UMNS Photo by Mike Dubose.

A letter and follow-up communication was sent to all congregations in the Dakotas Conference that are, or have ever been, chartering organizations for a troop, pack, or crew of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). If your congregation is not now and never has been a BSA chartering organization, you may disregard this notice.

You might not know that The United Methodist Church is now the largest chartering organization of the BSA. But as you likely are aware, the BSA has been subject to many claims and lawsuits alleging sexual abuse, many of the claims going back 30 years. BSA filed for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware in February 2020 to manage these claims and lawsuits. Ultimately, there will probably be a fund set up to manage them and cover damages. We hope and pray for healing and justice through this process for all involved.

What’s particularly important for you to know is that most lawsuits by individuals also name as a defendant the local congregation that was the chartering organization. Part of the legal complexity of this is that these congregations then may have a claim for indemnification, (e.g. compensation for harm or loss arising in connection with the other party's actions or failure to act), against the BSA and/or the BSA local council.

The deadline for filing all creditors’ claims, including these unknown and unasserted claims for indemnification, is Nov. 16, 2020, at 5 p.m.  

If your congregation is or has ever been a BSA chartering organization, it is critically important for you to file a proof of claim by 5 p.m., Nov. 16, 2020. These claims will be for contingent, unknown, and unliquidated amounts. Failure to file a claim by the 16th will permanently bar you from filing this type of claim later on. Your claim will be barred even if the victim waits years before bringing his or her own claim and trying to collect damages from your church.

We are in the process of working with other United Methodist Annual Conferences and with the conference chancellors who can assist Dakotas United Methodist congregations in filing claims. If your congregation has ever chartered a Boy Scout troop, Cub Scout Pack, or Venturing Crew, contact Jeff Pospisil, director of finance and administration for the Dakotas Conference, by phone (605-990-7786), or by e-mail, as soon as possible so you can receive help filing a proof of claim on your church's behalf.