The United Methodist Church is one of the larger religious organizations in the world but recently, it lost a lot of members. It happened quickly with a single decision.
After a vote from a major West African conference that would withdraw from the United Methodist Church, over 1 million members decided to leave. The decision was because of the church’s acceptance of LGBT clergy and marriages.
According to the African EMUCI, the church is deviating from the holy Scriptures, and prefers to ‘sacrifice its honor and integrity to honor the LGBTQ community.’
The church voted on May 2 to lift a prohibition that had been standing for a long time which stopped LGBT clergy and marriages. After it was lifted, the EMCUI took action to separate itself from the organization.
The resolution was approved with a vote of 692-51. It occurred at a conference held in Charlotte, North Carolina. A similar departure is also being considered by the Korean Methodist Church.
If the Korean Methodist Church were to leave the organization, they would take about 1.5 million members along with them. They stated: “Homosexuality cannot be accepted until the Lord returns. This is not an emotional issue but a matter of unchangeable truth. Homosexuality is clearly a sin. This is an issue concerning the sanctity of life that the church must teach correctly, without compromise.”
With so many members leaving the church, financial challenges have become evident. Since thousands are leaving because of progressive policies, budgetary constraints had to be put in place.
On December 11, bishops reached an agreement for a spending plan and pay raises were not part of it. Active bishops were decreased from 39 to 32 and many are now overseeing multiple areas. A one-time bonus for office staff was approved.
In addition, a one-time grant of $20,000 for each of the 15 U.S. episcopal areas which consolidated was approved. Those funds are to assist staff members who may have been laid off during the transition.
The board was addressed by the leading executive of the General Council on Finance and Administration, Rev. Moses Kumar. He said: “Let us ensure that our mission is the driving force behind our financial decisions.” He then concluded, saying: “May our united efforts be fruitful as we enter this new quadrennium with optimism and determination.”
Staff reductions have been a difficult part of the process for the United Methodist Church. Rev. Sheila Ahler spoke about this to the finance agency board, saying: “When we discuss the office allowance, I want to emphasize that we are referring to individuals. In any merger, there is inevitably a decrease in staff, which is challenging. This is especially hard when it involves the bishops’ staff, who have often been with the bishop for many years.”
