Disaffiliation approved for six area Methodist churches

HOUSTON – A long divide between traditional and progressive United Methodists took its most signifi cant step towards a conclusion over the weekend after a historic vote by the Texas Annual Conference.

In recent years issues between traditional and progressives in the church have led to an ever-widening divide over opposing ideologies resulting from the understandings of biblical principles and interpretation, human sexuality, and the hierarchy of the clergy within the denomination.

“We’ve been in this fight within the church, within the denomination, for years. We’ve been battling this thing, and it’s about the Methodist Church going in a direction it need not go, and that is away from scripture,” said Rev. Gideon Watson of Hardin Methodist Church previously to The Vindicator.

First Methodist Houston West was the scene on Saturday, Dec. 3, as nearly half of the 598 plus churches in the conference were allowed to exit the 54-year-old denomination at a special called session.

The vote brought issues amongst the church to a conclusion, at least in the area the conference represents. The conference is made up of most of East Texas, as well as the Houston area and includes all seven Methodist churches in Liberty County.

The vote for disaffiliation was overwhelming, with 1164 church clergy and lay delegates voting in favor, 33 opposed, and 40 abstentions.

Six of the 294 churches that voted to leave the UMC are from Liberty County. Dayton, Hardin, Cleveland, Daisetta, South Liberty and Devers will officially join the Global Methodist Church on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, while Liberty First United Methodist will be the only local church remaining in the UMC.

Most of the 294 churches that chose to exit the UMC will become part of the GMC, while others will become independent or join other denominations.

In some other areas of the nation, issues have arisen over approval for disaffiliation, but those fears were quickly eased in the local conference with Principles for Disaffiliation, which has been in place for some time.

“There was no serious interest in trying to derail all of the work that led up to the vote in the conference,” said Rev. Guy Williams of First Methodist Dayton.

Dayton voted almost unanimously over the summer to part ways with the UMC and, in turn, join the GMC.

“ There was an inherent tension, but the great majority tried to handle the business graciously as friends,” said Williams.

Over the coming weeks, the churches that have opted out will have several legal items to deal with, such as name changes, adopting new articles of incorporation, and removing the UMC cross and flame logo from all signs and promotional materials.

The move to disaffiliate continues across the state and country, with churches still in the discernment processes. Some parts of the UMC have made the process more rigorous and financially tricky than those that have parted ways at the local conference.

This will likely not be the end of the movement by churches leaving the UMC, and more are expected to follow that path in May 2023 when the annual conference meets for their regular meeting.

But for the six local congregations, Saturday, Dec. 31, will be their final day affiliated with the UMC.