Congregations leave United Methodist Church over defiance of LGBTQ bans – Gist It

Congregations leave United Methodist Church over defiance of LGBTQ bans

Many United Methodist congregations are leaving the Church over issues related to the defiance of LGBTQ bans.

Defining the issue: The United Methodist Church, facing tensions over views on homosexuality, marriage and sexual ethics, is witnessing a departure of a large number of congregations.
* Some church leaders in the U.S. are openly defying the Church’s official rule book, which states “Homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.”
* In 2019, the United Methodist General Conference voted to uphold bans on ordaining LGBTQ clergy and blessing same-sex marriages, but some bishops and leaders stated they would not enforce these policies.

By the numbers: There are over 12 million United Methodists globally with about half of them in the United States.
* A recent accounting shows that about 20% of United Methodist congregations, equivalent to more than 6,000, have left the denomination in recent years.

Financial implications: Leaving the denomination isn’t easy as congregations are required to pay two years of church dues, fund pension obligations and, in some cases, pay to keep their properties.
* The Fount Church in California is facing a significant financial burden in a bid to leave due to a requirement to pay 50 cents on the dollar to keep their property, assessed at more than $6 million.

Some stay, hoping for change: There are those who have chosen to remain in the United Methodist Church, expecting an official change in rules against LGBTQ clergy and same-sex weddings when the Church’s General Conference is held next year.
* Kimberly Scott, a queer Black woman and lifelong United Methodist, views the current discord as an opportunity for change rather than a schism.

View original article on NPR

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July 25, 2023

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