Changes in store for local churches

By Melanie Patterson

The North Jefferson News



When one Gardendale church opens its doors for worship on Sunday, it will have a different name, a different pastor and reportedly a different outlook.

The former Friendship United Methodist Church is in the process of breaking from the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church, which will make it an independent church.

Its new name is Friendship Community Church. Vance Belcher will serve as the interim pastor.

“If the congregation wants me to continue, I want it to be their decision,” said Belcher. “I want the entire church to be in unison about what takes place.”

Belcher said he will conduct business at Friendship with an openness and transparency that the church hasn’t seen in at least 30 years.

“We’re excited to be getting on with business,” he said.

The former Friendship United Methodist Church (UMC) has been on a roller-coaster ride since early September.

The church’s former pastor, the Rev. George Hollis, announced on Sept. 9 that Friendship was essentially closed. Plans called for Friendship’s members to begin attending Morris UMC on the following Sunday. Hollis was the pastor of both churches.

Then on Sept. 23, about 50 people gathered at Friendship and members learned that Hollis had signed a letter of intent to sell the church. Hollis, who was not at the meeting, later confirmed that he was talking with prospective buyers and had signed a letter of intent.

Church members voted to form a committee, the job of which was to hire an attorney to stop the possible sale of the church.

The newest development came last week when Hollis reportedly asked Belcher, who is not a member of the church, to negotiate a deal between the church and the North Alabama Conference.

Belcher said that the conference is willing to sign the church over to Friendship Community Church with a few stipulations, including splitting $114,000 that the church got from renting a small parcel of land to the American Tower Corp., a cellular phone tower company.

He said the conference wants to split the money 50/50. Belcher hopes that sometime this week, UMC representatives will present documents for the deed transfer.

Belcher will hand over a check for $114,000. In return, the conference will give back $57,000 as a “gift” for the church, along with the title, deed and other transfer documents, according to Belcher.

Friendship appointed four trustees: Derek Belcher, Jimmy Swindle, Horace (Peanut) Grover Abney Jr. and Vance Belcher.

Church members also elected three honorary trustees who were long-time members of Friendship UMC: John Graham, 97; Burley Lovell, 93; and Francis Belcher, 76.

Vance Belcher, whose mother is Francis Belcher, said Sunday’s service will be the last as Friendship UMC and the first as Friendship Community Church.

It will be the 172nd homecoming for Friendship UMC, which was established in 1837.

The service will start at 10:45 a.m.

“We will anoint the doorposts and pray a prayer that God’s Holy Spirit will reside in that sanctuary,” said Belcher.

There will also be worship, singing and other ceremonies.

Belcher said he expects at least 70 or 80 guests from several churches and denominations to take part in Sunday’s events.



Morris United Methodist Church

Morris United Methodist Church is attempting to take the same route that Friendship is taking.

Officials with the church have sent a letter to North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church superintendent Ron Schultz and to Hollis, according to Sherrie Gurley, leadership committee chairperson for the Morris church.

The letter states that members of Morris UMC “must respectfully withdraw their affiliation with the United Methodist Conference.”

The letter also ask that Hollis “surrender any and all assets of Morris United Methodist Church that are currently in his possession and vacate the parsonage at his earliest convenience.”

Hollis was unavailable for comment by press time Tuesday.

Gurley said on Monday that the church had not yet received responses to the letters.

Danette Clifton, director of communications for the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church, said it is “very rare” for a church to leave the conference. She has been employed by the conference for 10 years and has never heard of a church separating from the organization.

According to Gurley, a lay speaker conducted church services at Morris UMC on Sunday

“We carried out services as best we could,” she said.

Gurley is now asking people in the community to “step forth and help with repairs,” such as landscaping and cleaning.

She said the church is also looking for a music director, a youth minister and people to help run other church programs.

Gurley said that Morris UMC will also change its name when it is no longer affiliated with the conference, but a name has not been determined.

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