Tension is growing between one of the largest and most prominent churches in east Cobb and the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church over the planned assignment of its senior pastor.
The leadership and congregation of Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church filed a complaint with the Southeastern Jurisdiction College of Bishops against Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson, leader of the North Georgia Conference. Another complaint was filed against Central West District Superintendent the Rev. Jessica Terrell with the annual conference.
The complaints allege disobedience to the order and discipline of the UMC and, specifically, against Haupert-Johnson for “relationships and/or behaviors that undermines the ministry of another pastor,” according to a statement from Mt. Bethel.
They stem from the planned assignment of the Rev. Jody Ray, a “traditionalist” pastor who has led the influential Marietta church for more than five years, to a new assignment on the conference staff related to racial reconciliation. The 8,000-member church has opposed the reassignment and instead decided to leave the UMC, it announced Monday.
Ray, 51, who surrendered his credentials, is now CEO and lead preacher of Mt. Bethel.
The Southeastern Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church oversees complaints against bishops and cabinet members, including this complaint, according to a statement from the body.
The process is confidential and will be supervised by the president of the College of Bishops.
Ray contends he was “blindsided” by the move and never consulted in advance.
In a texted comment through her spokeswoman, Haupert-Johnson doesn’t address the complaints, but said the “consultation process was more than sufficient to comply with the Book of Discipline and is the same process for all churches in the conference.”
Ray said he thinks the reason behind his assignment may be because the church has not paid its full apportionments to the annual conference and hadn’t for several years. He estimated that between $1.5 million and $1.7 million hasn’t been paid. He also thinks the congregation’s support of the Book of Discipline’s conservative stance on the issue of homosexuality may have been a factor.
In an April 26 pastoral letter, Haupert-Johnson said pastor placements are not done as punishment.
“Most pastors have moved with great reluctance and found a gift in the new appointment,” she wrote. ”Every church has received a pastor with concern only to find that the pastor’s leadership was exactly what was needed in that time and place. It is not healthy, and certainly not normal, for threats to be made to the personal safety of the sitting bishop or of a new pastor.”
The denomination has been embroiled in a tug of war between progressives and traditionalists over the issue of human sexuality and the role in the church. The debate will likely result in a major split in the denomination with conservatives splintering off to form a separate denomination.
Mt. Bethel’s separation process could take months or longer, Ray said.
Each year on what is known as “Clergy Move Day,” or “Move Day,” leaders of the conference announce the annual listing of appointments. Clergy in the United Methodist Church agree to serve where their bishop appoints them. Appointments are for one year at a time, but can be extended.
On average, pastors receive a new appointment every four to eight years. Making clergy appointments is one of the primary responsibilities of the bishop and cabinet.
Of the appointments made this year, all but one are in the process of a smooth transition, a Conference spokeswoman said.
The United Methodist Church is the second-largest Protestant denomination in the United States behind the Southern Baptist Convention. The North Georgia Conference has 800 churches and more than 340,000 members.
