The 1992 General Conference approved Calendar Item 968 on page 354 of the Daily Christian Advocate which requested the General Council on Ministries' involvment, along with other specified agencies, in certain matters related to the name and insignia of the demonination.
Process and Implementation
In response, GCOM has cooperated with the development of a training kit for official and unofficial groups within the denomination about the legal implications of the use of the Cross and Flame insignia. The kit, developed by GCFA and UMCom, is called "A Mark Known the World Over."
Legislation to transfer responsibility for protecting the name and insignia to GCFA is being sent to the General Conference. Thereafter, GCFA, through its legal department, will care for this responsibility since it already cares for the legal concerns of the denomination.
GCFA will continue to study the issues related to monitoring the use of the name "Methodist" and "United Methodist" and enforcing the import of ¶ 2502. The direction of this continued work will be to define what is meant by work "undertaken directly by The United Methodist Church" so that the words "Methodist" and "United Methodist" may be restricted legally within this context. How to define the degree of relationship which justifies legitimate use of Methodist terminology, while at the same time minimizing the risk of legal liability for actions of these entities is a question to which there is no easy answer.
The GCOM will continue to assist in these processes in the coming quadrennium.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
Petition Text: 21712-GJ-NonDis-O
1996 United Methodist General Conference