Alabama: 132 congregations leave United Methodist Church over LGBT disagreement
by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – Joining thousands of other churches that have left the US United Methodist Church (UMC) in recent years, 132 congregations in Alabama voted last Thursday to leave the denomination as well, the Christian Post (CP) reports.
The UMC began to see a flood of departing churches after many of its leaders decided to accept same-sex marriage and the ordination of non-celibate LGBTQ clergy.
Following last week’s disaffiliation vote, and the loss of 198 churches in December, the UMC North Alabama Conference has seen the number of its congregations reduced from 635 at the beginning 2022 to 305 now, CP reports.
In a statement published after the disaffiliation vote, the Conference said: “Our 305 North Alabama congregations are a connected body of faith. Just as different parts come together to form a fully functional body, so it is with the North Alabama Conference. Each of our congregations is an important part of who we are. Our prayer is that together we United Methodists can reclaim our common purpose and strengthen our connection so that all of us are reinvigorated in our calling to make disciples of Jesus Christ.”
According to UM News data, just over 3,200 congregations have disaffiliated from the UMC since 2019, CP reports. Over 1,200 churches have disaffiliated this year so far.
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