June 05, 2014
Presented by members of the Maynard United Methodist Church and the Rev. Rene Perez, District Superintendent for the CMA District of the New England Annual Conference
June 2014
Whereas the Maynard United Methodist Church located in Maynard, MA has existed since 1895 at the intersection of Summer and Main Street; and
Whereas after struggle, prayer, and discernment the members voted at a Special Charge Conference on March 17, 2014 to discontinue the church as of June 30, 2014 after a final service of celebration on May 4, 2014 at 6:00pm; and
Whereas in accordance with the 2012 Book of Discipline, ¶2549, and the Maynard United Methodist Church having properly strived to restart on several occasions and considering other options for vital ministry, they have made recommendations as to the future use of their properties, furnishing, paraments, and other articles owned by the church; and,
Whereas a majority of the current active members of the Maynard United Methodist Church have planned to transfer their membership to various United Methodist Churches; and
Whereas the church building located at 2 Summer Street, Maynard, MA and the parsonage located at 14 Patti Lane, Maynard, MA will be sold by the Board of Trustees and the proceeds, once all bills are paid, will be held by the Conference Trustees and used for a new church start in Maynard, MA; and
Whereas, in order to honor the original bequest from the Dorothy Barlow account held in the United Methodist Foundation of New England, the remaining funds will be placed in a permanent endowment under the name of the Dorothy Barlow – New Beginnings Fund, with all gains being reinvested for five years but always available to support the purpose of starting a new church in Maynard, Massachusetts; and
Whereas the District Superintendent supports that the Maynard United Methodist Church be discontinued and has received consent from the presiding bishop, the majority of the Cabinet and the District Board of Church Location and Building; and
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that Maynard United Methodist Church in Maynard, MA be discontinued as of June 30, 2014; and
BE IT RESOLVED that if no new church has been started in five years in the Maynard, MA area, all proceeds from both church and parsonage properties will be given to the Hebrews 11 Fund; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if no new church has been started in five years, the annual distributions from the Dorothy Barlow- New Beginnings Fund, will be split the following way: 75% to UMCOR and 25% to the Maynard Food Pantry understanding that if a new church is ever started in Maynard, MA anytime after that, the annual distribution from this endowment with be reallocated to its original intent; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that should any assets be discovered in future years, such assets shall be transferred to the New England Conference to be used as directed by this resolution and in accordance with the Discipline and the New England Annual Conference policies; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Maynard United Methodist Church would like to present an original late 1800’s wooden communion set made by the Sanitary Communion Outfit Company, manufacturers of the first individual cups communion sets to the Annual Conference for its archives as a symbol of the legacy of the United Methodist Church in Maynard, MA.