Fifty-five congregations in Oklahoma are disaffiliating from the United Methodist Church after delegates voted at a conference to approve the process.
According to The Christian Post, the UMC Oklahoma Conference voted last weekend to recognize and approve the disaffiliation of 55 churches in Oklahoma. That number totals about 10 percent of the 425 UMC churches.
“I am thankful for all the members of the annual conference for the time they have been and will be devoting to evaluating the report from the Trustees, listening to the motions and discussions from other members and casting their votes,” said Oklahoma Area Bishop James G. Nun in a statement to The Christian Post.
He said he understood that the disaffiliations could be “painful” and “emotional.”
“I am comforted that the process for today’s vote was carried out according to the requirements identified in our denomination and conference disaffiliation agreements.”
First United Methodist Church of Bixby Pastor Dan Pulvey told The Christian Post that the congregation had voted 87 percent in favor of disaffiliating from the UMC. He said it’s possible the church will join the Global Methodist Church, the newly created denomination of more conservative Methodist churches.
“We are currently planning to remain independent until after the Global Methodist Church has its initial General Conference session, and we then see what the official denomination will resemble.”
A substantial number of congregations have voted to leave the UMC in recent months over a debate on the denomination’s official stance on LGBT issues.
The UMC Book of Discipline prohibits the ordination of noncelibate homosexuals or the blessing of same-sex unions, but many progressive leaders in the denomination have refused to enforce those rules.
In response, many conservative congregations have opted to leave the UMC and join the GMC.
Also this week, the UMC Houston Annual Conference in Tennessee voted to approve the disaffiliation of 264 churches from the UMC.
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Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and IBelieve.com. She blogs at The Migraine Runner.