JCM 1176

http://archives.umc.org/interior_judicial.asp?mid=263&JDID=1296&JDMOD=VWD&SN=1100&EN=1189

This kind of situation is so sad. A church is seen by the California-Nevada Conference (though it can happen anywhere) as no longer worthy of being open for whatever reason; it decides to close it without going through all the consulting or prior notice; and someone from the church tries to stop the process. Annual conferences end up facing situations where there is a lonely voice protesting a leadership position and wisely or unwisely makes the choice.

What makes this even sadder is that all the lone voice did was raise a parliamentary question and not a question of law. If he had asked instead, “Was the process of closing this church consistent with Paragraph(s) so-and-so of the Discipline?” the Council would probably have taken jurisdiction.