Affiliation Meetings:
Meeting #1: Wednesday, June 14, 2023
5:30pm Dinner, 6:00pm Meeting
Meeting #2: Wednesday, June 21, 2023
5:30pm Dinner, 6:00pm Meeting
Click Here To Register
First Methodist Church of Shreveport is nearing completion of a nearly year-long process to uphold its Wesleyan heritage, core values, theological beliefs and 178-year-old mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ.
The process began in the fall of 2022 with the congregation entering a time of discernment about whether to remain with the United Methodist Church or disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church. The congregation entered a 40 day period of prayer and education.
Our congregation voted on April 16, 2023 by a vote of 84% to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church.
Once our vote was ratified by the Louisiana conference on May 27, 2023, First Methodist entered a period of transitional independence. The Strategic Planning Team met on May 11th and recommended the formation of an Affiliation Study Group to begin due diligence on the future options for denominational affiliation for First Methodist Shreveport. The Church Council met on June 1 to authorize the Affiliation Study Group, along with a timeline for its work.
The charge of the Affiliation Committee is as follows:
- Research various Methodist denominational options that First Methodist Church Shreveport may consider joining
- Determine a timeline for and hold a series of church wide education events regarding the different options of affiliation
- Make a recommendation, to the Church Council, on whether FMCS should affiliate with another denomination or remain an independent congregation, and
- If a recommendation is made to affiliate with an existing denomination of Methodism, then to recommend which Methodist denomination best matches the mission of FMCS; and
- To investigate and recommend methods for a potential congregational vote on any eventual affiliation decision.
The Church Council will meet on June 25th to consider the Affiliation Study Group's Recommendations. A church wide vote will be held no later than July 9th.
