"The Disaffiliation Dilemma in A Local United Methodist Church" Part 2 Divorce, Custody, Recovery, Encouragement and A Hopeful Future

Bishop Julius C. Trimble is the Resident Bishop of the Indiana Area of the United Methodist Church.

Bishop Trimble has the personal mission to encourage all people with the love of Jesus Christ to rise to their highest potential. It is his commitment to his personal mission that led Bishop Trimble to create the “To Be Encouraged” Podcast along with co-host Rev.Dr. Brad Miller.

Bishop Trimble says, “I am compelled by Jesus to share with you an encouraging word or two about Jesus, theology, the Bible, the pandemic, the environment, racism, voting rights, human sexuality, and the state of the United Methodist Church.”

To Be Encouraged with Bishop Julius C. Trimble is to be published weekly and is available at www.tobeencouraged.com and all the podcast directories.

https://www.inumc.org/bishop/office-of-the-bishop/

Welcome to episode 094 of To Be Encouraged with Bishop Julius C. Trimble and Rev. Dr. Brad Miller. In this two-part series, we dive into the Disaffiliation Dilemma in the United Methodist Church, focusing on the particular case of the Madison North United Methodist Church in Madison, Indiana. Episode 094 is part 2 in the series. In this episode we explore the impact of disaffiliation, likening it to a divorce and custody battle, and how the church is navigating recovery and finding hope for the future.

Joined by guest Rev. Tracey Leslie, from the Indiana Annual Conference Staff and Tanya Hess from the North Madison United Methodist Church, we discuss the emotional aftermath of the vote for disaffiliation and the challenges the church faced in continuing its ministry, including a particularly meaningful story about a donut stand ministry at the county fair. We also explore how the church dealt with the analogy of divorce and custody battle, and how they are working to redefine their narrative and find hope for the future.

Bishop Julius C Trimble weighs in with insightful commentary, offering words of encouragement and hope for churches facing similar challenges. Join us as we delve into this difficult yet ultimately uplifting story of resilience and faith, and learn how one church is finding new purpose and determination in the face of adversity.

Rev. Tracey Leslie <tracey.leslie@inumc.org>;

Tanya Hess <tarhess@msn.com>