Friends,

As you may recall, the most recent agreement to extend the “pause” on BSA charter renewal for UM local churches engaged in scouting was set to expire June 30, 2022. But our local churches, and their corresponding Local Councils, obviously need more time to fully implement and execute either the recently announced Annual Affiliation Agreement (which I expect will be posted/distributed in its final form today or tomorrow), or an approved Facilities Use Agreement (a draft of which I’m hoping to receive from BSA today or tomorrow).

To account for the delay, we’ve reached two agreements with BSA:

As you may already know, BSA and the UMC representatives have agreed that UMC local churches, the Scout Units with which they are associated, and the corresponding BSA Local Councils will be given until October 31, 2022, to execute and implement their new Affiliation Agreement or Facilities Use Agreement. All current charters and facility use agreements that are in use now are to continue until BSA completes the new agreement with the church.

2. Meanwhile, BSA has agreed that the insurance and indemnity provisions included in the new Affiliation Agreement – which BSA agrees will also be included in the forthcoming approved Facilities Use Agreement – will go into effect June 30. A copy of an “Interim Agreement” making that commitment is attached, and it includes a complete and verbatim recitation of the indemnity and insurance provisions that are going into effect today and will be repeated in the approved Affiliation Agreement and Facilities Use Agreement. The new insurance provisions will be included if only the facilities use agreement is being used.

If a church is using the new agreement, it is the standard agreement for all UM congregations and is not to be modified. If there are questions about modification, it should be sent to Steven Shied at GCUMM.

Information about the new affiliation agreement may be found here www.GCUMM.org/Scouting or directly www.methodistscouter.org/a-new-agreement/

BSA and GCUMM Interim Agreement for your information.