Looped In

 

What is “Looped In”?

Looped In is the DFUMC effort to educate and inform our congregation on who we are, what the UMC is, what it means to be a Methodist, and what the external UMC conversation means. Looped In – our educational and informational effort – will include several resources, including PDFs, videos, links, educational events, and other helpful items.

This website, dandridgefumc.com/loopedin, is our Info Hub for all things related to our identity as Dandridge First and the external UMC conversation. Check back often to stay up to date!

 

Who Are We at DFUMC?

Before we can begin to consider how the external UMC proposed changes may affect us, we want to assure our church family that we are still US – we serve the same purpose, the same Lord, and the same community as we always have.

So, who are we at DFUMC? We developed the faith statement below to help us express our identity as a church family. This faith statement was prayerfully created by the Discernment Task Force in February and March of 2023 and voted in unanimously by administrative council on March 5, 2023.

 

DFUMC Timeline

  • August and September 2022: Administrative Council had special called meetings about the greater UMC environment and DFUMC’s position.
  • September 2022: Administrative Council, at a special called meeting, voted to stay UMC until any decisions were reached at General Conference 2024. If appropriate at that time, the church could reconvene on their position.
  • February 2023: At a regularly scheduled monthly Administrative Council meeting, the need for congregational conversation and education was brought up. To address this issue specifically, the Council created the Task Force. 
  • February and March 2023: The Task Force gathers weekly for multiple weeks to pray and carefully consider the best way to educate and inform the congregation.
  • March 2023: At a special called Administrative Council meeting, the Task Force proposed two things: #1 the faith statement and “Looped In” campaign and #2 that, for educational purposes, DFUMC begin discernment, utilizing this existing UMC tool as our framework. Both proposals were accepted, and the Task Force will remain active to assist the church in the process.
  • March 2023: The Administrative Council also approved changes to worship to allow for "Coffee & Conversation" as our set aside discernment and education time; the new process, to begin in May 2023 is as follows: 9 AM Sunday School, 10 AM Unified Worship, 11 AM Coffee & Conversation. 
  • May 7, 2023: Coffee & Conversation gatherings begin! (Following the schedule as posted below) 
  • August 2023: Administrative Council received a final educational discernment report from the Task Force, featuring the three options moving forward as a church in 2023. Administrative Council voted to remain affiliated with the UMC, continuing to stay abreast of the greater UMC environment, with the option to revisit affiliation conversation pending any changes made at 2024 General Conference. Their statement to the church was finalized on August 23 to be published in the bulletin for August 27 and in the September newsletter. The document is also available for viewing here, in the "Helpful PDFs" section below. 

 

Helpful Links:

 

Schedule of Events:

*Dates are set, but topics may change depending on speaker availability. Stay up to date by visiting this webpage often.

  • May 7: Organization of UMC - Rev. Dr. Kristen Burkhart 
  • May 21: Methodism 101 Review - Retired UMC Clergy, Rev. Trish Smith
  • June 4: General Conference Overview - Holston Conference Dean of the Cabinet, New River District Superintendent, Lead Clergy Delegate to General Conference, Rev. Kim Goddard
  • June 11:  Financial Considerations - Marvin Stewart
  • July 9: Discernment Q&A - Ralph Alexander and KC Lavoie 
  • July 23: Panel, Overview, & Next Steps -  DFUMC Discernment Task Force 
  • Aug 6: Denominational Speakers - Rev. John Thompson (Independent Methodist) and Rev. Todd Chaney (Global Methodist)

 

Helpful Videos:

 

Helpful PDFs:

 

Task Force Members: Jamie Abart, Ralph Alexander, Phil Chambers, KC Lavoie, Kate Miller, Bryant Opeil

 

2024 Helpful Links & Info:

  • SEJ Letter Regarding Episcopal Areas: click here. 
  • General Conference - official webpage: click here.
  • VA Conference's Helpful Guide about General Conference: click here. (Re-routing to a neighboring annual conference - helpful material!)