The health of the United Methodist Church (UMC), one of the orthodox churches in Liberia, remains at stake amid what appears to be an unceasing muddle of same sex marriage rocking the spiritual institution.
Liberia: – The health of the United Methodist Church (UMC), one of the orthodox churches in Liberia, remains at stake amid what appears to be an unceasing muddle of same sex marriage rocking the spiritual institution.
The UMC has been rattling over its position on the controversial issue of same sex marriage; an issue that has taken global dimension in the ranks and file of the Church.
Latest reports emanating from Margibi County speak of the breakaway of the Weala District from the UMC Liberia Annual Conference (LAC) in connection to the long-running controversy over same-sex marriage.
The District comprises about 42 local churches with the membership of about 12,000 and is one of the ranking districts in the UMC nationwide sectorial structure.
This paper gathered that the decision was reached out of a resolution proffered and signed by the attendees of a District Conference held in Bong Mines, lower Bong County.
Only about three Conference attendees dissented the resolution to break away from the UMC Liberia Annual Conference, this paper reliably told.
“Amid gay marriage controversy, UMC Weala District of more than 12,000 members break away from UMC Liberia Annual Conference,” Journalist Emmanuel Degleh wrote on his social media page. Degleh is renowned in Margibi County for his professional attributes.
The Weala District breakaway comes just days away to the convening of the Church’s Annual Conference scheduled to take place in next door Bong County.
it is unknown why the Weala District has, at the time the Church is preparing for its annual conference, chosen to walk away from the parent body.
The annual conference is a gathering of church leaders and members to seek spiritual guidance and also discuss and make determination of issues affecting the sanctity and wellbeing of the institution.
The Weala District of the UMC has been a strong and leading voice against the rancorous issue of same-sex marriage that took the church my storm last year and continues to defy its standings in the Liberian comity of churches.
In October of last year, tension escalated in the church following the suspension of five pastors by Bishop Samuel Jerome Quire. The suspended five pastors had been calling for a special section to allow the church in Liberia decides its position in a new resolution by the global church that allows same-sex marriage in all United Methodist churches.
Recall that delegates from the United Methodist Church’s General Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, from April 23 to May 3, 2024, voted 692-51 to repeal the church’s longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergy, marking a significant shift in church policy.
The decision taken by the General Conference in the United States brought enormous pressure and criticism of Bishop Quire over what they called his refusal to call for a special session and allow members of the church determine the way forward for the church in Liberia.
Pastors Bishop Quire suspended were from the Seventy Second United Methodist Church, the New Georgia United Methodist Church and other pastors within the Liberia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church who questioned his refusal to call for a special section.
In response to Bishop Quire action, members of both the Seventy Second United Methodist Church and the New Georgia United Methodist Church on October 13, 2024, protested during the worship hours to reject Bishop Quire’s action to suspend their pastors.
The United Methodist Church (UMC) has since lifted its ban on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ clergy. The changes were made during the UMC’s general conference in Charlotte, North Carolina in May 2024.
As per the changes, the UMC removed a line from its rulebook that said homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching, and also broadened its definition of marriage to include two people of consenting age.
The UMC also removed punishments for ministers who officiate at same-sex weddings, after it had previously banned same-sex marriage and ordained ministers who were sexually active LGBTQ members
Research shows that the UMC’s official policy supported laws that defined marriage as a union of one man and one woman.
The UMC’s position on sexuality was the subject of debate for 50 years.
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