249 United Methodist churches disaffiliate due to LGBTQIA+ policies

Over the weekend, 249 United Methodist Churches in eastern North Carolina were allowed to disaffiliate themselves from the church headquarters -- due to conflicting ideas on same-sex relationships.
Posted 11/21/2022, 10:46:15 PM Updated 11/22/2022, 1:58:26 AM

DAVIS. AND THAT IS IMPACT ON

RIDGEVILLE WILL LIVE ON.

>> HUNDREDS OF METHODIST CHURCH

IS AN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA

ARE PARTING WAYS WITH THE STATE

CONFERENCE OVER A SINGLE ISSUE.

ORIENTATION. WRAL'S GILBERT

BAYS, TALK TO THE PASTOR OF ONE

OF THOSE CHURCHES ABOUT THEIR

DECISION TO GO THEIR OWN WAY.

>> WELL, THE CONFERENCE THIS

WEEKEND WAS TO GIVE 249 UNITED

METHODIST CHURCHES, THE RIGHT

TO DISASSOCIATE THEMSELVES FROM

THEIR PARENT ORGANIZATION.

THE CONFLICT IS OVER HUMAN

SEXUALITY, SALEM, UNITED

METHODIST CHURCH IS GETTING

READY TO MAKE A CHANGE. THIS

SHUNNING THAT THEY WOULD THEN

HAVE THE OPTION TO EITHER BE

AN INDEPENDENT THAT THE CHURCH

OR THAT THEY PART OF ANOTHER

METHODIST FAMILY.

>> A SPECIAL CONFERENCE TOOK

PLACE OVER THE WEEKEND AT

MEMPHIS UNIVERSITY AND WAS

STREAMED ONLINE AS TO WHY SAYS

HIS CHURCH ALONG WITH 248

OTHERS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE

UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IS MORE

INCLUSIVE, LGBTQ WE NEED MORE

TOWARD ORDINATION OF

HOMOSEXUALS AND PERFORMING SAME

MARRIAGES WITHIN THEIR CHURCHES

AND THE CHURCH HERE DID NOT

AGREE WITH THOSE 2 MOVES.

>> AND OUT OF THAT, THOSE THAT

DID THIS TO BE A MINUTE IS THE

INTERIM BISHOP WHO PRESIDED

OVER THE SPECIAL MEETING.

>> HE SAYS THERE ARE NO WINNERS

OR LOSERS IN THE BOAT, WHICH

WAS OVERWHELMINGLY IN FAVOR OF

ALLOWING JUST AFFILIATION.

IT'S NON 57.

>> YES.

AND ONE 65 AND UP NEARLY SAYS

THERE ARE MEMBERS WHO WANT TO

BECOME PASTORS AND TAKE OTHER

LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN THE

CHURCH.

>> BUT THE SEXUALITY IS SEEN AS

A PROBLEM. YOU TREAT EVERY 2 TO

KEEP PEOPLE A SENSE OF DIGNITY

AND WERE.

>> BUT THAT WORD ABOUT IN

COMPATIBILITY DESCRIPTION AND

BEING INCLUDED IN THE WHOLE

LIFE OF THE CHURCH. IT'S WHERE

WE DID

THE DIVISION CLEARLY SAYS HIS

FOCUS NOW IS ON THE ONE 3RD OF

THE CHURCHES THAT ARE LEAVING.

IT'S ON THE TWO-THIRDS THAT ARE

STILL ON BOARD AND MY FOCUS NOW

BEGINS TO PIVOT. THAT'S WHAT

HAPPENS TO COURT. THAT'S THE

UNITED METHODIST CHURCH WILL

LOOK LIKE IN THE NORTH CAROLINA

ANNUAL CONFERENCE, WALLY AREA.

AND THEN I DO BELIEVE THAT GOD

HAS A FEATURE OF THE WHOLE.

FOR ALL OF US. SO ACCORDING TO

THE PASTOR COME JANUARY, FIRST,

SELLING UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

WILL BECOME SALEM METHODIST

CHURCH.

>> IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY,

GILBERT BAYS, WRAL, NEWS.

>> WE'RE TOLD THE ULTIMATE

DECISION ON THE CHURCH'S STANCE

ON HOMOSEXUALITY WILL BE

CLARIFIED IN APRIL OF 2024.

THAT'S WHEN THE CHURCH HOLD ITS

© WRAL