We are not encouraging any congregation to do so, either. "[179] When the Methodists in America were separated from the Church of England, John Wesley himself provided a revised version of The Book of Common Prayer called The Sunday Service of the Methodists; With Other Occasional Services. The church is a member of the World Council of Churches, the World Methodist Council, and other religious associations. No Celebrities Except Jesus: How Asbury Protected the Revival, After Pushing for UMC Unity, Former Bishop Joins New Denomination, The Kings College Faces Threat of Closure, Southern Baptist Convention Disfellowships Saddleback Church, With Gossip of the Gospel, the Church Grows in Nepal. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. In addition, commission members described an increasingly complex interview process in some areas requiring two or three interviews, which also creates a roadblock that would preclude participation by many delegates outside the United States of America., The news release quoted General Conference Commission chairperson Kim Simpson saying, The decision to postpone once again was an exceedingly difficult one, with many factors to consider including visas and passports, the health and safety of delegates, volunteers and other attendees, vaccination rates, and the need for provisions for quarantine or medical care should any delegates contract COVID-19., The commissions announcement also hinted that the 2024 meeting wont take place in Minneapolis. Gambling is a menace to society, deadly to the best interests of moral, social, economic, and spiritual life, and destructive of good government. See, Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church-2012, The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church-2008,304.3, in his sermon "The Duty of Constant Communion" online at, Art. The United Methodist Church formed in 1968 from the union of Methodist denominations that split over slavery in the 1800s. [76] Therefore, according to The Book of Discipline, United Methodist theology is at once "catholic, evangelical, and reformed."[77]. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Deacons are in service ministry and may serve as musicians, liturgists, educators, business administrators, and a number of other areas. UNITED METHODIST SPLIT GROWS MORE CONTENTIOUS AS GEORGIA CONFERENCE BLOCKS CONSERVATIVE CHURCHES FROM EXITING, The United Methodist Church has hemorrhaged more than 2,000 churches since 2019, when the denomination voted to uphold a ban on same-sex marriage and gay clergy. [117] Jimmy Creech was defrocked after a highly publicized church trial in 1999 on account of his participation in same-sex union ceremonies. Your daily news briefing from the editors of CT. Everything Everywhere All at Once and the Beautiful Mystery of Gods Silence. [159] However, on February 26, 2019, a special session of the General Conference rejected this proposal, and voted to strengthen its official opposition to same-sex marriages and ordaining openly LGBT clergy. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Elders in full connection are each a member of their Annual Conference Order of Elders. The choice is ours. Progressives, who already are a minority under the UMCs big tent, also may suffer more setbacks when and if General Conference actually occurs in 2024. The split in the United Methodist Church, explained | The Week Traditionalists have pressed for the Protocols approval for another reason: It would provide $25 million in start-up money over four years specifically for a traditionalist denomination, although it also would earmark $2 million for other expressions of Methodism. Elders serve a term of 23 years as provisional elders prior to their ordination. This created new orders known as "provisional elder" or "provisional deacon" for those who seek to be ordained in the respective orders. A source inside Harvest says the church left the denomination because it felt like the UMC is moving away from biblical authority and is not following its own rules. The United Methodist Church is still infected by the decisions 80 years ago to give in to racial animus rather than confront it. Many churches include a time of response or a prayer time in which people may share concerns or pray with ministers. The United Methodist Book of Discipline, 2008. And Mosaic will abide by a new book of discipline, one that defines term limits for bishops, sets financial contributions based on church budget, forbids trust clauses, and creates an accountability system in which bishops report to clergy and laypeople, not just other bishops. I committed myself to start the official ordination process immediately if the church recognized my dignity. [119] According to polling from Pew Research, the majority of United Methodists in the US support the inclusion of homosexual persons, 60 percent of United Methodists said "homosexuality should be accepted by society", and 40 percent supported same-sex marriage. The common pattern comes from John Wesley, who wrote that "there is no Liturgy in the world, either in ancient or modern language, which breathes more of a solid, scriptural, rational piety, than the Common Prayer of the Church of England. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, Stand with us in our mission to discover and uncover the story of North Texas, 41 North Texas congregations granted approval to leave the United Methodist Church, Southlake megachurch votes in favor of disaffiliation from United Methodist Church. The plenary session is presided over by an active bishop who has been selected by a committee of delegates to the conference. The United Methodist Church therefore holds that: The United Methodist Church supports federal legislative efforts for strict gun control measures in the United States, and outright bans of most weapons in other nations. The Pew Research Center's 2014 US Religious Landscape Study concluded that the political preferences of US adult members of the United Methodist Church was 54 percent Republican / lean Republican, 35 percent Democrat / lean Democrat, and 11 percent independent / no lean / other. [112] In accordance with its view of Scripture,[113] the Church considers "the practice of homosexuality (to be) incompatible with Christian teaching. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. But what if an entire annual conference opts to go? [31], Meanwhile, the name Global Methodist Church for the traditionalist denomination was revealed March 1, 2021, along with a new website and logo. Jason Kidd hopes Mavs star stays patient in preseason play. [261], Individuals may also choose to give to the church by naming the Permanent Fund for the United Methodist Church as beneficiary in their estate plans. (Article II), We believe all men stand under the righteous judgment of Jesus Christ, both now and in the last day. It is organized into conferences. Mannschreck said hes excited to think that a smaller portion of his churchs budget could go to the denomination. The Global Methodist Church, a new, more conservative Methodist denomination, announced Thursday it will officially launch in May, the biggest step so far in the highly anticipated split of. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Leaders with the Global Methodist Church gather for worship. We are confident many existing congregations will join the new Global Methodist Church in waves over the next few years, and new church plants will sprout up as faithful members exit the UM Church and coalesce into new congregations.. The case resulted in the bridge being relocated. In 1784, after unsuccessful attempts to have the Church of England send a bishop to start a new church in the colonies, Wesley decisively appointed fellow priest Thomas Coke as Superintendent (the equivalent of a bishop) to organize a separate Methodist Society. ", "Luke 22:1423 (The Institution of the Lord's Supper)", "God's Preparing, Accepting, and Sustaining Grace", "The New Birth by John Wesley (Sermon 45)", "Quotes by various Methodist Bishops and Leaders of the Past", "The Political Preferences of U.S. ), The name and logo of the new Global Methodist Church, which is splitting from the United Methodist Church. RNS photo by Emily McFarlan Miller. [257] During the conference, the delegates voted to finalize the induction of the Methodist Church of the Ivory Coast and its 700,000 members into the denomination. Park United Methodist Church Weehawken | Weehawken NJ - Facebook DOTHAN, Ala (WDHN) Another church in the Dothan has a big decision on its hands in the coming days, and the churchs fate will fall into the hands of its congregation. The highest level is called the General Conference and is the only organization which may speak officially for the UMC. ), The Rev. He became a "circuit rider", taking the gospel to the furthest reaches of the new frontier as he had done as a preacher in England . The United Methodist Book of Discipline, 2004 para. Rev. John Bell announces he will be leaving Wesley United Methodist The ministers nonetheless retained their membership in the Church of England. Launching on May 1, the new denomination plans to uphold traditional, conservative Wesleyan theology but run on a lighter, leaner infrastructure that emphasizes grassroots accountability and ministry connections. Listening to the reading of Scripture and a sermon based upon the Biblical text is virtually always included in United Methodist worship. Collierville United Methodist Church went through a six-month period of prayer and discernment prior to authorizing a vote on disaffiliation, according to a statement from church officials. In a written statement, St. Andrew told The News its congregation voted Feb. 21 by 98.6% to disaffiliate, fulfilling the two-thirds requirement. [134] In 1987, a United Methodist church court in New Hampshire defrocked Methodist minister Rose Mary Denman for openly living with a same-sex partner. Thus, alternatives to the Protocol, along with everything else in the churchs law book, are once again up for grabs. [138] The official website of the United Methodist Church reported that "Retired United Methodist Bishop Melvin Talbert, for the second time, has defied church law to officiate at a ceremony celebrating the union of two men. For example, Bishop Kenneth Carter currently oversees two conferences separated by hundreds of miles: Florida, covering the states peninsula from Key West to Tallahassee, and Western North Carolina based in Charlotte. Comparatively, the UMC stands to the right of liberal and progressive Protestant groups such as the United Church of Christ and the Episcopal Church on certain issues (especially regarding sexuality), but to the left of historically conservative evangelical traditions such as the Southern Baptists and Pentecostalism, in regard to theological matters such as social justice and Biblical interpretation. Conservative Methodists Launch Global Methodist Church - News & Reporting As John Wesley advocated outdoor evangelism, revival services are a traditional worship practice of Methodism that are often held in United Methodist churches, as well as at outdoor camp meetings and at tent revivals. [174] It insists that the first moral duty of all nations is to resolve by peaceful means every dispute that arises between or among them; that human values must outweigh military claims as governments determine their priorities; that the militarization of society must be challenged and stopped; that the manufacture, sale, and deployment of armaments must be reduced and controlled; and that the production, possession, or use of nuclear weapons be condemned. [33] The conservative Transitional Leadership Council said the Global Methodist Church would be officially started, with individual churches or conferences able to join, when the General Conference adopts legislation implementing the Protocol, although the Council "will consider bringing the new church into existence without delay" "if it becomes apparent" that leaders "who covenanted to support the Protocol no longer do so. After years of loud debate, conservatives quietly split from United The 48 years of debate have caused immeasurable suffering to those whose humanity has been denied by their church and increasing frustration among traditionalists, progressives and moderates. The status quo is untenable, as collectively United Methodists are hurting and, often without wanting to, are hurting one another. A news release described the impediments: Commission members received a report based on conversations with multiple officials of the U.S. Department of State outlining the massive backlog of visa applications in some areas. ", "Lent: United Methodist Church Calls for 'Alcohol Free' Season", "Methodists Shun The Bottle During Alcohol-Free Lent", "Official church statements on capital punishment", "It's time for people of faith to accept evolution", "What is The United Methodist Church's position on evolution? "[140] The New York body also ordained the first openly gay and lesbian clergy. Generally speaking, United Methodists are focused on welcoming his saving grace to work fully in our lives, here and now--prevenient grace that moves us to turn to Christ for salvation, justifying grace that works righteousness in us and trust for salvation, and sanctifying grace that perfects us in lives of love of God and neighbor. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. The church has existed in Memphis since the late 19th century and has two campuses. Rev. The annual conference, roughly the equivalent of a diocese in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church or a synod in some Lutheran denominations such as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, is the basic unit of organization within the UMC. [90] On the other side, the Methodist Federation for Social Action and United Methodist Women continue to represent pro-choice views. Rev. The Romania-Bulgaria Conference has left the UMC. After two years of coronavirus delays, what seemed like only minutes elapsed between two momentous announcements March 3: Traditionalists have chafed at repeated delays of General Conference. "[Mark 12:2930][109] It quotes the Apostle Paul who states:.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}. [11][190][191], The chancel of United Methodist churches usually features a lectern and baptismal font on one side of the altar table and a pulpit on the other side. "What a time to reimagine what God's next is for The United Methodist Church," the retired United Methodist megachurch pastor told a Dallas gathering on . [32] At that time, delegates are expected to vote on the Protocol for Reconciliation and Grace through Separation. [95][96] Today the United Methodist Church states that it "affirms our long-standing support of abstinence from alcohol as a faithful witness to God's liberating and redeeming love for persons. But if 2020 does indeed result in a schism of the Methodist movement like 1844, its because a break is needed, if unity cannot be achieved, to ensure human dignity is respected. The conference currently has 185 congregations, and at least two more have voted to leave, including megachurch Whites Chapel UMC in Southlake. Lead pastor Carolyn Moore will continue emphasizing Wesleyan theology in her sermons, and the church will continue its work partnering with ministries that help the people who, in Moores view, tend to fall through the cracks of other churches. The March 3 announcement of a third General Conference delay ended weeks of anxious speculation about whether the twice-postponed conclave would occur this year from Aug. 29 to Sept. 7 in Minneapolis. It would grant the new denomination $25 million and would allow local churches to vote to affiliate with the new denomination and keep their assets if they leave. Disagreements and strife have always been part of the human story, he said during his homily before the vote. In continuity with past Christian teaching, we recognize tragic conflicts of life with life that may justify abortion, (in the eyes of God) and in such cases we support the legal option of abortion under proper medical procedures. Christ Church Memphis leaves United Methodist Church amid ongoing LGBTQ debate. The United Methodist Church believes in prima scriptura, seeing the Bible as the primary authority in the Church and using sacred tradition, reason, and experience to interpret it, with the aid of the Holy Spirit (see Wesleyan Quadrilateral). Boyettes optimism about the number of churches to join the GMC may be premature, however. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Richard Allen and Absalom Jones became the first African Americans ordained by the Methodist Church. First United Methodist Church of Dothan is also a part of the same conference and they say a possible vote of disaffiliation has not been discussed and that they dont plan on discussing it until possibly next year. Until and unless things change in 2024, dissident congregations can disaffiliate from The United Methodist Church with the approval of their annual (regional) conferences by paying all unfunded pension liabilities plus two years worth of fair-share contributions for church-wide ministries. Disaffiliations are not final until the United Methodist Church approves congregational votes in the summer. So, while there are sighs of relief at a third postponement of General Conference, the decision also kicks the can of formal United Methodist dissolution further down a rocky road while the institution itself continues to erode by disaffiliation. She serves as editor of United Methodist Insight, an online journal she founded in 2011. [137] On the other hand, hundreds of United Methodist ministers have openly defied the official position of the United Methodist Church and have publicly revealed their "lesbian, gay or bisexual" sexual orientation, an action that could result in their suspension. Despite disputes and groans and strife, the church has found a way to move its mission forward undeterred., Saenz said young people are increasingly rejecting Christianity, and he spoke of encounters he has had with parents of LGBTQ children. Prevenient grace, or the grace that "goes before" us, is given to all people. The General Conference that year also approved Paragraph 2553 of the Book of Discipline, a church law that allows UMC churches to leave with their church property if they obtain the approval of two-thirds of their congregation and their regional governing body. [166] In April 2019, the Judicial Council ruled on the 17 petitions of the Traditional Plan, upholding 10 as valid and rejecting 7 as unconstitutional. Mathews-Gardner, A. Lanethea. These organizations address specific topic areas of denomination-wide concern with administrative offices throughout the United States. [78], The topic of abortion is complex for the United Methodist Church. (Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images). Significant percentages of these new generations will give up on the church, and many will give up on God., He also spoke of the grief of losing fellow community members. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Randolph United Methodist Church - Randolph, TN, Drummonds, Tennessee. Yelp is a fun and easy way to find, recommend and talk about what's great and not so great in Weehawken and beyond. [228] The licensed local pastor has the authority of a pastor only within the context and during the time of the appointment and shall not extend beyond it. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. The steep of a United Methodist Church in Dingalan, Aurora, Philippines. Without the Protocol in place, the bishops now have to deal with new rulings from the denominations Judicial Council outlining how congregations, annual conferences and jurisdictions will handle disaffiliation not only for the GMC but for churches departing if and when progressive overreach drives centrist congregations from the UMC. "[89], Members of the United Methodist Church who identify with the anti-abortion position come mostly from the Confessing Movement within the denomination and have organized into the Taskforce of United Methodists on Abortion and Sexuality (TUMAS) to further their position within the denomination. [141] In addition, the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the UMC approved the appointment of an openly partnered lesbian to the diaconate. [220] The United Methodist Church among Christian churches has a highly educated membership, with 37% of members holding graduate or post-graduate degrees. The justifying grace cancels our guilt and empowers us to resist the power of sin and to fully love God and neighbor. 7. The 2004 General Conference created another class of ministry, the certified lay minister (CLM). St. The local pastors are given the authority to preach the Word of God, administer the sacraments of the church, to provide care and counseling, and to order the life of the church for ministry and mission, but are not ordained. Only individual churches can do so. Deacons serve a term of 23 years as provisional deacons prior to their ordination. The provisional elder/deacon is a seminary graduate who serves at least two years in full-time appointments after being commissioned. Mosaics name and logo will remain the same, as will the format for Sunday worship. [257] Given current trends in the UMCwith overseas churches growing, especially in Africa, and US churches collectively losing about 1,000 members a week[258]it has been estimated that Africans will make up at least 30 percent of the delegates at the 2012 General Conference,[257] and it is also possible that 40 percent of the delegates will be from outside the US. Frazer Memorial UMC in Montgomery, Ala., recently voted to disaffiliate but intends to join the Free Methodist Church. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Even the pension plans for Moore and other staff members will still go through Wespath Benefits and Investments, the organization that manages UMC pensions. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. [144] Additionally, the Northeastern Jurisdiction passed a resolution calling for change to The Book of Discipline. The United Methodist Church affirms these two sentences in The Social Principles: "Our belief in the sanctity of unborn human life makes us reluctant to approve abortion. On May 25, 1738, after listening to a reading of Martin Luther's preface to the Epistle to the Romans, John came to the understanding that his good works could not save him and he could rest in God's grace for salvation. A key outgrowth of this theology is the United Methodist dedication not only to the Evangelical Gospel of repentance and a personal relationship with God, but also to the Social Gospel and a commitment to social justice issues that have included abolition, women's suffrage, labor rights, civil rights, and ministry with the poor. Story tips can be sent to jon.brown@fox.com. [259], In 2020, it would have 6,268,310 members and 30,543 churches in the United States. Persons who are addicted to pornography are physiologically altered, as is their perspective, relationships with parishioners and family, and their perceptions of girls and women. But the pandemic forced the UMC to twice postpone its General Conference, delaying votes on the proposal called the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace Through Separation. Earlier this year, the denomination announced that the General Conference must wait until 2024. The church operates three hundred sixty schools and institutions overseas. On April 23, 1968, the United Methodist Church was created when the Evangelical United Brethren Church (represented by Bishop Reuben H. Mueller) and The Methodist Church (represented by Bishop Lloyd Christ Wicke) joined hands at the constituting General Conference in Dallas, Texas. The predecessor to today's United Methodist Church split over the issue of slavery in 1844 and did. Churches must also pay two years of apportionments to the UMC as well as any unfunded pension liabilities. Global Methodist split from UMC in 2022 and opposes LGBTQ clergy and same sex marriages, according to the news outlet. The United Methodist Church", "United Methodist Church Bans Intelligent Design Group From General Conference", "What is the United Methodist stance on assisted suicide?, United Methodist Church Official Website", Methodists and Catholics Unite against Euthanasia, Juicy Ecumenism, 7 November 2018, "Book of Resolutions: Gun Violence - the United Methodist Church", "Book of Resolutions: Church is a Weapon-Free Zone - the United Methodist Church", "United Methodists Tighten Ban on Same-Sex Marriage and Gay Clergy", "What is the denomination's position on homosexuality? Churches wishing to leave are also required to pay their share of clergy pension liabilities and two years of "apportionments" for the larger denomination. Ten Reasons Why I'll Join the Global Methodist Church [211], United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) is the short-term mission arm of the United Methodist Church. However, the United Methodist Church also supports and extends its ministry to those persons who conscientiously choose to serve in the armed forces or to accept alternative service. [82] Annual Conferences could still choose whether to remain a part of the RCRC locally. Austin Adkinson, right, and members of the Queer Clergy Caucus sing and greet attendees on the first day of deliberations at the special session of the United Methodist Church General Conference in St. Louis on Feb. 24, 2019. My familys roots in the church go back generations, and I still pray fervently for the day when all Methodists may follow their calling to serve the church. With the latest delay, however, conservatives decided to make their move. African membership is poised to grow beyond the size of the church in the states. It consists of nine members, both laity and clergy, elected by the General Conference for an eight-year term. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Faith and good works go hand in hand in Methodist theology: a living tree naturally and inevitably bears fruit. Cynthia Good, pastor at Calvary United Methodist Church in Arlington, Massachusetts, speaks during Sunday services on Jan. 5, 2020. Several traditionalist members of the Methodist clergy told Fox News Digital last June that conservative churches are leaving in response to liberal leaders within the UMC choosing to disregard the 2019 vote by commissioning gay clergy and officiating same-sex weddings anyway. [12] In 2018, worldwide, it had 6,464,127 members and 31,268 churches. [18][19] After the launch of the Global Methodist Church on May 1, 2022, a number of traditionalist United Methodist churches entered into the Global Methodist Church. This is not the first time American Methodists have split over the issue of human dignity. Together with Coke, Wesley sent The Sunday Service of the Methodists, Methodism's first liturgical text and the Articles of Religion, which were received and adopted by the Baltimore Christmas Conference of 1784, officially establishing the Methodist Episcopal Church. Many Methodists still hold on for an amicable separation. [121][122] It also forbids any United Methodist board, agency, committee, commission, or council to give United Methodist funds to any gay organization or group, or otherwise use such funds to promote the acceptance of homosexuality. (RNS) Bishop Scott Jones isn't the first United Methodist bishop to join the Global Methodist Church since the theologically conservative . Methodist Episcopal Church was formally constituted. In this reception, we are forgiven through the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross. [117] Clergy are officially prohibited from overseeing the vows or signing the union or marriage license, but clergy can offer the premarital counseling, prayers, the homily at the wedding, or read the scriptures. Global Methodism's New Church - The Gospel Coalition ", "Western Jurisdiction elects openly gay United Methodist bishop", "U.S. Methodist leaders lay plans to resist vote against same-sex marriage", "Bishop's statement on same-gender weddings", "Pastor Defrocked for Holding Gay Marriage", "Defrocking of Minister Widens Split Over Gays", "Top court affirms Schaefer's reinstatement as clergy", "Charlotte pastor who married same-sex couple will keep job, avoid church trial", "Val Rosenquist, Methodist pastor, to keep job despite performing same-sex wedding", "Pastor avoids church trial in same-sex wedding", "Judicial Council rules against mandatory penalties in Just Resolutions", "Bishops offer advice after gay marriage ruling", "Methodists Approve Same-Sex Marriage Benefits", "Methodist Church Approves Same-Sex Marriage Benefits", "Homosexual Minister Is Ousted By Southwest Texas Methodists", "United Methodists Move to Defrock Lesbian", "United Methodist Church (UMC): The trial of Irene Elizabeth Stroud", "Judicial Council denies reconsideration of two decisions", "Dozens of gay and lesbian Methodist clergy come out", "Bishop again officiates at same-gender nuptials", "15 United Methodist clergy, candidates come out as gay", "33 Ordained, Commissioned in "Historic" Service", "US United Methodists vs African & Asian United Methodists", "3 gay pastors among nominees for bishop", "Resolution recommends letting regional bodies adapt Discipline", "Bishops overrule nonconformity resolutions", "African bishops speak out on terrorism, sexuality", "United Methodist Bishops from Africa issue statement", "United Methodist Bishops in Africa Reaffirm Biblical Teaching on Marriage", "United Methodist conferences petition denomination on behalf of LGBT rights", "Southeastern bishops decry 'nonconformity' plans", "Methodists Vote to Keep Transgender Pastor", "From education to nondiscrimination: Six resolutions pass Annual Conference | South Carolina United Methodist Advocate", "Transgender person commissioned as deacon", "Consecration of gay bishop against church law", "Commentary: Attorney on confusion over Oliveto's status", "Review all clergy qualifications, court says", Advocate: Methodist Bishops Back Choice on LGBT Clergy, Same-Sex Marriage, "United Methodist Church votes to maintain its opposition to same-sex marriage, gay clergy", "United Methodists pass Traditional Plan, keep ban on LGBTQ clergy, same-sex marriage", "Court to GC2019: Legislation needs more work", "Gay Methodist clergy in Colorado vow to remain "out and loud" after church strengthens LGBTQ restrictions", "German church won't impose Traditional Plan bans", "Western Jurisdiction UMC Bishops video statement script", "Court OKs part of Traditional Plan, exit plan", "United Methodist court upholds Traditional Plan's ban on LGBTQ clergy, same sex marriage", "Methodists plan vote on church split in '21", "United Methodists elect married gay clergyman among 13 new bishops who represent many other firsts", "UMC body elects openly gay bishop in defiance of denomination's rules", "What is The United Methodist Church's position on just war?