WHEREAS the Surry United Methodist Church, located in Hancock County, Surry, ME, has existed for many years with a long and proud history of mission and ministry; and

WHEREAS in their ongoing efforts to be faithful to God and responsible to their obligations they have had a ¼-time appointment with under 20 in worship in recent years and have prayerfully discerned they are no longer able to continue;

WHEREAS  the congregation explored options through a “possibility study” ( ¶213); and

WHEREAS at a special Church Conference held on October 17, 2012, after long and faithful service the members gathered voted unanimously to close the church and declare its properties “abandoned” in accordance with ¶ 2548 of the Discipline, turning the property and all assets under the care of the trustees of the New England Conference effective December 31, 2012; and

WHEREAS a final service of celebration and de-consecration was held on December 9, 2012; and 

WHEREAS the NME District Superintendent has recommended the Abandonment of the Surry United Methodist Church effective December 31, 2012 and has received consent from the presiding Bishop, a majority of the District Superintendents, and all proper Disciplinary requirements have been complied with, 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Surry United Methodist Church be declared abandoned effective December 31, 2012, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, in accordance with the wishes of the congregation, the membership of the Surry United Methodist Church will be transferred to the Ellsworth United Methodist Church unless members request otherwise; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the building belonging to the Surry United Methodist Church, and any other assets and property belonging to the Surry United Methodist Church which were not otherwise designated prior to the date of abandonment, shall become the property of the Trustees of the New England Annual Conference, and that assets shall be deployed as directed by the Book of Discipline and the New England Conference policies; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a local Board of Trustees has been established to care for paying outstanding commitments as the responsibility for the building are handed over to the New England Conference Board of Trustees. Should any assets be discovered in future years, such assets should be transferred to the New England Conference, to be used as directed by the Book of Discipline and the New England Conference policies.