...should be neglectful of that responsibility, or wishes an inactive relationship with the local church, these procedures shall be followed:
1. ...without valid reason, or wishes to choose an inactive relationship
with the local church, the pastor...or (d)
accept a transfer of membership to the Inactive Membership Roll, or
(e) request withdrawal. If the member does not comply
with any of the available alternatives over a period of three years, the
member's name may be removed choose or accept one of these options,
that member's name may be transferred to the Inactive Membership Roll.
(See § 4.)
2. If a member whose address is known is residing outside the community and is
not participating in the worship or activity of the church, the
directives to encourage a transfer of membership shall be followed each year
until that member joins another church or requests in writing that the name be
removed from the membership roll; provided, however, that if after three
years the council has not been able to relate that member to the church at the
new place of residence, the name may be removed by the procedure of § 4
below either the membership secretary or the pastor shall contact
that member and request whether that member wishes to transfer membership to
another, closer United Methodist church, or a church of another denomination,
or whether that member wishes to retain membership in that local church. In the
last case, the procedure in § 4 below shall be followed.
3. [Last sentence] ...but if after three years of such efforts the address is
still unknown, the member's name may be removed from
transferred to the Inactive mMembership
rRoll by the procedure of § 4 below.
4. If the directives of §§ 1, 2, or 3 above have been followed
for the specified number of years without success, the
member's name may be removed transferred from the
Active Mmembership Rroll
by vote of...each name being considered individually,;
provided that the and each member's name shall be
have been entered in the minutes of the
annual that year's Charge Conference for three
consecutive years preceding removal. On the roll there shall be
entered after the name: "Removed Transferred to Inactive
Membership Roll by order of the Charge Conference"; and if the action...The
membership of the person shall thereby be terminated
transferred, and the record thereof shall be retained;4 provided
that upon re-involvement request the member may be
restored to active membership by recommendation of the
pastor; and provided further, that should a transfer of membership be
requested before re-involvement, the pastor may restore
transfer the person's membership from the Inactive Membership Roll to
the receiving church for this purpose and issue
the a certificate of transfer to that effect.
5.Recognizing that the Church has a continuing moral and spiritual obligation
to nurture all persons, even including those whose
names have been removed from transferred to the Inactive
Mmembership Rroll, it is
recommended that a roll of persons thus removed shall be maintained.
It shall then...
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
Petition Text: 22571-LC-230-D
1996 United Methodist General Conference