Montgomery, Alabama
First United Methodist Church congregants pray for members attending the United Methodist General Conference, including Tracy Merrick, left, a delegate representing Western Pennsylvania, The Rev. Anais Hussian, a reserve delegate, and Joshua Popson, who is advocating for LGBTQ inclusion with the Love Your Neighbor Coalition, Sunday, April 14, 2024, in Pittsburgh. The 11-day conference is the denomination’s first legislative gathering since a special session in 2019.
That measure — subject to local ratification votes — is seen as a way the U.S. churches could have LGBTQ ordination and same-sex marriage while the more conservative overseas areas, particularly the large and fast-growing churches of Africa, could maintain those bans. “It will say to the world about us that we really stand behind our statement that we are a church of open hearts, open minds, and open doors,” said Tracy Merrick, a delegate and member of First United Methodist Church of Pittsburgh, which has committed to ministry with LGBTQ people.
Such changes could portend a further fragmentation of the international church. Delegates last week approved the departure of a small but notable part of the body — about 30 churches in Russia and other former Soviet countries, where conservative views on LGBTQ issues are strong. Jerry Kulah of the advocacy group Africa Initiative said that while it will be up to individual conferences in Africa to decide whether to stay or leave the denomination, he believes it’s time to leave.A large majority of African bishops, while affirming their opposition to LGBTQ ordination or marriage, have said in a joint statement they are committed to remaining in the United Methodist Church.
Conservative advocacy groups say U.S. churches that didn’t meet the 2023 deadline should have the option of disaffiliating, too — along with the more than 7,000 that have already done so.
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