The new denomination, the Global Methodist Church, splintered from the United Methodist Church as part of a schism primarily over LGBTQ rights. The Global Methodist Church will be a home for Methodist churches that hold more “traditionalist” stances on sexuality and gender.
I left the UMC several years ago. The sexuality thing was not the only issue. The UMC has been moving further and further left for several decades. This is what happens when we pander to the philosophies of men instead of the clear doctrine of the Bible. Sola Scriptura!
The UMC has been under infiltration attack for many years now. The laity has largely resisted well, imo, but the administrative cracks have only gotten worse, especially in the Cal-Pac conference where the UMC equivalent of the deep state openly defies the book of discipline. It's clear the majority of the laity oppose same-sex marriage and ministers, but the power structure within the church doesn't make it easy to excommunicate them, so it's gotten worse.
Wesleyan church has also been reaching out to congregations.
Wesleyan church has also been reaching out to congregations.
In what way, and for what purpose? It's not clear from the context. I ask, because my wife just started hanging out with some women who attend a Wesleyan church.
If you're a Methodist, at least if you're one who pays attention to how the church is structured (no judgement there - that's the kind of thing that nobody wants to worry about anyway), you probably know it was started by John Wesley. So the doctrine is similar to most Wesleyan denominations already.
My old UMC congregation (I moved out of the area, nothing to do with teachings) is a traditional conservative congregation in Southern California. Some members of the congregation were speaking with a representative from the Wesleyan Covenant Association. Apparently the WCA has some type of plan to help conservative congregations leave the UMC, and they will facilitate a group negotiation with the UMC to attempt to get better terms. The UMC in many cases holds the mortgage or sometimes the title to the church property, so leaving it can be very costly. I don't know if the UMC congregation members approached the WCA, or the opposite, but I do know that there has been enough contact between concerned UMC traditional congregations and the WCA, that the WCA has some sort of action plan to help them separate.
The UMC congregation members were concerned that the bishop would send them a gay-promoting minister in the next round of assignments. The bishop in the area would definitely do it, they've been flaunting the church covenant aggressively. But it didn't happen: the same pastor, a traditionalist, was re-appointed for the next year. And the congregation voted not to join the WCA. But the WCA is still out there.
The new denomination, the Global Methodist Church, splintered from the United Methodist Church as part of a schism primarily over LGBTQ rights. The Global Methodist Church will be a home for Methodist churches that hold more “traditionalist” stances on sexuality and gender.
I left the UMC several years ago. The sexuality thing was not the only issue. The UMC has been moving further and further left for several decades. This is what happens when we pander to the philosophies of men instead of the clear doctrine of the Bible. Sola Scriptura!
The UMC has been under infiltration attack for many years now. The laity has largely resisted well, imo, but the administrative cracks have only gotten worse, especially in the Cal-Pac conference where the UMC equivalent of the deep state openly defies the book of discipline. It's clear the majority of the laity oppose same-sex marriage and ministers, but the power structure within the church doesn't make it easy to excommunicate them, so it's gotten worse.
Wesleyan church has also been reaching out to congregations.
In what way, and for what purpose? It's not clear from the context. I ask, because my wife just started hanging out with some women who attend a Wesleyan church.
If you're a Methodist, at least if you're one who pays attention to how the church is structured (no judgement there - that's the kind of thing that nobody wants to worry about anyway), you probably know it was started by John Wesley. So the doctrine is similar to most Wesleyan denominations already.
My old UMC congregation (I moved out of the area, nothing to do with teachings) is a traditional conservative congregation in Southern California. Some members of the congregation were speaking with a representative from the Wesleyan Covenant Association. Apparently the WCA has some type of plan to help conservative congregations leave the UMC, and they will facilitate a group negotiation with the UMC to attempt to get better terms. The UMC in many cases holds the mortgage or sometimes the title to the church property, so leaving it can be very costly. I don't know if the UMC congregation members approached the WCA, or the opposite, but I do know that there has been enough contact between concerned UMC traditional congregations and the WCA, that the WCA has some sort of action plan to help them separate.
The UMC congregation members were concerned that the bishop would send them a gay-promoting minister in the next round of assignments. The bishop in the area would definitely do it, they've been flaunting the church covenant aggressively. But it didn't happen: the same pastor, a traditionalist, was re-appointed for the next year. And the congregation voted not to join the WCA. But the WCA is still out there.
Very interesting Karam. Thanks for all the details. Makes me feel better about the WCA.