The Timeline of Belin UMC's Bungled Discernment - A Conversation with Dan Temple

In my chronicling the various chapters of mishaps and mangling of local church disaffiliations for discernment, more than once I was told of unjust developments in Belin, South Carolina. Yet efforts at finding a representative of the church to speak with me were unsuccessful. This is a hobby of mine, not a career, so I don’t have tons of time to call around for leads.
Yet my coverage of a recent article about Belin’s failed attempt to continue conversations about discernment motivated an intermediary to connect me with Dan Temple, a member of the church and professional CPA, who was able to walk me through the timeline of what has transpired, with supporting documents and media.
My interest in covering this topic is not at all to spread discontent, but rather to spread information. Temple shared a good deal of practical information, including a legal statement, that could potentially be useful to other churches seeking to discern their way forward after the unholy events that transpired in Charlotte last year.
As thorough as Temple is in this conversation, one would be wise to consult the documents contained in the Google Drive folder linked below. Make sure to pray for Dan and his church. They celebrated their centennial this last weekend. It is a strange and unfortunate time to try to be a biblical local church within a mainline denomination. Yet there are surely blessings that can come with such challenges. Let’s pray for God’s blessing to be upon them.
Links:
Google Drive folder w/ Belin documents - drive.google.c...
1. Resolution and Legal Memo of Understanding (attached) (i.e. reason for 1/6/25 meeting)
2. Link to Resolution Website (bmcmisc.org) if you’d rather not post pdf. Just have link to this site at top
3. Flip Flop meeting of November 2023 nobody knew was coming or even possible (see 1:53 - 1:56): • Charge Conference 11.1...
4. Vote to Re-Enter Discernment August 2024: • Church Council Meeting...
5. Monday the 6th Meeting (1st 1.5 hours highlights breach of trust again, similar to November 2023 D.S. heavy handed, undue influence): • Charge Conference/Chur...
6. Letter I read: attached, I have permission to share
7. Council of Bishops Letter: • Council of Bishops’ pa...

[@lenkirch1]

I’m at St Paul’s Methodist church just down the road and a lot of Belin people now attend our church. We disaffiliated.

[@paulaford4800]

Members of Duncan Memorial UMC in Georgetown, we are the first Methodist Church of South Carolina-240 years old. WE had voted and started discernment and ready to leave when the Judicial Ruling shut things down. We are so upset about being held hostage. A Colonial Church, we do not want to leave our property.

[@gptn1]

We are trapped at TUMC. According to the minister, she believes that the congregation is split 55/45 so there would not be enough numbers to leave if the church council would call for a vote. She is a “centrist ” and a Duke University graduate. Her mentor, professor Richard Hayes, recently reversed his position on gay marriage and clergy. She claims at this time she would not be comfortable performing a gay wedding ceremony. But that’s the tell right there, “at this time .” TUMC does so many wonderful things for the community, it is a shame that they did not disaffiliate and follow the Bible before now. This is an old generational church and many people have grown up here. Traditionally minded people have been leaving the church, but yet younger families with more liberal ideas have joined. We joined right before the UMC made the changes to the book of discipline. My wife and I hate to leave, but I think this church is going the way of the progressives ultimately.

[@theblackwatermaster6411]

We left Belin over a year ago.

[@kingpetra6886]

Enlightening.

[@U18B]

It is clear everything that happened to this church was awful in so many ways. We're so glad to be out of the UMC. But just for the record, nominations from the floor are legal and proper. It makes for a more ugly meeting, but it is not improper. But Dan is is correct about all the associate pastors voting at the nominating committee. That was not proper. THE pastor is the chair.

[@DCS736]

Enough people leave until the progressives become the majority by attrition. That's what happened at my church. Our pastor also towed the party line and would not allow us to enter discernment, although we voted to do so. Of course, we are now at a GMC.

[@DCS736]

P.S. My UMC was just over 200 years old.

[@joevasanu7459]

God bless and thank you for your efforts to help these churches escape this injustice. One request, please reconsider your use of the term “law fare” in these videos. “Law fare” has an incredibly negative connotation and pejorative definition. I know it is not your intention, but you are misapplying it to these churches legitimate use of the legal system.

[@eileenthrift8259]

Is it legal to use designated funds to cover budget shortfalls? That is definitely immoral. Designated funds are gifts given by members for a specific purpose, whatever that may be. Shame on church leadership that disregards and disrespects this trust.

[@johnmeunier2796]

I believe donors could sue if designated funds are used for things they were not designated for. State laws may impact this.

[@eileenthrift8259]

@johnmeunier2796 Thank you. Members would have to know about it first. Also, some gifts are made from a will, which means the family would be the ones to sue.