Our Discernment Team
- Clergy:
- Kathy Jorgensen, Pastor of Spiritual Direction
- Woods Lisenby, Executive Pastor
- Michael Precht, Senior Pastor
- Laity:
- CJ Angelette
- Reid Harvey
- Don Kidd
- Caroline McCarthy
- Parks Moore
- Vanessa Reyner
- Betty Stone
Our Discernment Timeline:
*Note: This timeline is slightly amended since the original announcement video.
- Sermon Series — God Still Speaks (Feb 26-March 26, 2023)
- A five-week focus on how the Church uses Scripture — as understood through reason, tradition, and experience — to discern God’s will.
- Class — In Good Faith (Feb. 26-March 30, 2023)
- A five-week class on how faithful Christians — using the same criteria of Scripture, reason, tradition, and experience — have come to disagree about questions of sexuality and marriage.
- Qualitative Survey (May 17-June 4, 2023)
- Home Meetings (August-September 2023)
- Small group gatherings to provide information and receive feedback about our congregation’s core principles, as well as developments in our local Annual Conference and worldwide denomination.
- The handout provided to all participants is found here.
- Statement of Principle (October and November 2023)
- Our Discernment Team presented a draft of our “Statement of Principle” for the prayer and consideration of the entire church.
- Dauphin Way’s Church Council met on November 27, 2023. After a time for comments — which was open to all church members — the Council considered the proposed statement. The Council voted unanimously against adopting any statement. Dauphin Way’s formal time of discernment is ended, and there are no pending considerations before the Church Council.
ABOUT OUR DISCERNMENT
In March of 2022, Dauphin Way’s Church Council called for a “Process Team” of 5-7 people to design the process by which Dauphin Way United Methodist Church can discern God’s call for Dauphin Way as the United Methodist Church continues to work out its disagreements regarding homosexuality.
Our Nominations Committee invited 7 lay members of high character, deep wisdom, and trusted faith to join the Process Team. All seven individuals accepted: Rev. Michael Precht (Senior Pastor), Mark Davidson, (Lay Leader) Karen Anne Beville, Richard Byrd, David Peeler, Elizabeth Percy, Vanessa Reyner, and William Terry.
The Process Team prayed daily at 9 AM for our church, and met every two weeks so that they could answer 6 questions about how Dauphin Way can discern God’s calling for our church. The Process Team did not make any recommendation about our denominational future – instead the Process Team recommended how all of us as a church can discern God’s call together. All recommendations from the Process Team required the approval of the Church Council.
The Process Team was asked to address (at minimum) the following questions:
- When should Dauphin Way expect a proposal for our denominational future?
- What kind of learning, listening, and small group feedback should shape that proposal before it is finalized?
- Who will prepare the final proposal?
- Is there a need for an outside facilitator to assist in any portion of the process?
- What training is needed for those who will lead this process?
- What is an appropriate timeline for communicating any information the congregation needs to know?
