95 UMC congregations from Louisiana voted Saturday to leave United Methodist Church amid homosexuality controversy.
UMC Louisiana Annual Conference approved the disaffiliation of the 95 churches after voting during a special called session “for the sole purpose of voting on the Louisiana Conference Board of Trustees recommendation for the churches per paragraph 2553.”
The voting took place at First Methodist Church in Baton Rouge Rouge, reports Louisiana Conference. The disaffiliation will take effect from Wednesday.
At the end of the special called session, Bishop Delores J. Williamston, bishop of the Louisiana Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church addressed the audience.
“This road has been long and it has not been easy for those who choose to stay or remain in the United Methodist Church,” she said. “I want to say to those who chose to stay and remain: we see you and are moving forward. We want you to know that you do have a place in the United Methodist Church, and there is much work to do.“
“We know healing is needed throughout the whole conference, she continued. “But rest assured there are signs of hope in our conference. Ministries are happening. Churches are reaching out to those whose churches are disaffiliated. Groups are meeting in Stay United Methodist Church groups. Clergy are being deploy to minister to people in the church and community.”
In March, a group of UMC clergy seek to stop UMC Louisiana’s disaffiliation. Consequently, they sued the Louisiana conference over issues relating to the disaffiliation process. The district court judge Kelly Balfour, however, ruled against the lawsuit.
Bishop Delorees J. William regardless approved of the court ruling. She maintained the disaffiliation process “is faithful to the Book of Discipline and fair to all congregations entering discernment.”
“Besides the First Amendment arguments, which applied in this case, the Louisiana Conference strongly believes that our disaffiliation process is faithful to the Book of Discipline and fair to all congregations entering discernment,’ stated Williamston.
Many congregations have disaffiliated from UMC Following its stance on the ban on homosexual marriage and the ordination of gay clergy. More than 1800 congregations disaffiliated from UMC since 2002.
58 UMC Louisiana congregations also disaffiliated from the regional body in November last year.