Page 48 - United Methodists News Today

Differing beliefs over same-sex marriage and ordaining openly LGBTQ clergy have prompted 83 churches to leave the Iowa Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Patricia Clinton left Central United Methodist Church on Sunday with tears in her eyes. Six hours later and a few blocks south, several members of Christ Church shed their tears while praying at the altar.

Specially designated Lighthouse Congregations will welcome United Methodists from churches that choose to leave the mainline Protestant denomination.

Midland Heights Methodists in Fort Smith have left the United Methodist denomination.

The Oklahoma United Methodist Conference will gather in Tulsa for an annual meeting, the first such gathering since 84 churches disaffiliated.

“This isn't a Democratic problem or a Republican problem; it's a human family problem.”

“Progressive churches can boldly proclaim to their communities that the answer to bad religion is not no religion but good religion.”

In a recent survey, those who left their childhood traditions for a church of their own reported higher engagement with their faith.

Following an abrupt halt and an ensuing lawsuit, 180-plus North Georgia churches can proceed with the process of splitting from the United Methodist Church.

Sixty-seven congregations in Arkansas have officially disaffiliated from the United Methodist Church, being part of a wave of departures driven largely by the mainline Protestant denomination’s ongoing debate over LGBT issues.