status of applications more efficiently, and the time to review and approve them should be significantly reduced.
The digital clergy application may be accessed here, and the digital church application may be accessed here. Online applications will save time and reduce errors as applicants type information rather than submit handwritten versions that inevitably introduce errors and delays. Applicants will also be able to upload relevant documents in support of their applications, and they will receive immediate notification that it has been successfully submitted. Overall the process will be smoother, quicker, and more reliable.
Prior to completing the online church application, a congregational meeting must be held at which the following motion is adopted by a simple majority or more of the professing members present and voting:
“I move that _____________ Church become a member congregation of the Global Methodist Church, that it affirms and endorses the doctrinal standards (Part One), Social Witness (Part Two), and church governance of the Global Methodist Church as set forth in its Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline, and agrees to be accountable to such standards, witness, and governance. Our leadership and trustees are authorized to take all actions necessary to implement this motion.”
Minutes of the congregational meeting must be uploaded as part of completing the online application. Once the local church application is submitted, the church will have accomplished all it must do to become a congregational member of the GM Church. The denomination’s Transitional Leadership Council then votes to approve the application and welcomes the congregation to the new connection.
To date, more than 1,350 churches have been approved as congregational members of the Global Methodist Church.
Clergy will upload relevant documents in support of their membership when they complete their online clergy application. They will want to have a copy of their ministerial credentials, diplomas, and transcripts available. And those who have completed or are working in a course of study program, will want to have their relevant records available. A required background check for all clergy applicants will be initiated as part of the application process.
To date, the Global Methodist Church has approved more than 1,900 clergy as clergy members of the new denomination.
Church and clergy applications pending as of March 20 will continue to be processed without the necessity of completing the relevant online application. However, all applications submitted after March 20 must be submitted through the online system.
If you have questions about the application process, you can email them to applications@globalmethodist.org.
East Ohio WCA is not affiliated with the East Ohio UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.
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