January Letter to the Congregation

Dear Broadmoor UMC-Shreveport Family:

Conversations about disaffiliation have captured the narrative in the United Methodist Church (UMC) in the past year. Many churches within the denomination will make a decision whether to stay in the UMC or disaffiliate. Many of us have heard stories from friends and family about what has happened in other churches. We know the challenges of this conversation. Our heart is for this conversation at Broadmoor to be prayerful, holy, and respectful. Our desire is that, even in potential disagreement, God can be glorified in the way we learn, speak, and hear from each other.

Last fall, our church Governance Board approved the formation of a UMC Status Subcommittee to help us start these conversations. This publication represents months of prayerful work and research from that subcommittee. Great effort has been made to give you helpful, fair, and balanced content. We hope you will read it carefully.

The first step in our process is to pray as a congregation for each other and for the leaders of our church. We are asking you to pray daily for Broadmoor United Methodist Church, for the pastors, staff, and membership.

The second step is to become informed. The following pages are a digest version of the challenges and opportunities that surround the process before us. In January and February, the UMC Status Subcommittee will visit Sunday School classes and other small groups, as invited, to present the enclosed material.

The third step is to share your heart and ask questions. At the conclusion of the Sunday School and small group gatherings the Status Subcomittee is distributing a survey to each person present.  We also encourage any questions or feedback to be sent to the Status Subcommittee email at goverance@broadmoorumc.org. Many have already shared with our subcommittee and leadership, and you are encouraged to continue doing so.

Once membership’s voices have been heard; we pray for God’s voice to be heard, and later this spring the BUMC Governance Board will determine how to proceed and if a congregational vote is warranted. We need you, our church family, to be full participants in this process. That's why we ask you to pray and to become informed. The ultimate responsibility for this decision and for the future direction of Broadmoor belongs to you. We are here to help you understand the process and the issues involved.

Know that as we ask you to pray for us, we are praying with you. We steadfastly believe that, despite the anxiety this can bring and what decisions may lie ahead, Broadmoor’s mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world – helping others know, grow, and go in God’s love does not change. This is what unifies us, and what has unified this congregation since its formation in 1939, and what will continue to be our focus in the years ahead. Let us do this important work but not lose sight of who God calls us to be. In doing so, our best days are in front of us.

In Christ’s Service,

Rev. Dr. Wybra Price, II         Mr. David Simon Senior Pastor Governance Board Chairperson