The Special Session of the New Mexico Annual Conference was held on Saturday, December 9, 2023. Bishop Robert Schnase presided. Rev. Dr. Pam Rowley, Interim Provost organized the Conference. Rev. Josh Kouri, Chair of the Trustees presented the resolution. Conference Lay Leader, Kathy Jewell offered the opening prayer and new ABQ DS, Rev. Ross Whiteaker offered the closing prayer.

Ninety-five voting members were present. The resolution passed by 97% of the vote.

Churches ratified for disaffiliation: FUMC-Aztec, Asbury UMC-Odessa, FUMC-Hobbs, Bethel UMC-Moriarty, Grace UMC-Des Moines, Korean UMC-ABQ, La Mesa UMC, FUMC-Monahans

Statistics

Forty-one of 145 NMAC churches have disaffiliated. We now have 186 clergy in the NMAC. 19 pastors (12 active & 4 retired clergy and 3 Licensed Local Pastors) have withdrawn their membership from the NMAC.

Of the 31,000 churches in the US United Methodist Church, there will likely be around 7,000 disaffiliated churches “when the dust settles.” The disaffiliated churches are mostly clustered in southern US and TX.