resolution

Pan-Methodist Full Communion

2016 Book of Resolutions, #3156

Implementing Resolution for Full Communion Among the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, the African Union Methodist Protestant Church, the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, the Union American Methodist Episcopal Church, and The United Methodist Church

The African Methodist Episcopal Church (AMEC), The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (AMEZC), The African Union Methodist Protestant Church (AUMPC), The Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (CMEC), The Union American Methodist Episcopal Church (UAMEC), and The United Methodist Church (UMC) hereby agree that in their legislative bodies there shall be one vote to accept or reject, without separate amendment, the resolutions which follow. If adopted by all churches, each church agrees to take the following measures to establish a relationship of full communion:

Whereas, Jesus Christ calls us to unity so that the world may believe; and

Whereas, The African Methodist Episcopal Church, The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, The African Union Methodist Protestant Church, The Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, The Union American Methodist Episcopal Church, and The United Methodist Church share a common heritage of faith and a commitment to mission; and

Whereas, The United Methodist Church has expressed in its General Conference through a formal Act of Repentance its apology for the injury it inflicted on its African American brothers and sisters through its racist position and policies that led to the formation of the historically African American Methodist churches;

Therefore, be it resolved, that The African Methodist Episcopal Church, The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, The African Union Methodist Protestant Church, The Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, The Union American Methodist Episcopal Church, and The United Methodist Church hereby:

recognize in one another the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic faith as it is expressed in the Scriptures, confessed in the Church’s historic creeds, and attested to in the common doctrinal standards of the six churches;
recognize the authenticity of each other’s Baptism and Eucharist, and extend sacramental hospitality to one another’s members;
recognize the validity of our respective ministries, including:
- each other’s ordination of persons to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament;
- the authentic diaconal service of deaconesses, home missioners, and ordained deacons in the six churches; and
- each other’s polity and ministries of oversight (including the interpretation of church doctrines, discipline of members, authorization of persons for ordained and lay ministries, and provision for administrative functions);
recognize the full interchangeability and reciprocity of all ordained ministers of Word and Sacrament, subject to the constitutionally approved invitation for ministry in each other’s churches;
applaud one another’s ecumenical conversations with other church bodies acknowledging that each church remains free to pursue additional full communion agreements as each deems appropriate, so that the world may believe.

This agreement will be actualized upon an affirmative vote by the General Conference.

ADOPTED 2012
RESOLUTION #3150, 2012 BOOK OF RESOLUTIONS

See Social Principles, ¶ 162A.

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