DISAFFILIATION UPDATE – November 18, 2023
On Saturday, November 18, 2023, the North Georgia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church voted to allow 261 churches, of which Sugar Hill UMC was one, to disaffiliate from the denomination. As a result, the church leadership council is recommending that Church on the Hill affiliate with the Global Methodist Church. This decision has not been made hastily, but rather with great care, thorough research, ardent prayer, and much internal discussion.
In 2022, the study committee formed to determine whether to pursue disaffiliation also studied future denominational possibilities. The Global Methodist Church was determined as worthy of further investigation and serious consideration. Since then, your church council has met, done their due diligence and feels confident that Church on the Hill would be best aligned – theologically, missionally, biblical, structurally, etc. – with the Global Methodist Church.
You may have additional questions, so please allow the following FAQ sections to clarify further.
FAQs
On Sunday, December 3 there will be an informational Town Hall meeting in the chapel at 3:00 PM for all members AND regular attenders. Members from church council will be present to answer questions and present their findings. Your attendance is highly encouraged. Yes. After the Town Hall the congregation will have the opportunity to pray, investigate on their own, and then on Sunday, December 10 after the 11:00 AM service we will gather to vote on this recommendation. Only current members. This vote is, however, an open meeting. A simple majority. In this case, 51% of the present voting membership. No. This, like our disaffiliation vote, is an in-person voting process. It is the hope that everyone who attends Church on the Hill and has a vested interest in seeing our congregation continue to flourish will do their own investigation and study of this denominational possibility. Here are a few quick links to help in this process. The Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline Why Join the Global Methodist Church? (YouTube video, 1:59) 10 Reasons to Consider the Global Methodist Church (YouTube video, 7:53) Reasons for Affiliating with the Global Methodist Church (Good News Magazine article) Ten Reasons Why I’ll Join the Global Methodist Church (by Rev. Jay Therrell, 2022) Why I joined the Global Methodist Church (Rev. Dr. Tim Tennent, President, Asbury Theological Seminary, Blog Post) Five Good Reasons to Consider Aligning with the Global Methodist Church (People Need Jesus, article) Five Lousy Reasons to Align with the Global Methodist Church (People Need Jesus, article) Why Prefer the Global Methodist Church to Independent Status? (People Need Jesus, article)
As we have said all along, we want to assure our congregation and the broader UMC community that our decision is rooted in our deep love for Jesus Christ and a desire to faithfully serve Him. As we move forward, we remain steadfast in our commitment to praying for God’s blessing over the United Methodist Church and our congregation, as well as other churches now discerning their next step as they seek to follow God’s will.
Please join us in seeking God’s wisdom, guidance, and unity as we move forward. We are grateful for the love and fellowship we have experienced as a part of the United Methodist Church, and we are committed to honoring our shared history. The Church on the Hill will always welcome, appreciate, and love all people into this community of faith.
Other questions?
After having done your own research, if you still have questions, please email them to and we will get back to you as soon as possible.